Persuasive and Logical Statements for Cover Letters
The Greek philosopher Aristotle is credited with the earliest study of logic through his work titled ‘prior analystics’. And it is some of this work that provides a construct for the persuasive arguments that are present in cover letters today.
Cover letters are in essence persuasive documents due to the competitive nature of job applications. The assertion in the case of a cover letter is that you are a suitable candidate for the offered job. Further complicating the selection process is the fact that many people are making the same claim. In the case of a cover letter for an entry level job for example, it is likely that most applicants have very similar education and experience.
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This need to stand out drives the need for persuasive cover letter arguments. Some of the most powerful arguments appeal to our sense of logic. And cover letters are primed for this line of reasoning.
Logical Arguments
A logical argument consists of one or more premises that reasonably lead to a conclusion. A premise is one or more declarative sentences known as a proposition. An example of a logical argument is provided below as a basis for further discussion;
Example Structure of a Logical Argument
- Major Premise – All Australians like cricket
- Minor Premise – Jack is an Australian
- Conclusion – Jack likes cricket
The persuasive power of the conclusion is dependant on two factors;
- The truth of the premises
- The validity of the argument
The example provided above is hardly convincing because one could reason that the major premise is probably not true. It is human nature to reason based on knowledge and experience so the premise itself becomes subject to scrutiny.
Cover letter arguments should follow the same logic and line of reasoning. Assume that you are attempting to prove that you have ‘Excellent PC hardware skills’. You could use the following logic to populate your cover letter. With the appropriate content the reader may be persuaded through reasoning alone.
Premise – Excellent PC hardware skills requires the following skills and education;
·
· Knowledge of Computer components
· Knowledge of Computer components·· Knowledge of Operating Systems
· Knowledge of Operating Systems·· Excellent analytical skills
· Excellent analytical skills·· Experience replacing computer components
· Experience replacing computer componentsMinor Premise – Jack has the following skills and education;
·· Knowledge of Computer components through his education in …
· Knowledge of Computer components through his education in …·· Knowledge of Operating Systems through his training in …., as well as experience with …
· Knowledge of Operating Systems through his training in …., as well as experience with …·· Excellent analytical skills as shown in his results with…
· Excellent analytical skills as shown in his results with…·· Experience replacing computer components on work/home/college hardware between the periods of …
· Experience replacing computer components on work/home/college hardware between the periods of …Conclusion – Jack has excellent PC hardware skills
As you can see there are a number of subjective premises in this example. The major premise is that excellent PC hardware skills require the pre-defined attributes that we have listed. The second is that Jack possesses these attributes. In order to add some credibility to the minor premise we have listed the source of Jacks knowledge and experience. On receiving this application, the employer should reason that Jack meets this criteria based on the evidence provided.
By following this structure, you can ensure that you produce a complete and relevant response. That is, of course, just as long as you define your major premise effectively. Researching roles and searching similar job advertisements may help in this respect.
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