AIMD Human Resources Business Partner Letter

Street Address OR email addressCity, State Zip OR phone number
[optional add email & phone number – encouraged]
Date
[adjust this space to center the rest of your letter]
Person’s Name
Person’s Title
Company
Co. Address
City, State Zip
Dear Mr./Ms. Person’s Last Name: (or To Whom It May Concern: or Dear First and Last Name: if unsure of pronoun
preference)
Introduction (Paragraph 1): Introduce yourself…
• Tell the reader what job you’re applying for. Include a reference number if provided. Also include where and
when you saw the posting.
• Tell the reader who you are: where you go to school, when you’re graduating, major/minor, etc.
• Explain how you’re qualified for the job by discuss the job’s make-or-break requirements (info gathered from
job posting – usually in a requirements, background, or qualifications section, but wording varies greatly).
Condense this information as much as possible – one sentence for each requirement maximum.
• NOTE: If referred by someone, mention their name early in this paragraph.
Body (Paragraphs 2 & 3): Use this space to market or “sell” yourself as the best candidate for the position. Do this by
telling your story – state your claims (by using key items from the job posting – usually from requirements,
background/experience, qualifications section, but wording varies greatly) and provide evidence to support them.
Work in as many key items/claims as possible.
• Each paragraph should focus on one experience/activity: job, volunteer activity, student athlete,
RSO/club/social or academic fraternity, course work/projects examples, etc.
o While I was engaged in this activity, I gained this key skill, and here is my evidence. Repeat key
skills and evidence throughout paragraph. Then move onto next paragraph and start over.
• Be as specific as possible with your evidence. Use quantifiable data whenever possible.
Connection (Paragraph 4): Use your research to tell the reader why you want to work for the company in the capacity
specified. What is it about the company and job that attracts you?
• Incorporate something you found in your research that is not mentioned in the job posting such as the
company’s slogan or moto, core values, etc.
• You may also include something in this paragraph that is unique about you – as long as it is applicable to the
job posted or the company in general.
Message of Goodwill & Call to Action (Paragraph 5): Thank the reader for reading your cover letter and reviewing
your resume, and prompt them to set up an interview.
• Let the reader know you are available for an interview and when you’re available to begin working (especially
important for internships and start dates that do not coincide with spring graduation).
• Tell the reader how to contact you (email and phone number). This should always be the last thing they read.
Sincerely,
[sign here or leave empty space if you’re sending electronically – can tighten space if needed]
Your Name
Cover Letter Grading Rubric 100 points possible
Exceeds
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
Nothing
Provided
Introduction: Includes
job posting info, student
info, and explanation of
qualifications per job
posting.
10 ☐
7.7 ☐
7.2 ☐
0☐
Opening paragraph
contains job name
(and ref. number if
applicable); school,
year and major; and
make-or-break job
requirements.
Optional referral.
Opening
paragraph is
missing one (1)
required element
or includes
minimal
extraneous
info/contains info
better placed
elsewhere.
Includes
skills/claims not
explained later.
Announces
writer. Includes
very few makeor-break
requirements.
Opening
paragraph is
missing two (2) or
more required
elements.
Includes
extensive
extraneous
information (that
should be
presented
elsewhere). Does
not include makeor-break
requirements
from job posting.
No introduction
provided OR
Opening
paragraph does
not meet any
introduction
requirements.
Body: At least two
paragraphs. Each discusses
single experience with
multiple application of key
phrases.
20 ☐
15.4 ☐
14.4 ☐
0☐
At least two body
paragraphs
provided. Paragraph
focus on one
experience or
activity with
discussion of
relationship to key
terms/requirements.
Topic sentences
support content of
paragraphs.
At least two body
paragraphs
provided. At least
one (1) paragraph
contains more
than one activity
OR At least one
(1) para makes
weak connection
to key
terms/activities.
At least one (1)
topic sentence
only somewhat
support topic of
paragraph. At
least one (1) topic
sentence includes
mention of skills.
Only one body
paragraph
provided OR All
body paragraphs
do not focus on
single activity OR
All body
paragraphs do not
contain discussion
of relationship to
key terms. AT
least two (2) topic
sentence only
somewhat support
topic of
paragraph. At
least two (2) topic
sentence includes
mention of skills.
No body
paragraphs
provided OR
Paragraphs 2 &
3 do not meet
any body
paragraph
requirements.
Connection: Makes
connection: States why
want to work for company.
Relates to researched info.
Optional incorporation of
personal info as relates.
