How can I learn what will impress prospective employers?
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In order to impress prospective employers when writing a cover letter, you must first know what they are looking for in candidates. Learning more about the company itself—and what they value—can help you do this. Here are some suggestions:
- Read the job advertisement carefully
- Research the corporate website, read and try to understand their mission statement (sometimes an organization's mission may not be overtly stated)
- Call "insiders" (people that work with the company)
- Refer to your university's career center if you are at college
Information about each suggestion are covered in the sections that follow.
The following are additional Purdue OWL resources to help you write your cover letter: