The structure of cover letters

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It’s easier than you think

Cover letters, structurally, are much simpler than they appear.

They appear complicated because they’re terrifying, because we have to talk about ourselves and our strengths to a complete stranger, which is right up there with public speaking in the modern annals of fears.

We’ll talk about the emotional component of cover letters another day, but for now, let’s talk about what they should look like.

You know how to do this

The cover letter is the only place I’ve ever seen the infamous 5-paragraph essay in the wild. The good news is that you know how to write 5-paragraph essays.

The first paragraph has an introduction, a way into the subject, and contains a thesis. Paragraphs 2 through 4 have topic sentences that support the thesis and evidence that supports the topic sentences. The last paragraph ties it all together and restates the thesis.

That means that the first paragraph of the cover letter tells people what you’re applying for and why you would rock this job. Paragraphs 2 through 4 elaborate on why you would rock this job, complete with evidence drawn from your past experience. (Mostly the evidence is narrative, but it can sometimes be quantitative.) The final paragraph restates the qualities you’d bring to this job, thanks them for their time, and makes it clear how you can be contacted.

That’s it.

Yeah, I know it’s not quite that simple

There are two places people get stuck: explaining why they’d be good at this job and providing the evidence to persuade someone of the truth of that statement.

The first is solved by doing some brainstorming, freewriting, mindmapping, or anything else that takes you away from the computer screen (and thus the scary cover letter) to answer the following question: Why do I think I can do this job?

This question is not meant to be spoken in monster-tones. That is, it’s not an accusation, and it’s not sarcastic. Given that you’re applying for this job, the question is simply curious – why do you think you could do it? What would you bring to this job? When you’ve got a few reasons, you’ve got a thesis.

The second is solved by drawing on the details that surely ran through your mind when you solved for the thesis. Anything that came with the phrase “like the time that” should be written down and at least put into the first draft.

If all of those incidents have escaped your brain, go back and brainstorm, freewrite, or mindmap each bit of your thesis. How do you know you’ve got good communication skills? How do you know you’re an excellent teacher?  Tell mini-stories. Put them in your draft.

A few last cover letter tips

You will, of course, revise and polish your cover letter, but getting the argument and the evidence right is the crucial first step.

As you revise and polish, keep these things in mind:

• Make sure you write it as a business letter, complete with address blocks.
• You’re trying to persuade people that they need you – so focus on how you’re helping them rather than on how much you’d like the job or how great this job would be for you.
• If you can address it to a human being, do.
• Unless it’s really, really obvious, don’t assume a gender of the addressee, and whatever you do, don’t address it to “Dear Sir.”
• Match the tone of your cover letter to the corporate tone of the company you’re applying to. If they’re very formal, be formal. If they’re more laid back, loosen up a little while still being professional.

Above all, keep breathing.

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