Please submit your two cover letters along with the accompanying job postings here. Review the
Preparation for Professional Employment module for detailed help with this assignment. The
Cover Letter Checklist Links to an external site. It will be used as the rubric for assessing this
assignment.
About the Cover Letters
For the Cover Letter portion of this assignment:
1) Identify 2 jobs you are qualified for and download, cut and paste, or save them as a PDF
so you can attach them to your assignment submission. You may use any job board or
website you choose, but the UofM has its own job board, Tiger LinkLinks to an external
site.. Take a look at it and see what you think. You will have to set up a profile to use Tiger
Link.
2) After watching the two videos below, you are to utilize the Cover Letter sample
and  resourcesLinks to an external site.  to create a customized cover letter for both job
postings. 
Video Links: Why Do Cover Letters Matter: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/writing-a-
cover-letter/why-cover-letters-matter-or-do-they?u=74654258Links to an external site.;
Three Things Decision Makers Look For: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/writing-a-
cover-letter/three-things-decision-makers-look-for?u=74654258Links to an external
site.)
3) Include specific information in your cover letter pertaining to the organization, job title,
job description and research gathered on the organization. Explain how your skills,
qualifications, etc. match the employer’s job requirements. Also, discuss some aspect
about the prospective employer, which proves you are knowledgeable about the
organization.
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
COVER
LETTER
GUIDE
FIVE STEPS
TO WRITING
A COVER
LETTER
Cove
r Lett
er
1
2
3
FORMAT
YOUR LETTER
DETERMINE
YOUR MOST
RELATED SKILLS
WRITE YOUR
OPENING
PARAGRAPH
4
5
WRITE THE BODY
PARAGRAPHS
CLOSE
COVER LETTERS
The cover letter accompanying your resume is the first impression the organization will have of you. Just like your resume,
your cover letter should be tailored to your desired position. Employers view a cover letter as an example of your written
work, so it should be flawless. Here are the steps to creating a great cover letter.
STEP 1: FORMAT YOUR LETTER
• Limit your cover letter to one page in length. Also,
construct your letter in a way that it attracts attention,
entices the recipient into reading your resume, and
encourages the recipient to invite you for an interview.
• Use standard business letter formatting when writing a
cover letter. Start at the top of the page with your mailing
address. Then skip a line and include the date on which
you are sending the letter. Skip another line and then list
the contact information for your recipient. This should
include the name of the individual who will read the letter
plus any appropriate honorific (for example, Dr.), the
individual’s job title, the name of the company and the
mailing address of that company. Skip another line and
begin the letter with a formal greeting.
• Address the greeting of your cover letter to a specific
person by last name and include the appropriate
honorific with his/her name– for example: “Dear Dr.
Parker” Always end your greeting with a colon. If you are
uncertain of the recipient’s gender, you may use both
first and last name, for example “Dear Taylor Parker:” If
you are unsure of the recipient’s name, you may call the
company to find out who is managing the hiring for the
position for which you are applying. If you cannot find out
the name, skip the greeting as a last resort.
• Cover letters should be laser printed on high-quality
bond paper that matches your resume. If you include
a cover letter with an email, either upload the entire
document as an attachment or paste the entire
document, including mailing addresses and the date,
into the body of the email. Additionally, do not write in
informal or texting language when sending the cover
letter as an email. Always use professional business
language. Convert your letter to a PDF before attaching it
to an email or uploading it to a website.
STEP 2: DETERMINE YOUR
MOST RELATED SKILLS
• Review your skills and experiences listed on your
resume. Expand upon entries that relate to the position
for which you are applying. For example, if you had
an internship, job or volunteer experience where you
worked on a special project or went beyond your
duties, this is the place to highlight those experiences
in your cover letter. Be sure to emphasize soft skills
(communication, teamwork, courteousness, etc.) that may
be listed in the job description.
STEP 3: WRITE YOUR
OPENING PARAGRAPH
• Cover letters generally have four main paragraphs.
