Cover letters

mikey_64652

Hello all, So I recently sent a resume to do a stage at

Benu Restaurant in SF and they asked if I could resend

my resume with a cover letter attached. I've never had

to use a cover letter before, so I've never actually written

a cover letter before. So if anybody has any good tips on

where to start with that I would be very greatful. Thank you

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Comments

mike.minasian

Think of your resume as being a statement of what you've done. The cover letter is a formal way to talk about how you can provide value to an organization. Talk about how your past experiences and current interests led you to select Benu as your choice to stage, and what you feel you can bring. In many cases this is a pretty formal letter where you talk about what's so great about the company, but if it were me, I'd structure it like so:

First paragraph - what you know about the restaurant (flattery isn't a bad idea here), what your statement of purpose is (you want a stage, for x reasons).

Second / third paragraph - what your experience is, but be careful not to just rehash your resume, this is a chance to talk more specifically about what you did and how it's relevant (maybe you developed a staff meal at another restaurant in the style of food that Benu specializes in, maybe you had menu input once to the same effect). I think it's important to show passion and a vision for how it is mutually beneficial to both you and Benu for a stage.

Last paragraph - summarize what your looking for and ask for an explicit response. Example: "I appreciate your time reviewing my qualifications and I look forward to a formal interview to discuss further how I can . I hope to speak with the team about an opportunity to serve Benu."

Keep it to a page maximum. Make sure to have a salutation "To Chef", "To Benu HR" etc. Ideally if you know the person's name, address it to them. Include your contact information at the bottom.

*Caveat to all of this - I've never done a stage, but this is based on my experience in the corporate world so take with a grain of salt. Once you have a draft, reply here if you want me to take a look, I'd be happy to give you some pointers. I can also give you a sample of what my cover looked like once upon a time.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

This is all good advice. To this I would add:

- You need to explain why you would be a benefit to them (one sentence or so should be fine)

- Don't be overly formal, especially now that you have established contact with the restaurant and they have followed up with you. Be yourself.

- Read the cookbook and spend time on the restaurant's website. Look at the way they write, how they present themselves. Try to use that same 'voice' in your letter. (And if you get to an interview)

mikey_64652

Thank you Michael and Matthew. I will get that going and get back you soon.

Tim_Salazar_36007

These are really good suggestions @Michael_Minasian_23466 and @Matthew_Snyder_68770, awesome to see that here. Another thing I'd add is: Work your connections, and not in a way that you're just networking. Make friends with people and be helpful whenever and wherever you can and it'll come back to you. Be nice and kind and generally a good human being and people will want to help you out.

#jobs #jobs #jobs

Firgosdu_1093549

There a lot of good examples on the internet. You may even find a resume building instrument. So you will only need to insert your personal data like postal address and area code is located. And the program will do everything else for you on its own. In the end, you will get a ready resume and cover letter. But read it carefully and amend the details you need. I find this service very efficient and helpful.