Your cover letter may be your first introduction and therefore, your first impression to the hiring manager for a position. Consider the cover letter to be the buy-in from a hiring manager that will determine whether or not they will keep reading and reviewing your resume. This letter is meant to be a supplement to your resume, not a regurgitation. It should concentrate on a few of the details from your resume, showing how these experiences are relevant to the position to which you’re applying. It’s up to you to focus on the right experiences, to bring them to life in a way that your resume cannot, and to interpret their significance for your employer. So, when discussing your present or past education or employment, the key is to be specific, but also to make the specific interesting. In other words, tell a story. 

Unlike your resume, a cover letter is your opportunity to share information regarding your character, motivation, work philosophy, interests, and other information that might not fit into any of your resume areas. It should be both a likable and memorable presentation of who you are and a persuasive request for an interview.

Submit a Specific Cover Letter for a Specific Position

It is essential that this short, two to three-paragraph introduction is specifically targeted to the job for which you are applying and the person who will be reviewing your resume. You want to apply for a specific position and submit your information to a specific individual. 

Your salutation should be to the individual responsible for screening, interviewing, or selecting future employees for the position and the first paragraph should reference the specific position for which you are applying. 

Be Aware of Hiring Manager Priorities

If a Human Resource Manager, Company Owner, Special Education Director, and Supervisory SLP all read the same cover letter it is unlikely that they would evaluate it the same way. Each of these professionals within a company will have a different perspective of what is most important when selecting a new employee. Be aware of who will be reading your cover letter and what their priorities are likely to be.

Here are some things to keep in mind when crafting your cover letter:  

Address Advertised Requirements for the Position

Employers want to know that you want the position that they have available. A generic cover letter will actually weaken a good resume in any competitive job market. Review the advertised requirements and job description and make sure that you address any areas not fully covered in your resume.

Don’t be afraid to apply for positions for which you do not meet all of the listed requirements. It never hurts to apply and it can be good practice to strengthen your cover letter writing skills. When you do apply for jobs for which you do not fully meet all listed requirements, you must address why you are an excellent candidate for the position; your specialty skills are important here. Are you experienced with different cultures, have a specialty skill or certification? Mention the value-added attributes that you can bring to the position in addition to what has been listed in the advertised job requirements.

I often see CF candidates selected over more experienced clinicians when they can articulate the ways in which they will excel if given the opportunity. Character, enthusiasm, flexibility, adaptability, communication skills, etc. are all attributes that employers value but are hard to demonstrate within the resume format. Use the cover letter to highlight the reasons for your personal passion or a specific caseload, examples that show you are motivated to independently acquire additional skills, and most importantly, the transferability of skills and experiences you already do have to this new position.

Confirm Credentialing Eligibility

If you do not yet have your license or certification or if this has not specifically been addressed in your resume you might want to address it in your cover letter. A sentence stating you are familiar with the requirements and anticipate securing appropriate credentials as soon as possible is especially helpful if your university is not in the same state where you are applying for positions. Sometimes you will encounter a surprise ineligibility for a specific state license or certification that eliminates you from consideration. Employers generally know when there can be problems obtaining the required credentials and may be looking for your confirmation that you will not encounter any obstacles or delays. 

Address Local vs. Relocating Job Search Issues

How long you might stay in a position is a concern for HR and upper management as recruiting and onboarding new employees is expensive. Employers want to keep a good employee for longer than their CF year. Generally, a local candidate will be perceived as a better long-term employee option because of their ties to the community. If you are not a local candidate you may want to avoid highlighting this issue by removing specific address information from your cover letter and resume. Show your willingness to consider a long-term commitment to the job. When appropriate, share your story if something specific is drawing you to the area. It is a good idea to let your potential employer know you are relocating to the area to be near family, or are returning to a favorite area where you are familiar or have enthusiasm about the area that makes this location high on your priority list. (i.e. Proximity to the urban or inner city, suburban or rural lifestyle.)

Ask for an Interview

Your cover letter needs to be a positive, action-oriented, persuasive introduction. Make it clear that you want to interview and easy for them to include you in the interview process. Let your potential employer know how to best reach you and if you have specific availability, like a break between externships or a time you will be in the area with an open schedule. Always include that you will work to accommodate their interview schedule as you are particularly interested in this specific position.

Takeaway tip - Make sure the person reading your cover letter can tell that you have researched the company, know exactly what the job entails, and expect to be successful in the position if hired.