How to Craft a Compelling Cover Letter
If you think a resume is all you need to convey your relevant experiences, think again. The importance of writing and submitting a cover letter for every position you apply for—unless explicitly indicated otherwise—cannot be overstated. Tailoring a cover letter to each position you are seeking allows you to tell a prospective employer who you are, showcase why you should be hired, and demonstrate how you stand out above all other candidates.
Reading and understanding the position’s job description is the road map that will help you navigate your cover letter. The descriptions explain to you exactly what they are looking for in a candidate, and you need to use this to your advantage. Determine the most important responsibilities, skills, and experiences and focus your attention there. Consider how your skills and accomplishments meet the requirements.
Dive deeper into specific experiences that tell the story of why you’re the perfect fit for the company. You will need to include the most relevant experiences from your resume, expand upon them, and explain why they apply to the position. Along with showcasing your qualifications, take the opportunity to tell the hiring manager you understand what makes the organization and job special.
CAR stands for Circumstance, Action, and Result. The CAR method allows you to tell the employer your story. Use work experience, activities, hobbies, volunteer work, school projects—anything that would be considered strong examples of your past experiences as it relates to the job description. See the chart below for an explanation of the CAR Method and an example (directly below each explanation).
| C (Circumstance) | A (Actions) | R (Results) |
| Provide a brief overview of the circumstance. It is a method for beginning your story. | After setting the stage by describing the circumstance, describe the specific actions you took to resolve the problem or situation. | This is the most important step of your answer. Your goal is to demonstrate a results-oriented background. Connect your accomplishments/what you learned to the position you are seeking. |
| As the program coordinator for a professional development program for early to mid-career lawyers, I was responsible for planning the quarterly meetings for the cohort. | I partnered with the Vice President of Operations to schedule the program meeting dates. I coordinated the hotel accommodations and the networking reception and dinner reservation for the cohort, staff, and distinguished guests. In addition, I served as the primary contact for the program for cohort members, presenters, and guests. | As a result, the organization hosted 30 professionals for four, two-day professional development sessions. By participating in the program 25% of the cohort members received promotions before the end of the program. In addition, I was able to further develop my event management skills. |
It is important to add a brief statement explaining the connection between your vignette and how it aligns with the responsibilities of the position. This approach is especially helpful if the example isn’t field-specific as it will help demonstrate your transferable skills and experiences. Please find sample cover letters here. If you have any questions about how to craft your cover letter or would like a career advisor to review your draft, please email your career advisor or career@butler.edu.