Cover Letter, Thank Yous, and Connection Email Etiquette

Whether you are following up after a career fair or applying for an internship/job, your correspondence with employers creates an impression and illustrates your communication skills. Always use a professional tone and polished language. Adhere to the 3 Cs Rule: correspondence is clear, concise, and compelling. State very clearly who you are and why you are writing. Your message must be concise and get to the point. Finally, your goal is to compel your reader to take further action, such as arranging an interview or extending a job offer.
 

Cover Letters

The goal of the cover letter is to summarize your qualifications and experiences and to get the reader interested in reading your resume.

A cover letter is not simply a rehash of your resume - it is a document you send with your resume that provides additional information about your skills and experiences. It typically includes three to four paragraphs/sections that highlight your skills, experiences, and achievements in relation to the position you’re applying for. Cover letters should be around ¾ of a page long, and never longer than one page.

Keep your resume and cover letter saved as different files and upload them separately (unless otherwise instructed by the employer). If you are applying by email, paste the cover letter into the body of your email. It is advised to not send a blank email with the cover letter attached.

Generally speaking, a cover letter has three sections:

Introduction

• Who you are
• What you are applying for
• Why you are applying for it

Body Paragraph(s) 

• Specific examples that prove your qualifications, experiences, and achievements
• Why you are interested in working for them specifically
• Why should they choose YOU for an interview?

Closing 

• Gratitude
• Call To Action
• This should be a compelling and strong finish!

Sample Introduction 

I am a _______________ at Rutgers University studying _______________. I am writing in response to the _______________ position listed on _______________. This role interests me because of my experience in _______________and _______________, and my desire to _______________in the future. 

I am a Junior at Rutgers University studying Journalism and Media. I am writing in response to the Media Assistant position listed on Handshake. This role interests me because of my experiences in television production, my studies in journalism and media, and my desire to pursue a career as a broadcast engineer.

Sample Body Paragraph(s) intro statements

• I possess many of the qualifications mentioned in the job description, including _______________ and _______________ .
• Please allow me to draw your attention to a few of the ways my background meets your requirements.
• The attached resume provides a detailed outline of the skills I have acquired through my education and work experience. Those that may be of particular interest to you include _______________ , _______________ , and _______________ .

Sample Closing

• I would be happy to meet and discuss the ways I can contribute to your organization’s needs. I can be reached at me@domain.com or 555-123-4567. Thank you for your time and consideration.
• I look forward to meeting you to discuss the needs of your _______________ department and how my background can accommodate them. I can be reached at me@domain.com or 555-123-4567 to arrange an interview at your earliest convenience.
• I welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss in more detail my qualifications for the position. I look forward to hearing from you soon to set up an interview. Thank you.

Cover Letter Example

Bruce Wayne, CEO
WayneTech
629 Main Street
Gotham City, NY 10020

Date [the date you are sending the cover letter]

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms. [Hiring Manager Name],
My name is Taylor Smith. I am a Junior at Rutgers University, majoring in Communications and minoring in Business Administration. I am contacting you to communicate my interest in the Administrative Assistant role being advertised by WayneTech on Handshake. This role really caught my attention as I have a strong educational background and extensive experience in the office administration of medium-sized businesses. I think this knowledge and expertise could be highly valuable to you and your team.

Since 2020, I have been employed at Parker Gear, LLC as an Administrative Assistant. During my 3+ years at Parker Gear, I have assisted with a wide range of office administrative tasks using Microsoft Office and LibreOffice software. My daily responsibilities include maintaining and managing sensitive printed data and forms, recording meeting minutes, and drafting inter-office communications.

In my current position, I was also tasked with optimizing the efficiency of our office supply purchasing, the results of which saved the company over $1,800 per quarter. Additionally, my written skills were greatly improved by assisting with the drafting and proofing of executive correspondences.

Please see my enclosed resume to provide further information about my career and education history. I hope that my credentials represent a good match for this role. I’m very excited to learn more about the position and would be eager to organize a meeting to discuss it in more detail. In the meantime, I’d like to thank you for your consideration and to invite you to contact me at any time regarding the opportunity.

Sincerely,

Taylor Smith

taylorsmith@rutgers.edu

Thank You Letters

Thank you notes after interviews are not a requirement - but they are a good idea. A thank you note may or may not help you get the job, but they can never hurt your chances… so it’s probably a good idea to send them!
A thank you note is a great way to demonstrate your continued interest in the position, and that you appreciate them taking the time to interview you. It also gives you one last chance to sell yourself for the job and make sure that the interviewer remembers you positively press everyone you met by including something specific that was discussed during your meeting.

Make sure to get contact information from all interviewers to ensure the correct spelling of their names and email addresses.

Send an email thank-you letter within 24 hours after your interview. (Subject: Thank You from Your Name)

Your goal is to impress the interviewer with your appreciation and reiterate your qualifications and interest in the position. If you met with more than one individual, send personalized thank you letters to each interviewer (people talk and compare notes - sending the exact same thank you note to different interviewers shows little originality and thoughtfulness). Impress them by including something specific that was discussed during your interview.

Networking/Connecting Emails

The goal of a networking/connecting email is to help you build a network of professional contacts.  A well written networking/connecting email will be used to initiate a conversation directly with an employer, alumni, or key contact within an organization. See below for sample email subject lines, introductions, and closings.

Sample Email Subject Lines

• Interest in Your Career Path as a ___________
• Potential Internship Opportunities at ________________
• Strong Candidate for your ________________ Department

Sample Introduction

• I was referred to you by ________________. He/she thought you would be an excellent connection for me to find out more about the field and seek advice about my job search strategy.
• I found your information through a Rutgers LinkedIn Alumni search. Your background is very interesting and I would like to speak with you regarding your experience in the ________________ field.
• I am writing to explore possible internship opportunities with your organization. I am in my junior year at Rutgers University majoring in ________________ and am interested in learning more about the field of ________________ from an industry leader.

Sample Request for Informational Interview

I would like to speak with you to ask your advice and learn about the field of [insert industry area]. Based on your knowledge and experience, I believe you would offer unique insight that may help me refine my career goals. Would you be available to speak with me for 15 to 20 minutes sometime in the next few weeks so that I may ask you some questions?

Sample Closing

I welcome the opportunity to elaborate on how I could make a meaningful contribution to your organization. Thank you for your consideration. 

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time.

General Professional Email Guidelines

Use an appropriate subject line for your email. Use professional salutations such as “Dear Mr. or Ms.” and be sure to spell his or her name correctly. If you are unsure of the person's gender, use their full name - “Dear Addison Smith." Take the time to proofread, spell check, and grammar check your message before sending. Keep your language formal but friendly. The idea is to make a positive impression!

Dear Mr. Wayne,

Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the WayneTech Engineering Supervisor position. I was excited to learn about the impact this role has on WayneTech’s operating status. My extensive experience with BatTech software will allow me to quickly become a valuable member of the team providing expertise on protocols.

Thank you again for the tour of the production department. It was fascinating to get your insight into the optimization and efficiency standards of WayneTech.

I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps in the hiring process. Please contact me with any questions.

Thank you,

Jason Todd