Additional paragraphs can be added as necessary. Skip
lines between the greeting and the first paragraph,
between paragraphs within the body of the letter, and
between the final paragraph and the closing.
• The first paragraph should grab the prospective
employer’s attention. In this paragraph, explain why you
are writing by identifying the position for which you are
applying and how you learned about the job opening.
Additionally, summarize your strongest qualifications for
the position, such as your educational background or an
interest in the services or mission of the organization.
STEP 4: WRITE THE BODY PARAGRAPHS
• The second paragraph should describe your strongest
qualifications in more detail. If possible, use a copy
of the job description or advertisement to write this
paragraph and match your qualifications to the position’s
requirements.
• Use key words from the job description whenever
possible. If a job description is not provided, think
about what responsibilities the job might entail and
what specific qualifications a well-qualified candidate
would possess.
• Use specific examples of your work experience
or educational background as evidence of your
qualifications and refer to your enclosed resume.
Avoid simply repeating your resume content.
• In the third paragraph, show company knowledge. Match
your values and goals to the company’s values and goals.
Include more information about personal characteristics
that are relevant to the job and would make you a strong
candidate. Motivation and time management are good
examples of personal qualities to include when applying
for positions.
STEP 5: CLOSE
• In the final paragraph, the conclusion of your letter,
request an interview and provide information regarding
how and when you may be contacted. Thank the
recipient for considering you for the position.
• Finally, include a professional closing such as “Sincerely.”
Skip three lines and then type your name on the fourth
line. If you print your cover letter, this will leave space in
which to sign your name. If you are not printing, you can
choose to add a digital signature.
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
Tom Tiger
1234 Someplace Street
Memphis, TN 38152
July 16, 2020
Dr. Jane Doe
Manager, Marketing Department
Jones Media Services
5678 Corporate Lane
Metrocity, US 11110
Dear Dr. Jane Doe,
I am writing to express my interest in the position as a social media intern for Jones Media Services. I
learned about the position through your TigerLink powered by Handshake posting on the University
of Memphis website. This position aligns well with my background working in various capacities on
social media campaigns, as well as my ability to learn new systems quickly.
As my resume indicates, my background includes various marketing experiences. As a part-time
sales representative for The Daily Helmsman at the University of Memphis, I handled accounts for
numerous departments on campus. In addition, I was responsible for advertising two major
fundraising campaigns for Special Olympics and the Red Cross, using digital marketing to reach
younger donors in an effective manner. Finally, after interning for the Memphis Flyer last year, I
acquired additional advertising/marketing skills while assisting in developing both new and existing
advertising revenue. To keep my skills current, I have taken several courses that focused on social
media tools. I am also proficient with Adobe Creative Suite.
Jones Media Services is one of the largest and most highly esteemed media companies in the
industry. A recent article in the June 25 issue of Business Week indicated that your company
continues to lead the industry in the use of social media and web-based marketing. I am excited
about the position at Jones Media Services and believe that with my education and experience in
marketing, I can reach your inactive advertisers and help develop your new business categories.
You will find my excellent work ethic, dependability, initiative and drive to be valuable to the overall
mission of your company.
I welcome the opportunity to interview at your convenience. In the meantime, please feel free to
contact me at 555.123.4567 or [email protected]. Thank you for your time and consideration. I
look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiger
COVER LETTER CHECKLIST
FORMATTING & GENERAL
INFORMATION
☐ Keep cover letter to one page in length.
☐ Proofread your cover letter to make sure
it is free of grammatical errors.
GREETING
☐ Address the letter to a specific person.
☐ If appropriate prefix is known, use it in the greeting (ex.
Dear Mr. Parker). If appropriate prefix is not known, list
person’s first and second names (Dear Taylor Parker).
☐ Write in professional business language even when
emailing. Do not use texting language or abbreviations.
☐ End greeting with a colon (:), not a comma.
