Your first assignment will be to create a cover letter as part of a job application. To help ensure that we are all on the same page, we'll all be applying for the same job for which I'm confident many of us will be qualified, as manager at a Wendy's fast food restaurant.
Note: If you would prefer to find a job opening that is related to your field or are planning to apply for a job in the near future please see me as soon as possible. I encourage you to apply for a job that you might want "in real life" (including fast food!), and doing so will provide you with a useful resource for your future. At the same time, realize that you will need to do extra work to figure out how to target your skills for the position. You are strongly encouraged to see me during office hours if you prefer to take this option.
There are several key ingredients to a good cover letter.
- Immediately make yourself memorable (The Sanjaya Rule). Quickly include something about yourself in the first paragraph of your letter that not only is related to the job opening or your experience, but makes you unique out of all of the applicants so that you don't get swept under the stack.
- Create a picture of yourself doing the work required by the opening, making your employer money. The less training you need, the quicker you can be a productive employee. Convince your prospective employer that you're able to hit the ground running.
- Be creative in the ways that you
frame your experience. If you made burgers for the family
on the grill every summer for four years, include that, even though
it's not technically work experience. Be careful that there is a
direct connection to key ingredient number 2, however. Eating at
Wendy's does not have your prospective employer picturing you in the
position, making the company money.
- Do not use generic text. If you find that you could use any of your text for a letter in an unrelated position, consider removing it. "I enjoy people," or, "I have a great work ethic," are both useful things to know, but they don't specifically qualify you for this position. Consider editing those lines like those into position-specific statements.
Please review the steps and suggestions from our in class writing assignment about this prompt, where you will find the job opening you'll use if you're not selecting one for yourself. Review the checklist there and ensure each piece is in your final draft.