Writing an Effective Cover Letter

While you may be tempted to submit your application and resume without a cover letter when applying for a staff position, a cover letter provides an opportunity to differentiate yourself from other candidates as well as showcase your unique strengths and capabilities that might not be easily explained within your resume. This article provides tips on how to construct this all-important document.

First, and perhaps most importantly, cover letters should be tailored to the position for which you are applying.  The qualifications and skills you highlight should be matched to the requirements of the position.  For example, consider an individual with an extensive administrative background who also has volunteer experience in publishing and a degree in English.  The cover letter submitted when applying for an administrative assistant position may look very different from one submitted when applying for an editorial position.

4 General Components

While cover letters should be tailored to the position for which you are applying, there are 4 general components that should be included in any cover letter: 

1. An introduction that indicates why you are writing and to which position you are applying.
    
2. One to two paragraphs outlining your relevant skills and qualifications.  This is your opportunity to demonstrate what uniquely qualifies you for the position compared to other candidates and to explain any gaps in your resume or questions others may have when reading it.  Rather than simply listing your past accomplishments and titles, position them in terms of how they benefit the organization.  Your cover letter needs to address the question, "What's in it for the organization?"
    
3. A brief final paragraph that indicates what action will come next.  Use this as an opportunity to make your desire and availability for an interview known.
    
4. A closing statement that thanks the reader for their time and consideration.

5 Basic Rules

1. Keep your cover letter brief and simple.  A half-page cover letter is ideal.
    
2. Use a font and font size that is simple and clear.
    
3. Always use spellcheck.
    
4. Have someone review your letter for proper spelling, grammar, and overall readability.
    
5. Steer away from using buzzwords, acronyms, jargon, and overly personal language.  Don't assume the reader will know what you are referencing, spell it out.

For additional resources on career development and conducting a job search, visit the Careers and Workplace Learning sections of the Office of Human Resources website.

Maintaining the Highest Standards of Conduct

As members of the Northwestern University community, it is our responsibility to conduct our activities with the highest standards of conduct in mind. This requires our personal commitment to becoming familiar and complying with relevant University policies and to following laws and regulations. The University's Standards for Business Conduct provides a framework for administering University resources and establishes guidelines for appropriate standards of behavior.

No set of policies can address every decision or transaction we will face in our daily University activities.  If you have a question about the right course of action, there are several resources available for you to consult.  You may want to review the Standards for Business Conduct and other relevant University policies at http://policies.northwestern.edu/.  You may also contact your supervisor or identify other knowledgeable University officials with whom to consult by visiting www.northwestern.edu/ethics/.  Finally, you may report your question or concern to EthicsPoint®, Northwestern University's hotline, at www.ethicspoint.com or 866-294-3545. 

Chicago's New Minimum Wage Rate

The Chicago City Council voted to raise the minimum wage rate to $10.00 per hour effective July 1, 2015. Subsequent increases will bring the minimum wage to $13.00 per hour by 2019. The 2015 increase to the minimum wage rate will have no immediate impact to Northwestern employees.

Independent Contractors

On July 15, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division issued Administrator's Interpretation 2015-1: The Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act's "Suffer or Permit" Standard in the Identification of Employees Who Are Misclassified as Independent Contractors, which analyzes how the Fair Labor Standards Act's definition of "employ" guides the determination of whether workers are employees or independent contractors under the law. It discusses the breadth of the FLSA's definition of "employ," as well as provides guidance on the "Economic Realities" factors applied by courts in determining if a worker is indeed an employee.   Proper classification of individuals is critical to appropriately process and make payments for services.  http://www.dol.gov/whd/workers/Misclassification/AI-2015_1.htm

Economic Realities

Independent contractors are workers with economic independence who are in business for themselves. The following "economic realities" may help resolve the Common Law Rules above and assist in determining whether a worker is truly in business for himself or herself. If, like most, the worker is economically dependent on an employer who can require (or allow) the employee to work - and who can prevent the employee from working - an employer-employee relationship is indicated.

1. The extent to which the work performed is an integral part of the employer's business.
   
   If the work performed by a worker is integral to the employer's business, it is more likely that the worker is economically dependent on the employer and less likely that the worker is in business for himself or herself.
    
2. Whether the worker's managerial skills affect his or her opportunity for profit and loss.
    
   Managerial skill may be indicated by the hiring and supervision of workers or by investment in equipment. Analysis of this factor should focus on whether the worker exercises such managerial skills and, if so, whether those skills affect that worker's opportunity for both profit and loss.
    
3. The relative investments in facilities and equipment by the worker and the employer.
    
   The worker must make some investment compared to the employer's investment (and bear some risk for a loss) in order for there to be an indication that he/she is an independent contractor. A worker's investment in tools and equipment to perform the work does not necessarily indicate independent contractor status, because such tools and equipment may be required for the work. If a worker's business investment compares favorably enough to the employer's that they appear to be sharing risk of loss, this factor indicates that the worker may be an independent contractor.
    
4. The worker's skill and initiative.
    
   Both an employee and an independent contractor may be a skilled worker. To indicate possible independent contractor status, the worker's skills should demonstrate that he or she exercises independent business judgment. Further, the fact that a worker is in open market competition with others would suggest independent contractor status.
    
5. The permanency of the worker's relationship with the employer.
    
   Permanency or indefiniteness in the worker's relationship with the employer suggests that the worker is an employee, as opposed to an independent contractor. However, a worker's lack of a permanent relationship with the employer does not necessarily suggest independent contractor status because the impermanent relationship may be due to industry-specific factors, or the fact that an employer routinely uses staffing agencies.
    
6. The nature and degree of control by the employer.
    
   Analysis of this factor includes who sets pay amounts and work hours and who determines how the work is performed, as well as whether the worker is free to work for others and hire helpers. An independent contractor generally works free from control by the employer (or anyone else, including the employer's clients).

The process in place at Northwestern aids in determining whether an individual is an independent contractor or whether an employer-employee relationship exists and to ensure that payment is handled appropriately.  Independent contractor payments must be tracked for taxable income reporting on Form 1099, and employee payments are subject to employment taxes and are reportable on Form W-2. Errors in employee/non-employee classification may lead to significant fines and penalties due to lack of appropriate income reporting, tax withholding, or provision of benefits.  

To request a review of an individual, please go to  http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/policies-forms/forms/payroll-administration/IndependentContractorQuestionnaire.pdf