Stephanie received her Master’s degree in Special Education, and used my 30-minute cover letter template to apply for (and land!) her teaching job. Use her example below (which she gave me permission to share with you) to craft your own dynamite cover letter in under 30 minutes.

Keep in mind, the secret to cover letters is making sure they clearly - and succinctly - answer the question "Why should I hire you?"

It's your responsibility as the applicant to clearly spell out that you’re the kind of professional they’re looking for (e.g. if they’re looking for a Project Manager, kick off your letter by stating you’re a Project Manager!), and the top 2-3 reasons you would be a great fit for this position.

As you can see, we've bolded below how Stephanie:

1. Clearly lists the 2 reasons she should be hired right in her Introductory Paragraph

2. Uses her Body Paragraphs to bring each reason to life with a strong introductory statement and details/examples

As a result, Stephanie's cover letter is clear, compelling, and targeted -- hence making it easy for the reader to come away saying, "Wow, she's perfect for this job. I think we should hire her."

See the full template run-down here, and keep reading for Stephanie's strong example letter. 

Ms. Blount,

I am a 2016 Special Education Master’s Candidate at University of Maryland writing to apply for the Special Education Teacher position at Holyoke Elementary. Given my extensive experience and education in special education, in addition to my personal passion for Holyoke Elementary’s unique approach to unlocking children’s potential, I think I would be a strong addition to your school. As I prepare to graduate this May, I can think of no better opportunity than to join the teaching community at Holyoke Elementary.

I have spent the past seven years developing my expertise in special education instruction. Through my undergraduate and master’s coursework, I gained a broad understanding of early childhood development, advanced practices for children with disabilities, behavioral assessments and instructional methods. Through full-time internships at three different elementary schools, I deepened my skills in classroom leadership, IEP creation, and emergency situation resolution. I know what it takes to create supportive and productive learning environments for children with disabilities, and I look forward to making this happen as a full-time teacher.

I am most drawn to Holyoke Elementary because of its emphasis on combining the arts with high touch teaching methods. In my recent internship at Parkwood Elementary, I took the initiative to incorporate research-based arts exercises into our standing curriculum. Specific activities like story-drawing and articulating emotions through painting created a new level of engagement and personal expression among our students. This experience proved to me the power of art to strengthen curricula, classroom stability and student learning outcomes, and I admire Holyoke Elementary’s shared belief in this approach.

I would be honored to contribute my passion and expertise to the teaching community at Holyoke Elementary. I hope to interview for this position at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely, 
Stephanie Frubold