Teacher Cover Letter and Application Letter Writing Help
Ah, the ever-daunting cover letter for teachers! You’ve finished writing your teacher's resume, but now you have the grueling task of developing a matching cover letter or application letter.
If you are a school administrator, education leader, higher education instructor or professor, corporate trainer, or school counselor, or any other educator, these writing tips will help.
If written and used correctly, a letter of intent (another name for a cover letter) combined with a top-notch resume or teacher CV curriculum vitae will contribute to more academic interviews, better opportunities of interest, and a quicker job search.
In addition to having a targeted, accomplishment-based keyword-rich cover letter and resume, it is essential to have a solid job search plan, which should include detailed daily, weekly, and monthly goals.
Are you still wondering, why do we even use cover letters or a letter of introduction? Doesn’t the academic resume say it all?
NO, your teaching resume does not say it all. If you at the resume writing stage, you can read this in-depth post on; academic resume writing tips to create a resume that gets noticed immediately.
Education Cover Letters Need to Show Your Passion, Personality and Your Value
Teacher cover letters are much more than just a piece of paper or just a letter. This is why you NEED a cover letter:
- Application letters for educators are all about first impressions; whether they are good or bad, they last.
- They show professionalism and are expected to accommodate the teaching resume.
- They allow you to convey your teaching credentials and expertise in a more meaningful manner.
- They let your personality shine through, along with other teaching qualities and soft skills.
- They are marketing tools and they capture interest. If done properly, cover letters encourage the reader to pick up your resume as well.
- They explain to the reader why you are sending a resume for a teaching job!
- They assure the reader that you fit all their needs and your resume is worth reviewing!
Additional cover letter writing tips can be found on Career Education Columbia website.
If a targeted cover letter doesn't accompany your teaching resume it could be discarded.
That’s right an application letter is a very influential job search document.
As mentioned above, cover letters provide the reader with an initial first impression about you, the potential employee. Therefore, the development of your education cover letter is critical to your job search — it is used as your first introduction to a potential school district.
Do NOT opt out of writing a cover letter for a teaching job, especially if the school district requires one!
Pop on over to A+ Career Edge blog and read 12 excerpts from sample letters of introduction for teachers.
7 Application Letter or Cover Letter Writing Tips and Strategies to Make a Difference
- Cover letters allow you to name drop.
- If you have worked within the district before, or for an influential member of the school, make sure you highlight that in your cover letter. As well, if you learned about the job posting from an employee who already works for the district, and has good standing, mention that you heard about the job opportunity from him/her. This will give you a slight edge over the competition, as the hiring administrator will likely check with the employee regarding your work ethic and disposition.
- Your cover letter can demonstrate how you will solve a school's hidden needs or problems.
- Not every school is perfect; they all have their times of ups and downs, and areas that need improvement. The trick is finding out what areas are lacking and how you can be of service. If you research the school, you will discover where their needs and problems lie. However, when demonstrating how you can help solve their issues, do not declare what kinds of problems they have. Instead, hint at your abilities via your sections regarding greatest strengths and past accomplishments.
- The quality of your application letter reflects your desired salary.
By making sure that your cover letter gives off a professional image, you will be one step closer to obtaining the salary you desire. The quality of your job application documents must match that of your salary expectations. Your cover letter focused on the education position you wish to secure creates an image of you and your worth. Highlight anything that makes you stand above and beyond others, and that you think has earned you the right to a higher wage. - Cover letters for teachers or other academics allow you to address gaps in your employment history.
This does not mean that you need to explain why you only worked summers as a teenager or when going to college. If you are currently out of the workforce, and have been for an extended period of time, you may need to explain why. Perhaps you suffered from medical issues, there was a family crisis, there was a new addition to your family, you were traveling, or you were going to school. Let the reader know, yes, you were out of the workforce, but are now ready to become fully committed to your position and the school district. - An academic cover letter is an excellent place to incorporate quotes and testimonials.
Quotes and testimonials allow the reader to see how you have applied your skills in the working world and read about accomplishments that other employers felt were noteworthy and can attest to. If you choose to incorporate a quote in your cover letter, it should go at the end of the document. Italicize the quote and include the speaker's name and position.
Read in-depth teaching letter of intent writing tips with examples to gain some modern ideas to enhance your teacher application letter.
Additional Writing Strategies for Teaching Cover Letters and Application Letters
- It is important to understand that your academic resume and cover letter are the ONLY things representing you in your absence.
- Your cover letter for a teaching position should be no longer than one page.
- The application letter should "plant the seed" that creates interest in the reader.
- It should use vivid language to maintain an "upbeat" pace; thus making the information exciting.
- Do not make a canned or generic teaching application letter — it shows you don't have the time or interest to make it unique. This is something that we can help you with!
- Communicate your personality, passion, and the teaching value you can bring to a school district and its students.
After landing a teacher job interview you may wish to brush up by reviewing these teacher job interview questions and answers.
Or educational leadership job questions and answers.
Learn more about Candace Alstad-Davies by reviewing my about me page. From that page, you can review testimonials and frequently asked questions.
Need some writing help making a stellar application letter, cover letter, resume, or CV curriculum vitae?
Send an email if you like or give me a call toll-free at 1-877-738-8052. I would enjoy chatting with you.