hints for a good cover letter will be much appreciated.
This is what I have so far: -genuinely say something nice about the practice -respond to the ad with relevant information ie. experience, skills etc -persuade them to hire me by explaining my current research and the relevance to their practice -thank them and hope for the best
thanks.
mightyaa
Mar 24, 17 11:16 am
#3 is probably the most important. It's the "how I can help you" and why they'd hire you. Essentially, you need to tailor it to the firm you are applying to. A chain type letter doesn't work well. If you can, drop in some of their work so you show familiarity with what they do and how that sort of design is something you can help with.
Josh Mings
Mar 24, 17 11:20 am
Personal connections can help too. Have you visited a project by the firm? Talk about your visit a bit. In my case I've had talking with a firm rep at a job fair about baseball lead to a job, and putting my hometown in a cover letter (since 2 of 3 principals studied at a university that visits my hometown as part of their curriculum) lead to an interview.
toosaturated
Mar 24, 17 11:58 am
You should exert optimism and excitement in your cover letter. Any short fall can be an positive opportunity for you to grow. It's a two way street, so they should be offering you something in return. Don't be afraid to admit not having a particular skill, most employers wants someone who wants to grow. No one is perfect fit.
hints for a good cover letter will be much appreciated.
This is what I have so far:
-genuinely say something nice about the practice
-respond to the ad with relevant information ie. experience, skills etc
-persuade them to hire me by explaining my current research and the relevance to their practice
-thank them and hope for the best
thanks.
#3 is probably the most important. It's the "how I can help you" and why they'd hire you. Essentially, you need to tailor it to the firm you are applying to. A chain type letter doesn't work well. If you can, drop in some of their work so you show familiarity with what they do and how that sort of design is something you can help with.
Personal connections can help too. Have you visited a project by the firm? Talk about your visit a bit. In my case I've had talking with a firm rep at a job fair about baseball lead to a job, and putting my hometown in a cover letter (since 2 of 3 principals studied at a university that visits my hometown as part of their curriculum) lead to an interview.
You should exert optimism and excitement in your cover letter. Any short fall can be an positive opportunity for you to grow. It's a two way street, so they should be offering you something in return. Don't be afraid to admit not having a particular skill, most employers wants someone who wants to grow. No one is perfect fit.
Keep it concise.
Check out this piece we published a few years ago:
Architecture and Design Graduates – How to Secure Your First Position – Part 1: Writing Your CV, Writing a Cover Letter
similar to a story, a cover letter needs to create curiosity while empathizing with the reader.
thanks for the feedback everyone.