Activity 4B: Practice Activity-Cover Letter Critique

Activity 4B: Practice Activity-Cover letter Critique

This activity requires that you have developed a cover letter template. In this activity, you will be expected to have two other people review and critique your cover letter for content, skills emphasis and format using the rating sheet below. At least one of the two people who critique your cover letter should be a Career Center staff member. You may choose a classmate, instructor or someone else as the other person to review your cover letter.

Print two copies of your cover letter and two copies of the critique form and attach them together before you submit for review. COVER LETTER RATING SHEET CAREER SERVICES CENTER COASTAL CAROLINA NAME:______DATE:______

PERSON REVIEWING:______CLASS:______TIME:______

1. Rate the presentation/cover letter format 50 pts

Professional Balanced Margins Margins are not entirely Margins are not Comments: balanced balanced Excellent format Good format with some issues Format is not entirely Format is distracting Balanced Margins appropriate or Strengths clear professional in Font size and style is Skills are clearly defined appearance distracting or in the opening with Font, size, style is unprofessional relevant examples acceptable and Little or no variation in predictable font, size or style for Multiple spelling errors, Appropriate font, style, emphasis grammatical or size with variations that Alignment is appropriate punctuation problems highlight important to content Misaligned format details; alignment is Misaligned format appropriate to content One misspelled word, grammatical error or No spelling, grammar or No spelling, grammar or punctuation problem punctuation errors punctuation errors

20 16 13 10 Ranked points

2. Content specific information

All affirming action words Duties/skills lack action Lack of affirming action Skills are generic, Comments: are used to demonstrate words or abilities and are words, information is improper wording and/ skills and abilities to not fully indicated very generic and does not or poor word choices perform on the job fully relay skills Some terminology needs Paragraphing structure Skills are clearly defined revision Paragraphs are missing or is weak with proper terminology weak Generally sound Does not convey a Strong paragraphs paragraphs professional stature/history

3. Special skills or professional highlights

Additional attributes, Skills, experience and Skills, experience and Major missing Comments: awards, certifications, etc education are present education are minimally information related to are also included relevant but additional attributes developed or not skills, education and/or to the position desired are minimal or not well relevant to the job; no no additional emphasized additional information is information is present included