Cover Letter Peer Review
Content of Audience Description
1. Is the letter written without cutting and pasting from a job description?
2. Does the author thoroughly answer the following questions?
a. If there is a job posting, what do you think are the three qualities/experiences this employer is seeking that are most important?
b. If there is not a job posting, what three qualities/experiences do you think this audience would value? Why?
c. What would really impress this audience?
d. What have you learned about the company from viewing its website and other online information?
e. What have you learned from this company from talking with other current or past employees, if possible?
Content of Cover Letter
1. Does the author specifically state what kind of position he or she is applying for in the opening paragraph? If the letter is solicited, does the author tell where he or she found the position posted? If the letter is unsolicited, does the author make a strong case for why the company should consider hiring him or her?
2. Does the author show knowledge of the company? Does the letter reveal that he or she has done thorough research, beyond a cursory glance at the website?
3. Do the body paragraphs each tell a story that demonstrates a relevant skill, value, or experience that the company would value? Where should details be included?
4. Does the closing ask for an interview?
5. Is the cover letter written in the you view? Where might the author better emphasize what he or she can do for the company?
Design
1. Contrast – What is the focal point of the document? Should there be more contrast in the document? Is there conflict instead of contrast?
2. Repetition – Are there unifying elements throughout the document?
3. Alignment – Is everything on the page aligned with something? Are there hard edges?
4. Proximity – Are there three to five groups on the page? Are logically related items close together? Is there enough white space between groups?
5. Is the letter formatted as a standard, block-style business letter? (See our textbook, EBC, p. 554)
Writing
1. Were any sentences difficult to understand? Where might the author be clearer, to save you time?
2. Did each paragraph begin with a topic sentence? Did every sentence in a paragraph develop its topic sentence? Did old-new transitions lead you through the document? Where were you confused or lost while you were reading it?
3. Did you notice any misuse of Standard American English grammar? Help the author to remember the grammar/punctuation principle(s).
4. Did you notice wordiness, such as empty words or phrases that could be condensed or omitted? Give the author feedback on how to edit for concision.