10 ☐
7.7 ☐
7.2 ☐
0☐
States researched
info/what like about
company and
connection/why
want to work for
company.
States researched
info/what like
about company
but
connection/why
want to work
there is weak.
Topic sentence is
somewhat narrow
Does not state
researched
info/what like
about company
OR Missing
connection/why
want to work
there. Paragraph
contains
No conclusion
provided OR
Paragraph 4 (or
5) does not
meet any
requirements of
connection
paragraph.
CRITERIA
Content
Cover Letter Grading Rubric 100 points possible
but still matches
content of
paragraph.
extraneous
info/info better
suited for another
paragraph. Topic
sentence is too
narrow/does not
match content of
paragraph.
10 ☐
7.7 ☐
7.2 ☐
0☐
Thanks reader and
notes available start
date. Clearly states
contact info.
Contact info stated
last – nothing after.
Missing at least
one (1) required
element. Includes
information not
appropriate for
paragraph.
Information
provided after
contact info.
Missing at two (2)
or more required
elements.
Paragraph
contains
extraneous
info/info better
suited for another
paragraph.
Final paragraph
does not
contain any
content
required of
goodwill/callto-action.
Style: Message presented
in direct style. Main idea
presented at beginning of
message. Persuasive point
explicitly stated.
5☐
3.85 ☐
3.6 ☐
0☐
Purpose of message
is explicitly stated.
Purpose of
message is
explicitly stated
but message itself
is vague due to
excess
introduction.
Attempt at
explicitly stating
message but
message is buried
under enough
content to be
considered
indirect.
Message is
presented
haphazardly
without
intended style.
Voice: I-voice is used
8☐
6.16 ☐
5.76 ☐
0☐
appropriately and
effectively.
Content contains
only I voice (with
exception of thank
“you”).
Content contains
one (1) instance
of incorrect voice.
Content contains
two (2) or more
instances of
incorrect voice.
Content is
written
mostly/entirely
in incorrect
voice.
Tone: Tone of message is
appropriate for audience
and meets established
guidelines.
5☐
3.85 ☐
3.6 ☐
0☐
Tone is explicitly
evident AND
appropriate as
outlined in
assignment.
Tone is vague OR
better tone could
have been chosen
for message.
Tone is clearly
inappropriate for
content.
No discernible
tone detected
OR Tone
change
inappropriate
for message.
8☐
6.16 ☐
5.76 ☐
0☐
Formatting is
without error.
Formatting
contains minor
error such as
spacing, date
formatting, or
Formatting
contains multiple
errors such as
missing or
additional
formatting;
Message is not
presented in
business letter
format.
Goodwill & Action:
Thanks reader; provides
work start info; provides
contact info. No additional
information provided after
contact info.
Style/Voice/Tone
Formatting & Editing
Formatting: Proper
business letter formatting
used. Paragraphs blocked
and left justified, single
spaced. Heading, date,
inside address, greeting,
and signature are correctly
Cover Letter Grading Rubric 100 points possible
paragraph
indenting.
heading info in
header; sans-serif
style font. Cover
letter exceeds one
(1) page.
Document file
type is not
editable (PDF).
8☐
6.16 ☐
5.76 ☐
0☐
Information is
presented in order
outlined in
assignment AND
information is
divided as
necessary.
Content sections
blurred (blend
into each other) or
minimal content
placed in wrong
section.
Content sections
are combined
and/or significant
content is placed
in wrong section.
Content
presented has
no discernable
order.
Mechanical Emphasis:
Key terms highlighted.
Correspond to job posting.
8☐
6.16 ☐
5.76 ☐
0☐
Sufficient
highlighting
included. Matches
content highlighted
on job posting.
More appropriate
content could be
emphasized or
letter missing
some highlights
from job posting.
Highlighting is
minimal and does
not match most
noted info on job
posting.
No highlighting
used.
Editing: Content is free of
spelling, grammatical, and
mechanical errors.
8☐
6.16 ☐
5.76 ☐
0☐
No editing errors
found.
Minimal editing
errors found.
Errors do not
affect readability
of content.
One or more
spelling errors
found. Many
editing errors
found. Errors
affect readability
of content.
Content does
not contain
punctuation
and/or is
written in such
a way that it
does not make
sense.
formatted. Letter content is
centered on page by
adjusting space after date.
Serif style font used.
Confined to one (1) page.
Document submitted in
editable format.
Order of Information:
Information is presented in
logical order that follows
assignment template and
example/s.