A Handshake cover letter should connect your experience to the specific role, not repeat your résumé. Use the blank template below, then tailor its details to the job posting; whether you need to submit a letter, and how to submit it, depends on the employer’s instructions.
What a Handshake Cover Letter Is For
Handshake is a platform where students and early-career candidates can find opportunities and connect with employers. A cover letter is a separate document that briefly explains why you are interested in one particular position and what you could contribute. It gives context to résumé entries that may otherwise be difficult to interpret, such as a class project, campus role, part-time job, or volunteer experience.
The letter is not a profile summary or a second résumé. Its job is to make a focused case for your fit. A hiring reader should be able to see the position you want, one or two relevant strengths, and a concrete example that supports your claims. A clear, specific letter is usually more useful than a long account of your entire education or work history.
Handshake does not mean there is one universal cover-letter format or a special letter that works for every listing. Employers set application requirements, and application steps can differ by role. Read the listing and follow its instructions rather than assuming that every application needs a letter or uses the same submission process.
Handshake Cover Letter Template
Your Name
Phone Number | Email Address | City, State
Date
Hiring Manager Name or Hiring Team
Organization Name
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am applying for the Position Title role at Organization Name. I am interested in this opportunity because Specific Reason Connected to the Role or Organization. My experience with Relevant Skill or Area of Work would help me contribute to Specific Need Mentioned in the Posting.
In my Role, Class Project, or Activity, I Specific Action You Took. This resulted in Specific Outcome or Demonstrated Skill. That experience prepared me to Specific Responsibility from the Job Posting. I would also bring Relevant Strength, supported by Brief Example.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience and interests could support the team. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Sample — fictional details:
Jordan Lee
jordan.lee@example.edu | Cedar Falls, Iowa
October 14, 2026
Hiring Team
Northstar Community Garden
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am applying for the seasonal outreach assistant role at Northstar Community Garden. I am drawn to the position because it combines community education with hands-on event support. My experience organizing campus volunteer activities would help me welcome visitors and keep outreach events running smoothly.
As a volunteer coordinator for a fictional campus service group, I created event reminders and organized sign-up information for a weekend planting project. The group filled its volunteer shifts, and I learned to communicate schedules clearly and adapt when plans changed. I would bring that same organization and friendly communication to your public workshops.
I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience could support the garden’s events. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jordan Lee
How to Tailor the Letter to a Handshake Listing
Start with the job description, not with a generic letter you plan to send everywhere. Look for the responsibilities and qualifications that appear central to the role. Then choose a small number of details from your own experience that show you can meet those needs. A useful process is:
- Identify the role accurately. Use the position title shown in the listing. If the employer gives a team or program name, include it only when it is clear and relevant.
- Choose two or three priorities. Notice repeated skills, important duties, and any stated requirements. Do not try to address every bullet in the posting.
- Match each priority with evidence. Find a specific task, project, job, or activity that demonstrates the skill. Explain what you did rather than simply saying you are hardworking or detail-oriented.
- Write a role-specific opening and close. State why this role interests you and end by expressing interest in discussing your fit. Avoid claims about the organization that you have not verified.
For instance, if a listing emphasizes clear communication and event coordination, a student might describe scheduling volunteers for a class or community project. The example need not come from a formal internship. The important point is to explain the relevant action and what it demonstrates, without suggesting that a small project was larger or more successful than it really was.
What to Include in Each Paragraph
Opening: Name the role and give a genuine, concise reason for applying. If you learned about the opportunity through a campus event or a referral, you may mention it when it adds useful context. Do not use the opening to repeat your entire academic background.
Evidence paragraph: Select one strong example and explain the situation, your contribution, and the result or lesson. A compact structure is: what needed to be done, what you did, and what happened. Results can be qualitative when there is no reliable number to report. For example, you can say that you organized a team schedule or revised instructions for clarity; do not invent percentages or outcomes.
Connection and close: Explain how the example relates to a responsibility in the posting. Then thank the reader and express interest in a conversation. Keep the tone professional and natural. You do not need to write that the position is your lifelong dream or claim that you are the perfect candidate.
Applicants with limited work experience can draw on coursework, research, student organizations, caregiving, community activities, or personal projects when they are relevant. Describe the scope honestly and focus on transferable skills. If a project was completed as part of a group, make clear which contribution was yours.
