Teacher Cover Letter
A cover letter should always accompany anything mailed to an
employer. As with a resume, the letter must be correct in all aspects.
Poor spelling, grammatical errors and incorrect format are all
indications of poor work. These send clear signals to employers.
Experienced job seekers should never submit the first draft of a
letter. After editing it thoroughly take a break for an hour or so.
Re-reading the letter will usually result in needed changes and
modifications that were not obvious in the initial draft. You may want
to read the letter aloud.
All letters should follow a standard business format and usually
contain three brief paragraphs. The first paragraph explains why the
letter is being sent. The second paragraph outlines specific skills or
matters of particular interest. This paragraph should be concise,
avoiding unnecessary flattery and overuse of vocabulary. The last
paragraph expresses what action the writer wishes from the employer
(e.g., "I will contact you next week to arrange a personal
interview.").
Be certain of the correct spelling of all names, titles and
addresses. When responding to an individual be certain of gender. Many
given names - such as Pat - are gender neutral. Please address the
letter to Hiring Manager, University of Kansas Medical Center. Do not
use salutations like, To Whom It May Concern, Gentlemen, or Dear
Personnel etc.
8 Easy Tips for
Teacher Cover Letters
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Address a specific person.
A quick telephone call to an employer can help determine the name
and correct spelling of your recipient. If you
can抰 get this information, address the letter to "Dear Hiring
Manager" or "Dear Human Resource Manager." Another suggestion is to
use a subject line in place of the salutation (i.e., APPLICATION FOR
THE SOCIAL SERVICES POSITION.) Avoid salutations such as "Dear Sir,"
"Dear Madam," or "To Whom It May Concern."
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Keep it brief. Limit
the letter to one page. Remember: a cover letter is
intended to complement your resume, not repeat its content. Three to
four paragraphs is sufficient.
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Match yourself to the
opportunity. Effective cover letters are accomplishment-oriented
and focus on specific skills and abilities. Rather than claiming to
be "competent" and "qualified," cite examples and make an effort to
link them to the job requirements.
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Demonstrate your interest.
Show what you抳e learned about the organization and/or industry. This
is where your research and networking will pay off. Where
appropriate, use the vocabulary of a specific discipline or
industry.
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Write in your own style.
You can adopt a conversational tone as long as your writing is
flawless and grammatically correct. Avoid
overused statements such as "Enclosed please find my resume for your
review." Use the active voice and powerful verbs for lively
communication.
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Put yourself in the reader抯
position. Count the number of sentences that you began with the
word, 揑.� Then edit! Downplay "I" and "me" and focus on the reader
by using the word "you" as often as possible. Communicate what you
can contribute to the reader抯 organization, rather than what you
expect to get.
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Pay attention to detail.
Employers value effective and careful communicators, and your
writing skills are displayed in your cover letter. Grammar,
spelling, or typographical errors will send you to the 慸iscard�
pile. Ask an expert to proofread your letter for
content, clarity, and correctness. Tip for emails:
write in a Word document and then paste it into your email.
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First impressions count.
The average employer receives over 200,000 letters annually from
job applicants. Get yours noticed with these tips:
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Type your letter using the
same font as your resume. Keep it simple
(e.g., Times New Roman, 12 point).
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If you抮e using a hard copy,
print it on the same stock of paper as your resume.
White or off-white color is preferable.
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Sign a hard copy letter with
blue or black ink.
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