The Pongo Blog
Why You Should Never Copy a Sample Cover Letter
January 06, 2010 (4:15PM) by Brianna Raymond, CPRW
If you've never written a cover letter, or struggled when you've tried to write one, I wouldn't be surprised if you've searched for cover letter samples to copy and use as your own.
This is a common approach, but NEWS FLASH: You're not the only one who thought it'd be a good idea. In other words, you risk handing in a cover letter the employer has seen before.
I'm not saying you should never borrow from someone else's cover letter; I'm saying you shouldn't copy a sample letter verbatim. Here's an example of an introduction that I took out of a book, word-for-word:
Dear _________:
It was with great interest that I read about your opening for a _________, as my background and abilities appear to meet your requirements for this position. Please allow me to explain my skills and how they can benefit your organization.
It seems pretty generic and easy to copy, right? That's because it is. It's an introduction that every hiring manager has likely read dozens of times. So how do you customize it?
Easy. You change the order of elements and play around with the wording. Here's the same introduction with a customized twist:
Dear Mr. Smith:
I found your opening for a Security Guard on jobfindersite.com and am very excited to see how well my background fits your requirements for the job. I am especially skilled at firearm safety and non-confrontational negotiation techniques, which I know your company places a great deal of value on. Allow me to further explain my qualifications.
See what I did there? After rearranging things and replacing certain words, I added a line that wasn't in the original copy ("I am especially skilled at..."), which further sets this cover letter apart.
There's nothing wrong with drawing your inspiration from someone else's well-written cover letter. (Heck, we provide sample text in Pongo's Cover Letter Builder too!) Just be sure you use it only as a guide for writing a personalized cover letter that shows a little of your style and addresses the specific job and employer.
Have you ever used this approach in your own cover letters?
It is nice to see there are some helps out there,for us first timers.Thank you so much!!
Posted by: Kevin Cebrario | January 09, 2010 at 4:27 PM | Quote This Comment
thank u for giving an idea to refresh my mind
Posted by: mariah | February 23, 2010 at 1:19 PM | Quote This Comment
i need A cover letter for medical field
Posted by: Sheila D. Wagner | March 28, 2010 at 7:35 PM | Quote This Comment
You should use proper grammar in your examples. For example:
I am especially skilled at firearm safety and non-confrontational negotiation techniques, which I know your company places a great deal of value on.
Should be: I am especially skilled at firearm safety and non-confrontational negotiation techniques, ON which I know your company places a great deal of value.
Posted by: Liz | May 08, 2010 at 9:42 AM | Quote This Comment
"That is the sort of thing up with which I will not put!"
Posted by: Winston Churchill | May 10, 2010 at 10:04 AM | Quote This Comment
It a very nice covering letters, can u make me a covering letter for production control specialist?? thanks and best regards..
Posted by: Mahmoud osman | July 24, 2010 at 4:53 AM | Quote This Comment
Thank you so much. Currently, I am brainstorming ideas for cover letter openings that will *POP* and make me noticeable. These tips surely work for me.
Posted by: Simone Kinsale-Hinds | July 31, 2010 at 11:58 PM | Quote This Comment
Posted by: Kay Moss | September 09, 2010 at 1:34 AM | Quote This Comment
Please can you make me a cover letter for the position of a Customer care post in a bank
Posted by: Cynthia Lawson | January 12, 2011 at 6:51 AM | Quote This Comment
thank you for this message...
Posted by: raj kumar | July 07, 2011 at 3:27 AM | Quote This Comment
This information is exactly what begineer have been searching for. Nice post...!!!
http://www.bestcoverletters.com/
Posted by: DiannaJoy@sample cover letters | January 01, 2012 at 11:54 PM | Quote This Comment
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Posted by: kim | February 04, 2012 at 1:25 AM | Quote This Comment