How do I Write an Entry Level Cover Letter?

A good entry level cover letter should explain why you are contacting a prospective employer, describe your qualifications, and show by its presentation that you are conscientious and detail oriented. It is important that your entry level cover letter be presented in a way that makes it easy for someone to read it. This means that you should get to the point quickly, but that you should also take steps to create a good first impression by printing your letter in clear type on good quality stock. You should also ensure that your letter contains pertinent information about your experience and education and show how it meets the qualifications stated for the job that interests you. Finally, it is usually a good idea to have someone else proofread your cover letter, as it can be very difficult to spot errors on your own.

Hiring managers and human resources employees have a limited amount of time to spend reviewing cover letters. Depending on the industry in which you wish to get a job, a hiring manager may receive hundreds of cover letters and resumes. In some cases, the hiring manager may have to sort through a stack of cover letters for several different positions. If you state early on in your entry level cover letter the job title for which you wish to apply as well as where you learned about the position, you can make it easier for the hiring manager to categorize your cover letter and review it when considering candidates for the job that you seek.

Even though you are writing an entry level cover letter, you should still be able to describe why you are qualified for the position that you seek. Using bullet points, you can list your educational credentials as well as any information about job experience and internships. If you have published any of your writings in the field that you wish to enter, briefly note that you have been published and refer the hiring manager to your resume for a complete list of your publications.

Be sure to thank the hiring manager for reading your cover letter. You should, of course, make sure that the contact information at the top of your cover letter is correct and that you provide more than one way for the hiring manager to contact you. Ask a trusted friend or family member to review your cover letter for mistakes in punctuation and grammar and ask for any feedback that he or she can give. By doing this, you have a better idea of how a prospective employer might perceive your entry level cover letter.