Resumes & Cover Letters: Overview

A cover letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience.

This is your opportunity to provide detailed information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for.  A cover letter is meant to express additional information about your strengths that are specific to the particular job you are applying to. 

This is your opportunity to sell yourself.  In your cover letter you want to essentially market your credentials, work experience, and personal history to help yourself get the interview.  Make it personal to the location, job, or use family/personal history to show why this position is inline with your career goals and where you want to be in life.

A cover letter typically accompanies every resume that you will send out.  Employers (or Human Resources) uses a cover letter to screen applicants for available jobs and determine if the candidate should move forward in the interview process.  Every job description will announce if they require a cover letter, even if they do not you can always attach one.

Ensure that the cover letter you are writing is tailored to the particular job you are applying to.  This means that every time you apply you need to update your cover letter with specific details that pertain to the job description. Utilize the job description provided by the employer to match your transferable skills to the job you're applying to.   Especially remember to update the job title, company, and any other identifying factors that relate to the jobs you have applied to in the past.

Cover Letters should not exceed 1 page in length, so be detailed but concise with your writing.

How is a Cover Letter Structured?

Begin  the document with your Name, Address, Phone Number, & Email Put the Date Insert the Hiring Manager's Name, Job Title, Organization Name, Organization Address	These should be aligned on the left side of your paper. Each item can be on its own line.
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr.______________ First Paragraph - This is your introduction to the hiring committee.  Write a first sentence that shows your excitement for the position and company you are applying to.  This paragraph should also contain a thesis statement about why you are qualified for this particular job. (ex. My employment history, education, and skill set have prepared me for this job ...)	Paragraph 1 should be short 3-4 sentences that are lining up your resume reviewers with what is to come in the rest of the paper.
Second / Third Paragraph -  Express your interest in the position, company, and its products and services.  How do they relate to the degree that you hold, your employment history, or achievements and qualifications.  Write about specific Situations, Tasks, Actions, and Results to provide insight on how you handle situations. (ex. For the past ___ years I have ..... .  In this position I was responsible for .....  )	It is your job to sell yourself in this cover letter.  There could be 20 other people applying for the job, DO NOT BE SHY ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
Conclusion Paragraph  - Sum it all up and express your excitement to speak with the hiring committee further. (ex. I know that my skills, education, and work experience would make me a great fit for this position.  I look forward to speaking with you further about the _______ opportunity. This is the Cover Letter that we suggest to use as a starting point: Use the Cover Letter to the right as a Template - here

Find out more from our Career Services Department located in Rustler Central.

The Central Wyoming College Career Services office supports students with career development and major exploration, employment skills and services, and work experience opportunities. Our mission is to provide high-quality student services, providing support and guidance to assist students with major selections, career selections, employment skills, and employment assistance. Our office can guide students through career assessments (Career Coach & SkillsMatch) as well as assist students with resumes, cover letters, and interviewing techniques. We can provide insight about potential careers, the necessary training and education requirements for careers, potential career earnings, and future employment outlook for careers. Work experience opportunities could include part-time student employment, internships, job shadows, or mentorships. Students can also view employment listings on the Career Services Job Board. Employment opportunities and additional career resources can also be found on the “Career Resources” webpage from the main CWC Career Services webpage https://www.cwc.edu/careerservices/ . Current students interested in on-campus employment should complete the Student Application located in the “Explore Careers” link on the CWC Human Resources webpage https://www.cwc.edu/about/hr . The CWC Career Services Office is located on the Riverton campus in Rustler Central.

Troy Archuleta - Career Services Director / Cross-Agency Coordinator

Angel Jahnke - Career Services Coordinator 

• Resume and Cover Letter Reviewer

They help to provide students opportunities on and off campus including:

- Student Employment

- Experiential Learning

- Mentoring / Informational Interviews

- Job Shadowing

- Internships

Career Services also

- Assists with Resume and Cover Letter finessing 

- Job searches

 - Mock Interviews

 - And More!