Q5 Applying for a Job: Cover Letter
First Impression
You send A cover letter with your resume when applying for a job or an internship. It's your chance to introduce yourself and explain why you're an excellent fit for the position.
While your resume lists your skills and experience, the cover letter allows you to show your personality, enthusiasm, and why you're interested in the job. Think of it as your first impression – it's a way to grab the employer's attention and convince them that you’re the right person for the job!
Discussion question to think about as you play the video below:
What would an employer learn from reading a well-written cover letter?
What is a Cover Letter?
Direct link (59 sec.)
Task 1
The Google Slides linked below contain a job description for a food scientist position and three examples of cover letters for that specific posting.
Review each slide carefully to become familiar with the following points in each example:
- Opening with excitement for the job.
- Shows strong interest in the role.
- Provides specific examples related to the position.
- Explains how the writer can help the company if they are hired.
- Strong closing with a polite request for the next steps.
- Professional tone.
16.Q5 Cover Letter Examples ~ Google Slides
Task 2
Now, let's check out which cover letter would be best to use. We’ll score each of the example cover letters using a rubric.
At the bottom of each of the three cover letters in the slide deck below, there is a rubric you will use to score each one on how well it met each of the categories listed. The scores for each category are:
- 4 - Excellent
- 3 - Above Average
- 2 - Sufficient
- 1 - Needs Improvement
Selecting the link below will let you copy the cover letters in Google. If your school uses Microsoft, download the slide deck into PowerPoint.
16.Q5 Cover Letters and Rubrics ~ Google Slides
Once you have completed the rubrics and questions, attach a copy to your Career Prep Portfolio's Q5 Cover Letter page.
Here is an example of the 16.Q5 Cover Letter Page.
Competencies & Standards
MITECS Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and
1. Empowered Learner
a. Connect their learning needs, strengths and interests to their goals and use technology to help achieve them and reflect on their progress.
d. Understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use, and troubleshoot current technologies, and transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.
2. Digital Citizen
a. Manage their digital identity and understand the lasting impact of their online behaviors on themselves and others and make safe, legal and ethical decisions in the digital world.
b. Demonstrate empathetic, inclusive interactions online and use technology to responsibly contribute to their communities.
3. Knowledge Constructor
a. Use effective research strategies to find resources that support their learning needs, personal interests and creative pursuits.
c. Curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections or artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions
d. Build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions
6. Creative Communicator
a. Choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication
c. Use digital tools to visually communicate complex ideas to others.
d. Publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.