GENERAL OUTLINE FOR COVER LETTERS You may chose a

GENERALOUTLINEFORCOVERLETTERS

YoumaychoseaBLOCK(left‐justified),orMODIFIEDBLOCK(returnaddressandsignaturecentered,and

paragraphsindented)styleforyourcoverletter.Blockisconsideredmoreformalandisthestylemost

generallyusedforformalbusinesswriting.Thissampleoutlinebelowiswrittenintheappropriate 

mannerfor

ablockstylecoverletter.



Youraddress

City,State,ZIP

Date

(2spaces)

Nameofindividualyouarewritingto

Title

Organization

Address

City,State,ZIP

(2spaces)

DearMs./Mr./Dr__________(besuretoaddressthelettertotheappropriateindividual,findoutthegenderofthe

personandtheproperspellingoftheirname)

(2spaces)

INTRODUCTORY

PARAGRAPH

Thisparagraphanswersthequestionsofwhoyouareandwhyyouarewriting.Namethepositionortypeofwork

forwhichyouareapplyingandmentionhowyouheardofthespecificopeningororganization.Youmayalsomake

thisparagraphmorelengthyindicatingsomeofyourpositive

attributesandhowthesewouldbenefitthe

organizationingeneral,however,thiscanbeaddressedorexpandeduponinthesecondparagraph.

MIDDLEPARAGRAPH



Thisparagraphallowsyoutheopportunitytodisplayyourbestqualitiesandindicatehowtheywillservethe

organization.Explainwhatyouknowabouttheorganizationandwhyyouareinterestedinworkingforthem.Point

tothosework/educational/volunteerorserviceactivitiesthatprovideyouwiththeappropriatebackgroundfor

the

position.Highlightanitemfromyourresumeorincludesomethingthatyouwereunabletoaddtoyourresume,

butbesuretonotsimplyreiterateyourresume.Note:thissegmentofthelettermayextendoveroneparagraph,

butrememberbrevityiscriticalinthecoverletter,youneed

notbeexhaustive.

FINALPARAGRAPH



Thisparagraphconcludesthecoverletter,itindicatesbothyourthanksandthenextstepstobetaken.Reiterate

yourenthusiasmforthepositionandyoureagernessforapersonalmeeting.Youmaywishtoindicatethatyouwill

followupwiththem.Ifyouchosetofollowupyou

generallyshouldwaitaweektotendays.Becertaintothank

thereaderfortheirtimeandconsideration.

(2spaces)

Sincerelyyours,

(4spacesandwrittensignature)

Yournametyped

