On November 7th, I attended the Cover Letter Workshop hosted by STARR. This workshop was extremely informative and engaging. The two hosts created an interactive experience for everyone present by assigning group work and asking everyone to actively participate.
At this workshop, I learned the importance of cover letters. I learned how cover letters could either make or break a job application. A cover letter serves as in introduction to who you are and what skills you possess. To my surprise, I learned that employers will typically spend only eight seconds glancing over your cover letter. Because of this, it is important that you utilize key words in your cover letters. It is important to use specific and concise language. Cover letters should not be an exact replica of your resume. That is a common mistake. Another common mistake in writing a cover letter is being too generic. You need to stand out to grab the employer’s attention.
I learned that there are two types of cover letters; the one you write for an informational interview and the one you write for a job. Both are very similar but are different in what they are trying to achieve. Not only are cover letters important, but thank you letters are also important. After an interview, you should send a thank you letter to your interviewers within 24-48 hours.
At the beginning of the workshop, the two hosts had the entire room answer collectively true or false questions about cover letters. This helped in engaging everyone present. Later on, groups of 4-5 were given 3 samples of cover letters and a rubric. We had to grade each cover letter and share our opinions on which of the 3 we would hire and not hire.
Overall, this workshop was extremely helpful. I will definitely attend more workshops in the future and visit STARR more often for opportunities. 