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  1. Courses
  2. /Career Development
  3. /CV & Cover Letter

Cover Letter Mastery to Get the Job You Want

Learn to Write, Edit, and Format Cover Letters that Outshine the Competition.

Created byDuncan Koerber
IntermediateUpdated May 17, 2025

What You'll Learn

  • check_circleTips on how to respond to a job advertisement
  • check_circleLessons on the common pitfalls of cover letters
  • check_circleAdvice on writing style and editing
  • check_circleFormatting tips for a pleasing design

About This Course

Not landing job interviews? Craft a standout cover letter to secure the job you desire! Poorly written cover letters eliminate 90% of job applicants. Rather than competing against other candidates, most applicants are competing against themselves! Enroll in this university-level course, led by an experienced business communication professor, to uncover the secrets behind crafting effective cover letters. Give yourself the optimal chance to land your dream job by making a stellar first impression with a compelling cover letter.

In just over one hour, you'll learn how to write a cover letter through detailed lessons that dissect real cover letter pitfalls made by actual job seekers. The course provides a systematic approach that addresses the three essential components of a job cover letter: the header, the body, and the footer. Throughout this comprehensive course, I will assist you to:

  • Analyze the job advertisement to align with the job's requirements.
  • Avoid common mistakes in the header.
  • Write with clarity and refine your letter for perfection.
  • Format the letter for an appealing page design.
  • Craft an impactful opening paragraph to make a great first impression.
  • Eliminate vague statements about your work experience.
  • Move beyond static statements about "holding positions."
  • Contextualize your valuable skills effectively.
  • Incorporate evidence and brief success stories.
  • Conclude succinctly, avoiding unnecessary flattery.

By the end of this course, you'll be equipped with the tools and knowledge to write an outstanding cover letter that catches the attention of hiring managers and increases your chances of landing the job you desire.

 

Course Content

5 activities • 15 videos • duration: 1h 33m

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Starting Out-Part15 videos • 32 min
  • videocamWelcome from the Instructor
    Duration 2:30
  • videocamAn Introduction to the Principles of the Course
    Duration 7:25
  • videocamPreparing to Write
    Duration 5:43
  • videocamDeconstructing the Job Advertisement
    Duration 10:20
  • videocamReviewing the Website
    Duration 6:02
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Technical Details-Part12 videos • 5 min
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The Header: Make a Great First Impression-Part11 videos • 9 min
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The Body: The Meat of the Cover Letter-Part16 videos • 42 min
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Don't Forget the Footer-Part11 videos • 3 min

Your Instructor

Duncan Koerber

menu_book3 courses
star136 reviews

Dr. Duncan Koerber has taught writing and communications courses for the past 12 years at eight Canadian universities to thousands of students. Oxford University Press recently published his writing textbook, Clear, Precise, Direct: Strategies for Writing (2015). Available on Amazon, the book considers the seven most common errors (interfering factors) in writing and how to improve them (enhancing factors). His second book, Crisis Communication in Canada, is now out on Amazon from University of Toronto Press.  Currently a professor at Brock University in Ontario, Canada, Duncan Koerber worked for nearly 10 years in reporting and editing roles for the London Free Press, the Mississauga News, and the University of Toronto Medium. He has freelanced for magazines and newspapers, including the Toronto Star. Duncan Koerber has been a successful freelance editor, earning a 95% success rating on Upwork. Duncan Koerber has a bachelor of arts degree in English, Professional Writing, and Political Science from the University of Toronto (2001), a master of arts degree in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario (2003), and a Ph.D. in Communication and Culture from York University and Ryerson University (2009). His academic writing, which focuses on media and journalism history, writing pedagogy, and public relations crisis communication, has been published in the Canadian Journal of Communication, Public Relations Review, the Journal of Canadian Studies, Journalism History, Media History, Composition Studies, Canadian Journal of Media Studies, and Sport History Review.

Credit Information

Is this course eligible for my CPD requirements as a Canadian CPA?

Provincial regulators of CPAs in Canada do not require that independent providers of CPD be approved to offer courses. Instead, individual CPAs are responsible for assessing whether a CPD activity meets their requirements, and may take activities from any source provided those requirements are met.

Every course offered on LearnFormula is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, and advances learning objectives that are relevant to the responsibilities or professional competencies of Canadian CPAs. All activities on LearnFormula are quantifiable in terms of hours, and are also verifiable, in that users receive documented evidence of their attendance via a certificate of completion after finishing a course (and this certificate is stored by LearnFormula indefinitely). Nearly 100,000 Canadian CPAs successfully satisfy their CPD requirements via LearnFormula on an annual basis.

What Students Are Saying

4.4 out of 5
Student's Choice
23 reviews
  • MB
    Martha B.
    starstarstarstarstar

    This was a very good course, a reminder on how to make your cover letter concise and focused. I found it very relevant.

  • KM
    Ken or M.
    starstarstarstarstar

    Very good course, even for a 58 year old (or especially so) who hasn't applied for a job for a VERY long time!

  • KG
    Kafi G.
    starstarstarstarstar

    I really enjoyed this course. I found it relevant and concise. However I would have liked to see more solutions examples on what to write when demonstrating the problems to avoid.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 300+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 27 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.

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