Creating a Cover Letter for city of Phoenix Jobs – Recommended Guidelines

(See also Creating a Resume for Phoenix Jobs)

Purpose: Introduce yourself, sell the employer on how well your specific skills, abilities, and attributes match the organization’s needs.

This document is your first impression and initial marketing tool. It is your chance to "speak" to the reader or hiring manger. To give your letter a competitive edge, you should focus on communicating your skills and achievements. It should be concise, hard-hitting, and capture the attention of the reader and motivate them to view your resume in-depth.

1. Identify the specific job and how you learned about it.
2. Match your skills, experience, training, and education with the job requirements, using your specific knowledge of the City department.
3. The last line should emphasize your enthusiasm and interest in the job.

- Use standard business letter format.

- Use paper that matches your resume, plain white paper is preferred (unless applying on-line).

- Proofread carefully (better yet, get a trusted person to proofread).

- Sell yourself. Be formal, polite, honest and assertive.

- Sign and send the original, keep a copy.

- Do your homework on the organization/department.

- As a general guideline, a cover letter should be between 1 –1 ½ pages, depending on your experience and level of the position.

- Please address the cover letter to "(name of the position) Selection Committee."

Click here to display a sample cover letter.