☐ Use only appropriate fonts (Times, Arial, Verdana, etc.).
☐ Show interest in the company.
☐ Keep font sizes 10, 11 or 12 pt. for text. Font size
should be consistent throughout the cover letter.
☐ Identify the position to which you are applying and
state how you learned about the job opening.
☐ Set margins to approximately 1 inch on all sides.
☐ Start the cover letter with your physical
address; below it, include the date.
☐ Single space the letter, but leave blank lines between
your contact information, date, company’s contact
information, greeting, each paragraph and closing.
☐ Make sure your cover letter is personalized
to each position and company.
☐ Sign your letter, particularly if you are submitting
a printed copy. Use a signature file rather than
a script font for electronic signatures.
☐ Print your cover letter on high-quality
paper, just like your resume.
☐ When including a cover letter with an email, either
upload the entire document as an attachment
or paste the entire document, including mailing
addresses and date, into the body of the email.
CONTACT INFORMATION
OF THE RECIPIENT
☐ Include the name of a specific person, with appropriate
prefix if known (Dr., Mr., Ms., Mrs., Rev., The Honorable).
☐ Make certain that you have the correct
spelling of the person’s name and title.
☐ Include recipient’s job title. On the next line,
include the name of the company followed
by its physical mailing address.
FIRST PARAGRAPH
SECOND PARAGRAPH
☐ Use a copy of the job advertisement or
description to write this paragraph.
☐ Describe your qualifications in more detail, and
show how your qualifications, experience, and
abilities match the needs of the company.
☐ Use specific examples as evidence of your qualifications
and refer to your enclosed resume, but do NOT
duplicate content from your resume word for word.
THIRD PARAGRAPH
☐ Show company knowledge.
☐ Match your values and goals to the company’s
values and goals.
☐ Include more information about personal
characteristics relevant to the job and show
that you are the best candidate.
FOURTH PARAGRAPH
☐ Request an interview.
☐ Provide information regarding how and
when you can be contacted.
☐ Thank the recipient for considering
you for the available position.
CLOSING & SIGNATURE
☐ Include an appropriately professional
closing, such as “Sincerely.”
☐ If you print you cover letter, sign it in the space
between your closing and your typed name.
memphis.edu/careerservices
UNIV-4995-M55 Senior Project
Cover Letter
DUE BY June 08
Please submit your two cover letters along with the accompanying job postings here. Review the
Preparation for Professional Employment module for detailed help with this assignment. The
Cover Letter Checklist Links to an external site. It will be used as the rubric for assessing this
assignment.
About the Cover Letters
For the Cover Letter portion of this assignment:
1) Identify 2 jobs you are qualified for and download, cut and paste, or save them as a PDF
so you can attach them to your assignment submission. You may use any job board or
website you choose, but the UofM has its own job board, Tiger LinkLinks to an external
site.. Take a look at it and see what you think. You will have to set up a profile to use Tiger
Link.
2) After watching the two videos below, you are to utilize the Cover Letter sample
and resourcesLinks to an external site. to create a customized cover letter for both job
postings.
Video Links: Why Do Cover Letters Matter: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/writing-acover-letter/why-cover-letters-matter-or-do-they?u=74654258Links to an external site.;
Three Things Decision Makers Look For: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/writing-acover-letter/three-things-decision-makers-look-for?u=74654258Links to an external
site.)
3) Include specific information in your cover letter pertaining to the organization, job title,
job description and research gathered on the organization. Explain how your skills,
qualifications, etc. match the employer’s job requirements. Also, discuss some aspect
about the prospective employer, which proves you are knowledgeable about the
organization.
*Please note you DO NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THE JOB FOR THIS
ASSIGNMENT.
Submit your cover letters and job posting to Assignments by the due date. Your instructor
will send your cover letters to the Career Services Specialist. He/She will review your
cover letters and your instructor will grade it based on that feedback. You will then revise
your cover letters based on this feedback and put them in your Completed Portfolio.

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