The dreaded cover letter...

Last summer when I was looking for an internship I sent out a couple different cover letters with my resume. I only applied to 3 firms but they were very different firms. I had different relationships to each firm as well so while the resume was the same, the cover letter had to be different. The articles tell a lot about what not to do when writing a letter. Mass letters are the kiss of death when looking for your first job. The articles emphasis the need for personalizing each letter. This makes sense but is almost impossible to do when you're applying to lots of different firms.

I was lucky enough with my application process last summer to only have been applying to those 3 firms. One firm I had no previous connection to other than my little sister babysat for the guy I was sending my resume to; so that cover letter had to be very introductory and prove that I knew enough to be a part of his firm. The next firm was one my dad was working with. Again I had no connection but through my dad, who has already taken care of the introduction part. I had to focus on what I could bring to her firm, and why it was a good idea for her firm to not only pay me for my working, but also to give me a stipend for housing and food (since the job was in Baltimore.) The last was to a firm that I had previously worked with and knew very well. So that cover letter was very personal.

I guess the point of my babbling about all this is that I've already had to do the cover letter thing in the past. But it's going to be completely different after I graduate and move to a different city where I have no connections work related or personally. So in that since, the articles were very helpful. I'm about to be in uncharted territory in looking for a job. Now I know a couple of tips that are going to give me the heads up when applying in a big city.