THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES PHILADELPHIA I SAN FRANCISCO.
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Transcript of THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES PHILADELPHIA I SAN FRANCISCO.
THE WHARTON MBAFOR EXECUTIVESP H I L A D E L P H I A I S A N F R A N C I S C O
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Wharton MBA for Executives
Cover Letter OverviewAugust 2014
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Steve Hernandez Director, Career Management
MBA for Executives San Francisco, CA
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Cover Letter Topics
• Purpose/Importance of the Cover Letter
• Structure
• Content
• Cover Letter Best Practices/Mistakes
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Purpose/Importance
• Compel the reader to read your resume
• Communicate your interest in the organization and position
• Illustrate your Brand
• Connect the dots between your skills, background, accomplishments and value
• Make your case for the opportunity
• Stand Out
• Assess your attention to detail
• Business Leaders need to have strong writing skills
• A well written cover letter does not guarantee an interview; but a poorly written cover letter assures that you will not be considered as a candidate
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Structure
First Paragraph: Introduction; Get the reader’s attention; State your objective; State your case
Body Paragraph(s): Make your case: give examples of why you are a fit
Final Paragraph: Conclusion/Summary/Ask for the meeting
Two thirds of a page in length:
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
First Paragraph: Introduction
• Introduce yourself and your interest in the opportunity and company
• Referencing something that is meaningful to the reader: mutual connections, people you’ve met at the co.; relevant experience. GET THE READER’S ATTENTION!
• Introduce your brand
• Introduce your case of why you are a strong fit
• This is the appetizer, not the meal
• Inspire the reader to read more by being interesting and original
• One short to medium sized paragraph
o No more than 7 lines
o Sentences not too long
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
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Body Paragraph(s): Make your case
This is where you prove your case
Provide relevant examples of your background and accomplishments
Showcase your knowledge of the role, company, industry, etc.
o Illustrate that you’ve done your homework
Describe your accomplishments using (SAR)
Provide relevant descriptions of how your skills translate
Connect the dots: bridge how your background, skills, accomplishments and education will bring value
Provide tangible evidence that you are in fact a strong fit
Help the reader come away with a clear picture of who you and why they should consider you
Your BODY paragraph should be one longer, or two short paragraphs
o It is acceptable to use bullets substantiating specific data points
o Avoid generalizations
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Final Paragraph: make your summation; close the deal
• Summarize your case, end with final pitch of why you are a fit
• If you have final words or thoughts that are insightful, unique, and will leave a positive impression-add them
• Thank them for their time and consideration
• Ask for the interview
• Make sure you provide your best contact information
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Best Practices
• Do your homework: convey as much knowledge as possible about the opportunity, company, and target industry
• Know your audience, specifically the name and title of the Cover Letter addressee
• Organize your thoughts; write as you would speak; follow the same guidelines you would for a strong essay
• Write clear, concise narratives, with appropriate detail (SAR)
• Include only relevant examples that will drive interest
• Attract the reader to your resume; don’t write a resume
• Write in your own voice
• Avoid verbosity; get to the point
• Check spelling and grammar
• Have others proof read your cover letter
• Use two thirds to three quarters of the page
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Mistakes
• Not tailored towards the specific job, company, or industry
• Superfluous verbiage especially at the beginning
• Speaking in generalities; not being original
• Writing fluff, lacking substance
• Providing examples and describing accomplishments that aren’t relevant to your reader
• Verbosity, stay on point
• Cutting and pasting elements of your resume into your cover letter
• Misuse of bullets
List using the SAR model
Don’t list general functions, list examples and results
• Don’t just write a standard “generic” cover letter. BE ORIGINAL
THE WHARTON MBA FOR EXECUTIVES