header

Cover Letter + Reflection

Following graduation, you'll likely be in search of a job, and most job descriptions will ask for a cover letter and resume to apply for the position. Cover letters are a challenging genre of writing. For one, you want to use your previous work experience to make claims about how it has prepared you for this next opportunity. However, you also want to strike a tone that demonstrates both confidence and humility.

Part 1: For this assignment, you will find a specific job description (see below) and write a cover letter for this position. Using your experiences at your current internship as evidence, make an argument about your fit for this position. Cover letter length and genre conventions vary based on profession, so it is important to seek out examples online to find the correct format for your letter. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) also has a great resource for writing cover letters, so you might consult this website as well.

There are some excellent resources for finding job ads and descriptions below:

Belmont's Handshake App (Access through myBelmont)
Indeed.com
Monster.com
Tennessean Careerbuilder

Part 2: In this second part of the assignment, you will first copy and paste the entire job ad to which you responded. Then, in a 500+ word reflection, spend some time explaining the kinds of research you conducted to understand the conventions of your particular cover letter. What characteristics from these discovered sample cover letters appeared in your own writing? How else did you learn how to write an effective cover letter for this particular situation? Then, explain how you framed your experience in the internship to make the argument that you would be a strong candidate for the position. Also, what future goals might you establish to be prepared for such a position?

Rough Draft Due: November 18th for Writing Workshop

Final Draft Due: December 2nd