Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates: How to write a dazzling cover letter that will get your resume read, get you an interview, and get you a great first job!

by Katharine Hansen, co-author of:

Dynamic Cover Letters
Write Your Way to a Higher GPA

Publisher: Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 0-89815-984-9

How This Site is Organized:

• Cover Letter Tutorial
• About the Book
• Comments from Career Professionals
• Ordering Information -- Order it today!
• Table of Contents
• Job Correspondence Services
• Career and Job-Hunting Resources
• Cover Letter Tutorial
• Other Book Projects

Cover Letter Tutorial:

Follow this link for a few other dynamic cover letter samples.

Whether you were a super student or a couch potato, this fun, easy-to-read book will show you how to:

Relate Your College Experience to the Job

Caught in the "I-need-experience-to-get-a-job-but-no-
one-will-give-me-a-job-without-experience" trap? You can parlay academics into experience sure to impress any employer.

Spin Your Skills

You weren't a waitress -- you were a customer-service specialist. This book shows you how to make even the most mundane experience seem applicable to your post-college career.

Accentuate the Positive

New college grads often sell themselves short: Avoid common errors and learn how to sound strong, positive, and confident in your letter.

Close the Sale!

Too often excellent cover letters -- specially those from new grads -- fall apart because the writer fails to "close the sale." One simple strategy increases your chances of winning a interview. This book lets you in on that strategy.

Packed with hints, real-life examples, and loads of letters, this is the book that will help you write a truly dynamic cover letter, get your resume read, and get you that first great job.

All for a reasonable $9.95

Comments from Career Professionals:

--Bill Felty, president, The National Association for Job-Search Training

"What a fantastic resource! For its sound, practical advice, creative examples, and thoughtful narrative, Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates should be required reading for all seniors preparing to enter today's workplace."

--C. Beyan Kempton, program director, Career Center, University of Maryland

"Students are always asking me for a good reference book on job-search business correspondence. Few books are as comprehensive and easy-to-read as Hansen's. Her straight-forward, no-nonsense do's-and-don'ts approach makes this dynamic collection of sample job search letters the smart choice for any new graduate."

--Rachel Seff, director, Career Services Center, University of Houston College of Business Administration

"A graduate's great resume simply must have a great cover letter attached. Katharine Hansen tells you exactly how to do it, and offers creative strategies plus excellent examples of efffective cover letters. (P.S. You don't have to be a graduate to benefit from this book.)"

--Yana Parker, author, Damn Good Resume Guide and The Resume Catalog

Purchase it through Amazon Books, the best bookstore on the Web!

Also available at many local bookstores or through the publisher:

Ten Speed Press
Box 7123
Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone for orders: 800/841-2665 or 510/559-1629
Fax for orders: 510/559-1629
ISBN Number: 0-89815-984-9
Order online: TenSpeed.com

Introduction

Part One: The Cover Letter's Role in a New Graduate's Job Search Securing the Interview

• Using the Cover Letter to Differentiate Yourself from More Experienced Job-Seekers
• Your Unique Selling Proposition
• The PEP (Profitability; Efficiency; Productivity) Formula
• Quantify and Exemplify
• The Three Types of Cover Letters
• Cover Letter Structure
• The Three Most Common Cover Letter Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• How to Make the Employer Sit Up and Take Notice
• The Academic Frame of Reference: Don't Let It Overwhelm Your Letter
• What To Include-and What Not To
• Writing and Editing with Finesse
• Standard Business Letter Format
• Packaging and Mailing

Part Two: The Top Ten Ways New Grads Can Write Can't-Miss, Dynamic Cover Letters

• Making the Most of Your College Experience
• Emphasizing Your Transferable Work Experience and Skills
• Crafting Enticing Openers
• Accentuating the Positive
• Closing the Sale with a Proactive Final Paragraph
• Emphasizing What You Can Do for the Employer
• Demonstrating Knowledge of the Company and Industry
• Tailoring Your Letter to a Want Ad
• Networking Your Way to Irresistible Cover Letters
• Sharpening Your Focus

Part Three: Sample Letters for Special Situations

• Internships, Externships, and Summer Jobs
• Informational Interviews
• Letters to Your College Career Placement Office
• Letters to Recruiters Coming to Your Campus
• Letters Sent Without Resumes
• Follow-Up Letters:
  • The All-Important Thank-You Letter
  • Following MP After Rejection
  • The What-Did-I-Do-Wrong Letter
  • Letter to Accept a Job Offer
  • Letter to Decline an Offer
  • Graduate School Application Letters

Part Four: Sending Your Cover Letter Into Cyberspace: The Internet Job Hunt

• Six Ways to Use Your Cover Letter on the Internet:
  • Take Advantage of Resume Databases
  • Respond to Online Ads
  • Use the ResumePATH Web Site
  • Create Your Own Web Page
  • Respond to Print Ads with E-mail
  • Post Your Cover Letter to a Usenet Newsgroup

Part Five: Sample Letters for New Grads Seeking Today's Hottest Jobs

• English
• Foreign Languages
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Sociology
• History
• Political Science
• Geography
• Visual Arts
• Graphic Design
• Performing Arts
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Agricultural Science
• Math
• Physics
• Chemical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Health
• Exercise Science
• Computer Science
• Management Information Systems
• Information Technology
• Business
• International Business
• Management
• Marketing
• Finance
• Accounting
• Public Relations
• Communications
• Hospitality

Part Six: Letters for Graduate and Professional School Grads

• Letters for Law School Graduates
• Letters for Graduates of Other Professional and Graduate Schools

Resources

For information about our resume and cover letter writing and critiquing services, for career advice, or for other job-related issues, please visit Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters. We guarantee your satisfaction.

Please free to also email us at: resumes@quintcareers.com.

For the coolest and latest information about cover letters, resumes, interviewing, salary negotiation, and ALL aspects of job-hunting and career development...and now award-winning... Quintessential Careers -- visited by more than one million job-seekers monthly.

This site has all the tools needed for a successful career, college, or job search, including:

• Expert advice about cover letters and resumes
• Original articles and tutorials on all aspects of careers and jobs
• Step-by-step guide to job-hunting on the Internet
• Test and quizzes on all aspects of job-hunting
• A free, biweekly career and job-hunting newsletter, QuintZine. Subscribe now!
• Self-marketing preparation before starting the job-hunt
• Special sections for teens, college students, and all job-seekers
• Links to key job and career Web resources
• Links to hundreds of Web sites that have job listings

And if you're looking for advice about how to use the Internet in your job search, you need to visit our newly created Guides to Job-Hunting on the Internet.

For specific cover letter resources, we have also created the Dynamic Cover Letters Cover Letter Resources Guide.

Finally, if you're stumped on how cover letters fit into your job-hunt, you better check out these Ten Most Commonly Asked Questions About Cover Letters.

Cover Letter Tutorial:

Follow this link for a few other dynamic and free cover letter samples.

Drs. Katharine and Randall Hansen are involved in a number of other books projects. For a current list of our books, please go to this page on Quintessential Careers: Quintessential Careers Books.