For many of us finding a job could be a tedious and stressful process. It may seem difficult to stand out among thousands of applicants who are also competing for the same position. Especially, if one is applying for big companies the process can even be more challenging. It may also be difficult to impress a recruiter who is looking for a candidate that is close to an ideally best employee. Resume and cover letter are our main tools to stand out in this job hunting process.
A lot has been said about writing good resumes, but I haven’t heard much about cover letters. Personally, I think writing a cover letter can be challenging since one has to explain why s/he is the best fit for a position. It may even be hard for many college students who don’t have much work experience. Cynthia and Shiv shared some tips to use in one’s cover letter. For instance, if one knows different languages and for some reason wants a position in a company that develops software, they can explain their ability to learn and use different languages in their letter. It is also good to gather more information about the company and ask questions. In case if you don’t want the company to recognize your email, create and use a job email account. Mentioning high school experience may also be fine if it relates to the specific position one is looking for.  One should also make sure that there are no syntax errors in the letter and of course, most importantly, DOUBLE CHECK IF YOU WROTE THE COMPANY NAME CORRECTLY!

Below are more concise tips shared by Cynthia and Shiv

• DO make sure you use proper salutations (e.g. “Dear Mr./Dr./Ms. So-and-so”) and closings (e.g. “Respectfully,” or “Sincerely”).
• DO spell-check and have someone else read your letter to check for typos, mis-used words, unclear phrasings.  There is nothing worse than applying for a position – where attention to detail is necessary – and sending in a letter full of mistakes!
• DO be creative about how your experience is valuable for something the company/organization/institution seeks, but DON’T inflate your ability to do something to the point that you are not being accurate!
• DO be specific about how your experiences have shaped your perspective/offer some insight to the field/meet the expectations of that company/organization/institution.  
• DO be positive about what you can offer and if there is something you lack from the list of requirements, you can address it via the experiences you do have.
  
• DO seek out on-campus resources available to you as well.  Cornell’s Career Services offer walk-in help as well as practice with mock interviews (http://www.career.cornell.edu/about/come-see-us.cfm)

Good Luck!