Length, Formatting, and Submission
For many entry-level applications, a concise one-page letter is a practical target, though an employer’s stated requirements take priority. Three or four short paragraphs are generally easier to scan than a dense block of text. Use a readable font, consistent spacing, and a simple layout that matches the rest of your application materials. A decorative design is not necessary.
Before submitting, check the listing for the requested file type, naming instructions, and application route. Some opportunities may ask for a cover letter as an attachment; others may not ask for one, or may direct applicants to a separate application process. Do not assume that saving a letter on your profile submits it with a particular application. Follow the steps shown for that opportunity and confirm that every required document is included.
If you are asked to upload a file, use a clean, readable document and review the final version after saving or exporting it. Make sure the text is selectable and not cut off, and check that the file opens correctly. Use a descriptive filename, such as “Jordan-Lee-Cover-Letter-Role,” if no naming format is specified. Do not include extra personal information beyond what the application requests.
Turning Experience Into a Strong Example
A common challenge is deciding what counts as relevant experience. Consider the work behind the title: Did you explain a process, solve a problem, keep records, coordinate people, analyze information, or complete a project on a deadline? Those tasks may transfer to a role even if your previous setting was a classroom, club, or local organization.
Suppose a posting asks for research and careful written communication. A weak sentence would be, “I have excellent research skills.” A more persuasive version gives evidence: “For a course project, I compared several sources, checked claims against the original material, and wrote a summary for my group.” The second version gives the reader something concrete to assess. Add a result only if you can describe it accurately.
Likewise, avoid forcing a connection that is not there. If a role requires a skill you have not used, do not imply that you have professional-level experience. You can identify a related foundation, such as introductory coursework or a supervised project, and be precise about what you have done. A cover letter can show potential, but it should not misrepresent qualifications.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Sending the same letter unchanged. A generic letter may name the wrong role or fail to explain why your experience matters for this opening. Check the title and tailor the evidence each time.
- Repeating the résumé. Use the letter to interpret a relevant experience, not to copy a list of jobs, dates, and duties already visible elsewhere.
- Making unsupported claims. Replace broad statements such as “I am a natural leader” with a brief, honest example of how you took responsibility.
- Using the wrong name or title. If you cannot verify the contact person, “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Hiring Team” is safer than guessing.
- Ignoring the application instructions. Check whether a letter is requested and how the employer wants it submitted. Extra documents may not help if they are not requested.
- Leaving editing marks or blanks. Search for template prompts, underscores, and sample details before sending. Read the letter once for meaning and once for spelling, names, and formatting.
When a Cover Letter Is Optional
If a listing does not request a cover letter, first follow the stated requirements. An optional letter may be useful when you can add relevant context that is not obvious from your résumé, explain a connection to the role, or show how experience from a different setting transfers. It is less useful when it only repeats information already provided or is written so generally that it could accompany any application.
If the application process has no place to attach a letter, do not try to force it into an unrelated field. Use only the materials and fields the employer requests. When instructions are unclear, check the listing or ask the relevant contact for clarification if one is provided. The goal is a complete, easy-to-review application, not simply a longer one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a cover letter for every Handshake application?
No. Requirements depend on the employer and role. Read each listing and submit a letter when it is requested or when an optional letter lets you add useful, role-specific context.
How long should a Handshake cover letter be?
A concise letter of about one page is a practical target for many early-career applications. Keep it focused on the position, relevant evidence, and your reason for applying, while following any specific instructions in the listing.
What if I do not know the hiring manager’s name?
Use a neutral greeting such as “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Hiring Team.” Do not guess a person’s name or use a title you cannot verify.
Can I use class projects or volunteer work as experience?
Yes, when the experience demonstrates a skill relevant to the role. Describe what you personally did, identify group work as group work, and avoid overstating the project’s scope or results.
Should I upload the letter to my Handshake profile?
Only do so if it is useful for your profile or the application instructions ask for it. A profile document should not be assumed to accompany every application; check the submission steps for each role.
Can I use one cover letter for several jobs?
You can reuse a basic structure, but revise the role title, reason for applying, and evidence for each opportunity. Sending a letter with details tailored to a different job is an easy way to weaken an otherwise strong application.