Cover
Letter — “A letter that is sent with
something to explain the reason for it or to give more information about it.”
-Merriam
Webster’s Dictionary
I’m back with part two
of my professional development series, and today’s topic is cover letters! To be honest, I actually don’t like writing
cover letters at all. Prior to law
school, I had never written one and, to this day, I still get writer’s block
when trying to write one. So here’s my
brief introduction on how to write a great cover letter!
Opening Formalities
This part might be
self-explanatory, but it’s always good to know what exactly to include in this
section. First, I include my contact
information in a header to my document to ensure it is offset from the text of
my cover letter. Next, I include the
contact information of the person whose name is attached to the internship or
job that I’m applying to, typically the school’s contact person for that
employer. The final piece of the opening
formalities is to include a greeting. To
ensure formality, use “Dear Mr./Ms. ______:”.
In legal letters, a colon is the correct way to end a greeting, not a
comma which I always used prior to coming to law school.
Introductory Paragraph
This is probably one of
the shortest parts of a cover letter. In
this paragraph, introduce yourself and why you’re writing. I usually just say my year and the position
you’re applying for. A short and sweet
intro is perfect.
Middle Paragraph
This paragraph is the
most important paragraph in your entire cover letter. It explains why you would be a good fit for
the position you’re applying to. You can
list specific areas you focus on and specific things you’ve done within that
area of law. Also, it’s nice to point
out how you’re connected with an employer if you think it will make you stand
out from the pile of applicants. It’s a
chance for you to show your personality since employers are judging you on what
you write and not on your actual personality in real life. Take this opportunity to show that you are
actually passionate about a specific subject or even a pro bono opportunity
that you’ve done that relates to the position.
Closing Paragraph and
Formalities
Like the opening
paragraph, the closing paragraph is also quite short. In this section, just wrap up your letter and
express your interest in meeting them in the future. It’s also nice to express your thanks for a
hiring committee to take time out of their days to consider you as a
candidate. Finally, conclude with a
salutation and your name. If you’re
handing a physical copy of this to someone, leave some space to sign your name
(in blue pen!) before typing your name.
I hope this was helpful
to understand how to write a basic cover letter! Below is a sample cover letter (it’s based
heavily on the one I use for applying).
Good luck with applying!
No comments:
Post a Comment