Mike Kreicker
Ann Zinyemba

Word
Access
Excel
Publisher
PowerPoint

 
 
 

Microsoft Word Lesson #3- Cover Letter

Essential Question: What can increase my chances of employment when applying for a job?

NTES Standard:

2.     Social, Ethical, and Human Issues

c. Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

By the End of Grade 7-Students identify how they currently use technology and predict how they may use and benefit from its use in their future.

Resources: Example Cover Letter, Copies of Rubric/Self Check List

Student Rubric: See Below

Points: 25 Points

Save As: "LastNameFirstIntial"CLetter

Directions: Podcast

Using the World Wide Web to Search for Job Opportunities

Sometimes one of the most frustrating parts of graduating from college is the realization that there are not many jobs available in your area. An excellent way to broaden your opportunities is to use the Internet to search for job postings in your field. You probably will mail prospective employers a copy of your resume, along with a cover letter that lists your interests and skills. You might find that most of your letters will have a similar appearance, so you can prepare a template to expedite your work. In this Internet Assignment you will search the Web to find job postings, and then create a cover letter for one position that interests you using a template that you create on your Internet Assignments Disk.

  1. Use the links to Yahoo and AltaVista to search for job listings in your field. (Hint: Use the keywords "job search" to return a list of categories in which to search.) Find at least three job postings for jobs that you will be qualified for and interested in after you graduate. If you have not decided on a career path, select different positions that you are considering. Print the pages for each position. Make sure that you print enough information to prepare a cover letter to send as if you are going to mail your resume and apply for employment with the organization.
  2. If necessary, start Word. Open a new, blank document, and save the document as a Word template with the filename "Cover Letter" on a blank, formatted disk labeled "Word 2000 Level III Internet Assignments." You'll use this disk to save the Internet Assignments for Tutorials 8, 9, and 10.
  3. Define a new paragraph named "Address"; use 14-point Franklin Gothic Medium font, and center the paragraph.
  4. Type your name, address, and telephone number at the top of the document using the Address style.
  5. Add the date as an updated field two lines below your phone number using the Normal style. The format for the date should be MMMM d, yyyy, and then press the Enter key twice.
  6. Change the font of the Normal style to 12-point Times New Roman font.
  7. Customize the toolbar by replacing the Web Toolbar button on the Standard toolbar with the New… command from the File category. Clicking this button opens the New dialog box, so you can save a step instead of clicking File on the menu bar, and then clicking New to start a new document based on your template. (Note: Normally, you would save this toolbar change in the Normal template, so the toolbar button is available from any document. However, for this Internet Assignment you will save it only in the Cover Letter template.)
  8. Save the toolbar change in the Cover Letter template.
  9. Use the new toolbar button that you created in Step 7 to open the New dialog box to make sure that your button works. Click the Cancel button to close the dialog box.
  10. Click the insertion point on the second blank line after the date, and then insert a Fill-in field that has "Type the contact person's name" as the prompt.
  11. Copy the Fill-in field you just created, and then insert it after the first field. (Hint: Copy the field just one time; you can use the Paste command repeatedly.)
  12. Change the prompts for the Fill-in fields to the following: "Type the company name," "Type the company address," and "Type the company's city, state, and zip code."
  13. Press the Enter key twice, type "Dear," and then insert a Fill-in field with the prompt "Type a salutation." Type a comma after the Fill-in Field, and then press the Enter key three times.
  14. Type an appropriate closing (such as "Sincerely yours"), press the Enter key three times, and then type your name.
  15. Save the template.
  16. Copy the Cover Letter template into the Other Documents folder in the Templates folder on your computer, and then close the template.
  17. Open a new document based on the Cover Letter template.
  18. Complete the form using one of the job postings that you found on the Internet.
  19. Type the body of the letter, and include at least three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, explain that you wish to apply for the position that you found on the Internet. In the second paragraph, explain any special skills that you have that make you a candidate for this position. In your closing paragraph, thank the recipient for considering you for employment.
  20. Save the document as "Cover Letter 1," preview it, and then print it.
  21. Delete the template from the Other Documents folder in the Templates folder on your computer.
  22. Close Word and your Web browser.


 

Jan Smith

1234 South St.

Indpls, IN 41234

Home Phone: 317-123-4567

 

Dear,

 

My education, experience, and solid record of achievement make me an ideal candidate for a cosmetologist in your salon. I am eager to take full – time position and begin serving people. Your salon has received a reputation for servicing people, which makes a beginning cosmetologist and life – long learner such as myself very excited when I hear of your salon’s achievements.

 

While accomplishing various honors at PJ’s School of Cosmetology, my resume shows my successful completion of graduating. Having so many hours of quality education and many classes of styling including three years of life skills makes me and excellent candidate for your position. My resume has been updated and lists my experiences.

I have completed an application for employment. At your convenience, I would greatly appreciate speaking with you in person about my philosophy on styling techniques. Please call me at  (317) 797-5412 or (317) 856-5814  

Sincerely,

 

 

Jan Smith

DMS Comp App Home ~ MSD Decatur Home Page ~ Decatur Middle School Home Page

 


Ann Rosborough
Decatur Middle School Computer Applications
5108 S. High School Rd.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46224