One of the biggest traps that teaches fall into when writing an education cover letter is to be so interested in showing of their own education that the cover letter ends up being dull and hard to read. While your level of education is certainly important, being able to capture the attention of the person reviewing your cover letter is even more important. The guidelines for writing any other kind of cover letter are equally true when writing an education cover letter.
It is important to remember that how you word the things in your cover letter are just as important as information it has in it. A rule of thumb is to write like you speak. Read your letter to someone who knows you, and ask them if it sounds like you. You may be the most qualified teacher that has applied for the job, but if no one reads what you’ve written your qualifications won’t do you any good. You have to be able to engage the reader, and make them want to take a closer look.
A word of warning here; don’t just cut-and-paste a free education cover letter sample. While they may have some limited use as reference for structure, there is nothing unique or interesting. Hiring managers see a lot of these types of cover letters, and they will not capture their attention.
You’re a unique individual, and your education cover letter needs to show that. Do not be afraid of letting a little of your emotion and personality shine through. If you love certain parts of your job, say so. If you are passionate about making you area of expertise come alive for your students, say so. Remember, they are hiring someone who can engage and instruct children. They are looking for a real person. If your cover letter is dull and lifeless, what does that say about you?
Make each education cover letter unique to the specific position to which you are applying. “I am applying for a teaching position at your school” is dull and generic. “I am applying for the History Teachers position at Betty Boop Elementary School” is much more specific, and is much more likely to capture the hiring managers attention.
You will need to limit your cover letter to one page, so you will not be able to mention every qualification you have. Focus on a few qualifications and accomplishments that are the most important. Make sure you relate those to the specific position, and how it makes you a better candidate. In business this is referred to as Competitive Advantage. Why should they choose you over the other people that have applied for the same position? This means you have to do more than give a list of skills. Your resume already does that. You have to tell them why you’re the best person for the job.
Do not finish your letter without asking for an interview. Successful sales people will tell you that there is power in asking. It encourages the reader to take action. After you have asked for the interview, give your contact information. Do not make the reader have to track your phone number down in your resume, give it to them. You want to make contacting you as easy as possible. Finish off your cover letter by letting them know when you will be following up. Give a specific date when you will follow up, then remember to call on that date.
Always remember to check your grammar and spelling before you send your cover letter anywhere. With the abilities to check this with most word processing software, there’s really no excuse for letting mistakes slip through, especially for someone trying to get a job in education. Run the checkers, then re-read your cover letter aloud to find any mistakes the software might have missed. If there are any mistakes or areas that are unclear, this is your chance to make corrections.
There is a lot of competition for jobs in education. In order to get one of these jobs, you have to get noticed. Your chance to make a good first impression is your cover letter. If it doesn’t get noticed, neither will you. Show the people doing the hiring that you are a unique person with the skills and abilities to engage and educate children. Show them you’re alive.
By: Mario J. Churchill
Posts Tagged ‘Job’
Cover Letter for Education Jobs
February 27th, 2010Do Employers View Private College Education As Equivalent To Community College Education?
February 5th, 2010
Choosing where to go for post secondary education has gotten harder in the last few years. Even though there are more choices and options available, there are also more people going to college and entering the workforce. Future graduates have always had to think about a college’s location, price, curriculum and reputation, and nowadays they also have to think about what their school will look like on their resume.
A lot of students have the bad habit of changing their minds about what career they would like to have, and unfortunately, this comes with changing majors. Some changes are small, but there are students that completely change direction and have to alter their course load, and this would be more difficult at a private college. Private colleges are much more expensive, and it would cost a student an awful lot of money to change his or her mind!
These days, a student has to make extra sure that they know exactly what they want to do for a living before they decide what kind of school to go to. This way, they will know which school will look the best on their resume. Whether or not an employer will care about which type of college an applicant lists on their resume all depends what career choice someone makes. Some employers barely look at the education part of a resume, caring more about skill and experience, while others scrutinize the education section.
If you are looking to make a career out of a job that is more skill based, it would probably be a better idea to choose a good community college. These types of colleges tend to offer much more hands on experience and learning than private colleges. Employers will be more likely to hire a student right out of college if they have had this type of learning. If your goal is to make a career out of a job that is more knowledge based, a private college may be a good choice. These fields can be more competitive, and employers are more likely to look at the education part of your resume.
There is a middle ground between the two career types discussed above, and for this broad span of career choices, students need not worry about which school to choose. These employers will probably mostly care about the fact that you have the education and experience for the job and will not be concerned about whether you went to a community college or a private college.
If you fall into that “middle ground”, you can feel free to make your choice based on what the school offers you, as opposed to choosing between community and private. If you have the money to spend, a private college might be a good choice, and if a community college has just what you are looking for, then it would be just as good a choice for you.
By: Amy Nutt
Education Cover Letter 101
November 3rd, 2009
Writing a good education cover letter is a must. However, there are those who fall over the mistake that this is the best way to show off and stand out. The education cover letter is actually a good way to give the good impression to your prospective employer. This is a first step to get that job in the teaching profession. It sure pays to be a part of this most respected profession. Thus, to be hired on that school you want, it is important to come up with a good education cover letter.
Most will aim for making the education cover letter perfect in every sense of the word. Everything is polished. There is this certain obsession to make the English perfect as much as possible from the grammar down to the writing styles.
There is really no need to freak out on every detail of grammar rules and sentence construction. It is a good way to maintain the formality of the education cover letter. However, there are more important things to keep in mind if you are aiming for a job at the teaching profession. It is better to keep in mind the things that matter more in your application.
Education cover letters should stand out. There are lots of other people who may be seeking the same position that you want. You cannot afford to make a dull and boring cover letter. That is why sticking so much on the grammar and rules may leave you with a stiff education cover letter. Too much formalities can be a disadvantage too. That is why you have to know the best way to approach the education cover letter.
Tips for Making That Education Cover Letter
Keep things interesting. To be able to catch the attention of the school superintendent or the hiring officer, it is a must that your information are very clear, direct and relevant. In this regard, you will definitely aim for good grammar. However, do not be stiff with your information. Do not make the mistake of using too many words when you can say it briefly. For example, some will indicate “possesses considerable experience in English instruction.” This could be replaced with a more concise phrase like, “taught English.” This will ensure that the reader will not get bored.
Give your education cover letter a good flow. You should not merely look at how much information you can enumerate. You must be able to convey a message in your education cover letter. This means, you also have to provide a direction to your cover letter. You must be able to express your desire to work.
In this regard, you have to do more than just combining words and following grammar rules. Yo must be able to convey your passion for teaching. You must be enthusiastic in presenting your education cover letter. After all, the teaching profession is far from being an impersonal field. Teachers and educators need to have the heart for the job. This is why you do not need to be too formal in making the cover letter. You have to reveal some emotions to show how much you love teaching.
Conclusion
The education cover letter is the key to getting that job interview and ultimately the privilege of becoming part of the teaching profession. Write it with your heart and you can never go wrong.
By: Mario J. Churchill
