THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES PHILADELPHIA I SAN FRANCISCO.

THE WHARTON MBAFOR EXECUTIVESP H I L A D E L P H I A I S A N F R A N C I S C O

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Wharton MBA for Executives

Cover Letter OverviewAugust 2014

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Steve Hernandez Director, Career Management

MBA for Executives San Francisco, CA

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Cover Letter Topics

• Purpose/Importance of the Cover Letter

• Structure

• Content

• Cover Letter Best Practices/Mistakes

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Purpose/Importance

• Compel the reader to read your resume

• Communicate your interest in the organization and position

• Illustrate your Brand

• Connect the dots between your skills, background, accomplishments and value

• Make your case for the opportunity

• Stand Out

• Assess your attention to detail

• Business Leaders need to have strong writing skills

• A well written cover letter does not guarantee an interview; but a poorly written cover letter assures that you will not be considered as a candidate

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Structure

First Paragraph: Introduction; Get the reader’s attention; State your objective; State your case

Body Paragraph(s): Make your case: give examples of why you are a fit

Final Paragraph: Conclusion/Summary/Ask for the meeting

Two thirds of a page in length:

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

First Paragraph: Introduction

• Introduce yourself and your interest in the opportunity and company

• Referencing something that is meaningful to the reader: mutual connections, people you’ve met at the co.; relevant experience. GET THE READER’S ATTENTION!

• Introduce your brand

• Introduce your case of why you are a strong fit

• This is the appetizer, not the meal

• Inspire the reader to read more by being interesting and original

• One short to medium sized paragraph

o No more than 7 lines

o Sentences not too long

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

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Body Paragraph(s): Make your case

This is where you prove your case

Provide relevant examples of your background and accomplishments

Showcase your knowledge of the role, company, industry, etc.

o Illustrate that you’ve done your homework

Describe your accomplishments using (SAR)

Provide relevant descriptions of how your skills translate

Connect the dots: bridge how your background, skills, accomplishments and education will bring value

Provide tangible evidence that you are in fact a strong fit

Help the reader come away with a clear picture of who you and why they should consider you

Your BODY paragraph should be one longer, or two short paragraphs

o It is acceptable to use bullets substantiating specific data points

o Avoid generalizations

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Final Paragraph: make your summation; close the deal

• Summarize your case, end with final pitch of why you are a fit

• If you have final words or thoughts that are insightful, unique, and will leave a positive impression-add them

• Thank them for their time and consideration

• Ask for the interview

• Make sure you provide your best contact information

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Best Practices

• Do your homework: convey as much knowledge as possible about the opportunity, company, and target industry

• Know your audience, specifically the name and title of the Cover Letter addressee

• Organize your thoughts; write as you would speak; follow the same guidelines you would for a strong essay

• Write clear, concise narratives, with appropriate detail (SAR)

• Include only relevant examples that will drive interest

• Attract the reader to your resume; don’t write a resume

• Write in your own voice

• Avoid verbosity; get to the point

• Check spelling and grammar

• Have others proof read your cover letter

• Use two thirds to three quarters of the page

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES

Mistakes

• Not tailored towards the specific job, company, or industry

• Superfluous verbiage especially at the beginning

• Speaking in generalities; not being original

• Writing fluff, lacking substance

• Providing examples and describing accomplishments that aren’t relevant to your reader

• Verbosity, stay on point

• Cutting and pasting elements of your resume into your cover letter

• Misuse of bullets

List using the SAR model

Don’t list general functions, list examples and results

• Don’t just write a standard “generic” cover letter. BE ORIGINAL

THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES