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Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:36 pm
by lhanvt13
Quick Question: Do I mention that I've already applied to a firm before for 1L summer if I'm applying again for 2L summer in the same office?
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:42 pm
by ph14
lhanvt13 wrote:Quick Question: Do I mention that I've already applied to a firm before for 1L summer if I'm applying again for 2L summer in the same office?
I probably wouldn't. Keep it short and sweet. My cover letters were maybe 3 sentences (per OCS's sample cover letters on our internal website).
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:43 pm
by lhanvt13
ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:Quick Question: Do I mention that I've already applied to a firm before for 1L summer if I'm applying again for 2L summer in the same office?
I probably wouldn't. Keep it short and sweet. My cover letters were maybe 3 sentences (per OCS's sample cover letters on our internal website).
3 sentences?! crap, I'm doing something wrong.
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:44 pm
by ph14
lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:Quick Question: Do I mention that I've already applied to a firm before for 1L summer if I'm applying again for 2L summer in the same office?
I probably wouldn't. Keep it short and sweet. My cover letters were maybe 3 sentences (per OCS's sample cover letters on our internal website).
3 sentences?! crap, I'm doing something wrong.
I mean maybe your OCS might disagree. Mine were along the lines of:
Dear [Recruiting Person]
My name is [Name] and I am a 1L at Harvard Law School. I am writing to apply for a summer position for 2015. Please find attached my [resume, transcript, etc.]. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Edit: Typo
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:47 pm
by lhanvt13
ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:Quick Question: Do I mention that I've already applied to a firm before for 1L summer if I'm applying again for 2L summer in the same office?
I probably wouldn't. Keep it short and sweet. My cover letters were maybe 3 sentences (per OCS's sample cover letters on our internal website).
3 sentences?! crap, I'm doing something wrong.
I mean maybe your OCS might disagree. Mine were along the lines of:
Dear [Recruiting Person]
My name is [Name] and I am a 1L at Harvard Law School. I am writing to to apply for a summer position for 2015. Please find attached my [resume, transcript, etc.]. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Name]
ours told us to do the standard 3 paragraph format... (don't know if standard, but that's what they call it..)
Now I'm confused
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:49 pm
by ph14
lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:
I probably wouldn't. Keep it short and sweet. My cover letters were maybe 3 sentences (per OCS's sample cover letters on our internal website).
3 sentences?! crap, I'm doing something wrong.
I mean maybe your OCS might disagree. Mine were along the lines of:
Dear [Recruiting Person]
My name is [Name] and I am a 1L at Harvard Law School. I am writing to to apply for a summer position for 2015. Please find attached my [resume, transcript, etc.]. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Name]
ours told us to do the standard 3 paragraph format... (don't know if standard, but that's what they call it..)
Now I'm confused
Hmm, well, I would go with what your OCS says then. Disregard my advice.
Edit: And don't typo in your cover letter like I did.
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:50 pm
by lhanvt13
ph14 wrote:
Hmm, well, I would go with what your OCS says then. Disregard my advice.
Edit: And don't typo in your cover letter like I did.
will still keep your advice in mind thouhg.
and yeah, Re: typo - I once sent a cover letter with "regards" but replaced the "g" with a "t" ...
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:51 pm
by ph14
lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:
Hmm, well, I would go with what your OCS says then. Disregard my advice.
Edit: And don't typo in your cover letter like I did.
will still keep your advice in mind thouhg.
and yeah, Re: typo - I once sent a cover letter with "regards" but replaced the "g" with a "t" ...
Yeesh, that's rough
. I'm sure they understood the typo though (if they even noticed).
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:52 pm
by lhanvt13
ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:
Hmm, well, I would go with what your OCS says then. Disregard my advice.
Edit: And don't typo in your cover letter like I did.
will still keep your advice in mind thouhg.
and yeah, Re: typo - I once sent a cover letter with "regards" but replaced the "g" with a "t" ...
Yeesh, that's rough
. I'm sure they understood the typo though (if they even
noticedread my application).
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:52 pm
by ph14
lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:lhanvt13 wrote:ph14 wrote:
Hmm, well, I would go with what your OCS says then. Disregard my advice.
Edit: And don't typo in your cover letter like I did.
will still keep your advice in mind thouhg.
and yeah, Re: typo - I once sent a cover letter with "regards" but replaced the "g" with a "t" ...
Yeesh, that's rough
. I'm sure they understood the typo though (if they even
noticedread my application).
True, true.
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:04 pm
by Jchance
Different advices from different schools. If your resume has HLS, u can get away with a 3 sentence CL. If its not, listen to ur OCS on this one.
Re: Cover Letter Q
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:23 am
by transferror
Jchance wrote:Different advices from different schools. If your resume has HLS, u can get away with a 3 sentence CL. If its not, listen to ur OCS on this one.
Yeah, it's translated "I'm a student at HLS so read what I attached. Thanks bro." For people at lowly non-Harvard schools, you should definitely write more. I keep mine to the typical 3 P format, but the first is just the intro "I'm a student at TLS and am writing to apply for summer of..." I'll include a quick sentence on ties to the area if I have them. Body is 3-4 quick sentences on skills/interests/why X firm, and Conclusion is "I have attached/enclosed blah blah I hope to speak with you soon blah blah."
I think this is the standard and it worked well for me in 1L summer-job cycle. Also, name drop in the second sentence (where ties would go) if you have a connection and have checked with them to make sure it's cool. Something like "X person, a former partner at your firm and my current Torts professor, recommended I apply for this position..." I got responses from places that, IMO, would have never otherwise made it to my résumé.