Cover letters are an often optional and sometimes required piece of your job application. CodePath’s professional recommendation is to only submit a cover letter for applications where it is required or if you really love the company/role and think your cover letter will be read. Whether you need or want to write one, the most important thing is that it is tailored to the role & company and error-free.
In this section you will learn:
- The purpose of a cover letter
- Steps to writing a cover letter
Purpose of a cover letter
A way of marketing yourself for a position beyond what is included in the resume: especially your fit, the specific value you will add, and why you are applying.
Steps to writing a cover letter
- Research the company and its values; if you do an informational interview with or know someone at the company, think of asking them if they’d mind you mentioning them in your cover letter
- Highlight the job posting of the position you are applying to identify your top overlapping skills
- Decide which skills/qualifications to highlight you have the best stories and evidence for that you can mention in your cover letter
- Use one of our cover letter templates to draft, revise, revise again, and get at least a couple of people to give feedback before you submit, but also don’t spend too much time on this process.
Additional Resources & Worksheets:
CodePath Cover Letter Templates