subject: Student Cover Letter - Make it Professional Regardless of Experience [print this page] Student Cover Letter - Make it Professional Regardless of Experience
I started my job search early, I was well aware that I had to write a student cover letter I just didn't want it to look like I didn't know what I was doing. Well before I actually graduated I was already sending out my resume and my student cover letter. I wasn't getting job offers but I was doing it to plant seeds with companies I wanted to work with in the future. I did get a few interviews which gave me some feed back on my cover letter.
My student cover letter focused on my education and current curriculum. Here's the trick to providing curriculum on the cover letter. Don't give them all your extracurricular classes and activities you're involved in. The worst thing to do when working on your cover letter as a student is to discuss all of your involvement with fraternities and stuff like that. Trust me, that's not what they want to hear.
Stick to the curriculum that applies to the job for example accounting for accounting positions and any practical experience, paid or not paid that you've had, related to the position.
Another important point to keep in mind for your student cover letter is to be one hundred percent thorough on your proof reading of the letter. Nothing says student louder than a cover letter that looks like you put it together between beer and pizza runs. Make sure there are not spelling errors or grammar mistakes. I know I was guilty of this and I tried to pay close attention to it. I have been known to make these mistakes. More often than I'll admit.
The student cover letter you submit is going to be the first impression the employer has of you. One tip that helped me a lot was to read it, out loud and see what it sounds like. I know it sounds strange but I found that actually hearing it was different to reading it. Listening to the way my choice of words sounded made it easier for me to catch mistakes.
