By Sarah Kneezle

There’s nothing like a good case of writer’s block, especially when you’re trying to do one of the most important assignments since graduation: writing a cover letter.

For anyone the task of putting all of your best attributes, your desirable professional experience and talent to paper is daunting.

But for a writer, it’s worse.

Your cover letter is a reflection of exactly what you’ll be doing—writing. Every comma and every semi-colon better be in the right place. Spelling errors? Think again. Organization, clarity, tone, style, these are what count, not just descriptive action words and proper capitalization.

Professional editors, who in my experience, are quick to point out any little error, be it a misplaced punctuation mark or scoffing at a reporter’s attempt at humor.

But now, in this cover letter that I’ve written and re-written several times, I have no idea what to write to my potential editor. I must teeter a line between creative writing and concise reporter-speak. Too creative, and I’ll give the editor trouble with my ‘creative vision;’ too reporterly and I’m, well, just another reporter.

What’s worse is that every professional writer I’ve spoken to—reporters at major metropolitan dailies, professors from varying backgrounds, other recent graduates who have jobs—seems to have a different method to this maddening process.

One says expand upon your accomplishments, recite your resume. Another says write a personal essay. A third asks, “Who cares about YOU? What you can do for ME?”

Even internet searches for “great cover letters” yield results, that if I were reviewing applications, I’d reject on the spot.

And still, I’m hammering away—writing and rewriting—until someone says, “you’re hired.” And then, I’ll know that my letter must have at least been good.

Sarah Kneezle is a recent graduate from Emerson College. She has worked on newspapers, in retail and as a waitress to celebrities. A Vermont native, she has hiked the highest range of the Green Mountains—over 280 miles—on the country’s oldest nature trail. Come fall, she has no idea what she is going to do, but she hopes she has a job.