It’s always a good time when you are staring at a blank screen, wondering where to start. You got your resume written, revised it multiple times and finally polished it to the point of perfection. You felt really, really good about that… for about two minutes. Then you realized: The Cover Letter. A new mountain to climb, a new writing style to master. Forget it, you think, I’ll check Tik Tok instead…
Not so fast! You are going to have to come to grips with writing a cover letter sooner or later. It had might as well be sooner, right? And since a picture (or an example) is worth a thousand words, I’ve provided one, below. And because this whole cover letter writing business is so miserable to start with, I’ve taken a little artistic liberty and gone to Hollywood to craft this sample because if writing a cover letter is low on the fun quotient, at least learning about it had might as well be sort of amusing. As always, the Career Center is here to help you with cover letter critiques via phone, Zoom or email.
22 Your Street
Los Angeles, CA 22222
March 4, 20–
Ms. Chrissy Teigan
Lifestyle Guru/Actor
11 Hollywood Ave
Hollywood, CA 11111
Dear Ms. Teigan:
While chatting recently with Lydia Johnson, nanny to Tyra Banks’ son, York, I learned that you are seeking a new nanny for your two children Knowing of my extensive background caring for children from the newborn stage up through the teen years, Lydia thought that I would be perfect for this position. My current employer, Gwyneth Paltrow, has decided that Apple and Moses won’t need a nanny by this fall, and thus I was thrilled to hear of this opening in your household.
Lydia tells me that you are looking for an energetic, active nanny who preferably is fluent in Spanish and English. As an avid runner and yoga student since my days at the University of Mary Washington, I am fit and active; ready to keep up with Luna and Miles. My undergraduate minor in Spanish and time spent helping Apple and Moses with their homework (up through middle school they attended an immersion program intended to foster fluency in Spanish) mean that I am near-fluent in Spanish. I also took some trips to South and Central America while working for Ms. Paltrow, where I became very familiar with Latino culture and customs.
Before holding this job, I was employed for three years by Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott. In that time Ms. Spelling had two babies and thus I am also very familiar and comfortable caring for infants and toddlers. I know that you and Mr. Legend travel a good bit for work and understand that you like to bring your children along as much as possible. I am familiar with the ups and downs of travelling with children and have excellent abilities in terms of being flexible to your requirements while also meeting their needs and keeping their routine as consistent as possible.
Attached is a copy of my resume with more details on my professional childcare background. I look forward to hearing back from you and hope that we can meet soon for an interview.
Sincerely,
Gabrielle Smith
Gabrielle Smith
Note: This letter incorporates a contact name and some implied relationship. Apparently, Lydia knows Ms. Teigan (or at any rate knows her current nanny) and has the inside scoop on her childcare opening. She is providing an indirect referral of the applicant by sharing this information. Any time you have a referral be sure to mention the person’s name in the very first paragraph (if not the first sentence) of your cover letter. (To be on the safe side, clear this with them before you write the letter, though). This use of a familiar name will establish a connection between you and the prospective employer that might otherwise not exist and will help to make your letter stand out from the rest.
Disclaimer: All the above is fictional except for the names of the characters. And, in case you are wondering, I agree, Chrissy Teigan no doubt has an assistant vet the applications for a nanny position. So let’s assume this one made the first cut and is being considered by the star herself, in some alternate universe. Good luck, Gabrielle!
Mary Becelia, Career Coach
