Cover Letters²⁷

Cover letters should be limited to one page, and should be well-written and gracious, and express your appreciation for a review of your resume.  See The Student’s Federal Career Guide: 10 Steps to Find and Win Top Government Jobs and Internships in which Troutman & Troutman provide a free cover letter template on the CD-ROM that is provided.

Cover letters for Federal applications are not substantially different from those of private sector applications.  Just as in a private-industry job search, the purpose of a cover letter is to get the employer’s attention.  Highlight your most outstanding qualifications in your cover letter to make it clear as to why you are the best fit for the job.

Cover letters are a great tool in which to introduce yourself and to provide information that is not normally contained in a resume.  There is one problem – Federal agencies increasingly are encouraging only electronic submission of job applications.  They do this to speed up the process and reduce the amount of paper documents applicants must send and HR specialist must review.

If the Federal agency encourages electronic submission of all application documents (including your Federal resume), then you will lose the opportunity to use a cover letter.  The advice we offer below is based on your being able to submit a cover letter with your application.

Limit your cover letter to one page with three paragraphs or sections in the body of the text.  It should be formatted in standard business style, including the agency name and address, announcement number and job title, and contact person at the top.  Address it to a specific person whenever possible.

There are a few differences between Federal and business cover letters.  For example, it is not necessary to state where you found the vacancy announcement as you might in a business cover letter.  Also, you can use a bulleted list of reasons stating why you are well-suited for the position, as opposed to adhering to paragraph form (see objective 2 on the following page).

1. Communicate your enthusiasm

You want the hiring agent to know that you are highly motivated and hope to attain the position.  You can communicate this with an upbeat tone or style.  To do this, write a draft and read it out loud enthusiastically.  Does it sound right, or does the language you use sound strange when you try to act upbeat while reading it?

No matter how good an actor you might be, the line “In my opinion I have qualifications that make me an appropriate candidate for this position,” does not sound natural.  Try it.  The following line is better and could fit in an upbeat letter, “One reason I am eager to work in this position is that my qualifications exactly match the requirements of the job.”

While keeping “upbeat” in mind, you must also remember to maintain a professional image.  The line, “I am so qualified for this position it’s amazing!” is over the top.  Ask someone to read your draft of the cover letter and tell you if you have balanced enthusiasm with a professional statement of why you should be hired for the job.  Most importantly, keep it personal and true to your personality!

2. Summarize why you are ideal for the job.

You can state why you are ideal for the job by literally listing the reasons.  Just in case you are unable to think of them, check out this list and see which ones might apply to you.

• You knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Your experience and training
• Your core competencies, like being able to work independently, in teams, under pressure, or creatively
• Your desire to support the agency mission
• Your desire to work for a particular office
• Your desire to help the particular costumer-base
• Your desire to live in that location
• The duties and responsibilities appeal to you
• The position fits into your long-term career goals
• Your desire to serve your country

3. Explain any unusual circumstances

The last purpose of the cover letter is to explain any unusual circumstances if necessary.  These might include gaps in your career timeline, disabilities and accommodation required, conflicts of interest, or anything you think they should know.  If you think something on your resume might be considered unusual, but you are not certain, you should ask friends in your network if they would include it in the letter.

How to Write the Cover Letter
Divide you letter into three sections:

Paragraph 1:

• Ask them to accept your application.
• Name the job title, job agency and announcement number.
• In one sentence, summarize why they should hire you.

Paragraph 2:    

• Lead-in or introduce the reasons why you are ideal for the job.
• Discuss exactly why you are ideal for the job.
• Write this in paragraph format, or choose an alternative style to list your reasons.  A bulleted format works, if space permits.

Paragraph 3:

• Discuss any unusual circumstances.
• Reiterate your enthusiasm.
• Thank them for accepting your materials.
• Tell them how and where they can contact you if they have any questions.