Use this checklist to make sure cover letters have all the necessary components.
Disclaimer for using this checklist: The best cover letters are those that capture the applicant's voice and describes them in authentic way. This checklist is meant to help students ensure that they have all the right pieces in their cover letter NOT to create a carbon-copy template.
- Clean, easy-to-follow
- No more than one page
- Paragraphs spaced apart
- Name: stand outs, easy to read
- Title: "software developer/front end engineer/back end engineer," stand outs, easy to read, comparable in size to name (optional)
- Email address
- Phone number
- GitHub link
- LinkedIn link
- Personal website (optional)
- Opening: addressed to either a specific person or a specific team
- Closing: Uses a closing phrase like "looking forward to hearing from you," etc. and name is included
- Clear and concise
- No grammatical or spelling errors
- Opening sentence makes it clear what position is being applied for
- Provides a brief description of the student's career trajectory, why they're interested this position, and what they aim to do with this specific job/company
- If applicable: referencing a contact at the company that they've spoken with
- Clear and concise
- No grammatical or spelling errors
- Expands on why they're qualified (going in-depth on skills/experience)
- Describes a project/experience in which they demonstrate how they can do the job
- Clear and concise
- No grammatical or spelling errors
- Makes a connection back to the company: how the student can bring value to the company, passion about the product, what they hope to help the company achieve, etc.
- Clear and concise
- No grammatical or spelling errors