If you are looking to apply for an academic advisor position, you will increase your chances of getting hired by submitting a professionally written academic advisor cover letter together with your resume. Writing a great cover letter is a very important step in your job search journey. This is why we will be providing you with samples and templates to help guide you during the entire process.
Preschools, high schools, colleges, and universities provide students with the necessary education they need. Their guidance does not always stop with teaching the students specific subjects but also ensuring that they are being guided regarding the courses that they should choose that match their future career goals. Other than that, the student’s mental, behavioral, and psychological aspects are also taken care of. The person tasked with all this mentoring is referred to as the academic advisor.
How to Write an Academic Advisor Cover Letter
Open with a strong Introduction. Convince your potential employer that you are dedicated to supporting students in realizing their goals by starting with a strong introduction for your letter. In a few sentences, then explain why you think you are the best candidate for that specific role—state why you are excited about working for that institution and how the job matches your career goal.
In another one or two paragraphs, connect all your accomplishments with the laid down requirements in the job description. Try to focus on the relevant experiences that are listed. If possible, you can also quantify your accomplishments with data and facts. Avoid repeating what is already included in your resume.
Close the academic advisor cover letter by thanking the potential employer for their time and consideration. Also, make sure, to sum up, your qualifications for the position and express your interest in continuing to the next phase in the hiring process.
Basic Contents
Following are the contents of an academic cover letter:
Key qualifications
For most academic advisor jobs, key qualifications will, in most cases, include counseling skills, writing skills, event planning, communication and presentation skills, a degree in a discipline related to the area of advising, problem-solving skills, and experience in higher education.
Related skills and achievements
When writing an academic advisor cover letter, you can reference the achievements and where the employer can find the best evidence in your background that you showcased your strengths.
For instance, you can prove that you have program planning skills by stating that you created a program that could provide early intervention for students experiencing academic difficulty that enhanced their retention. To show your writing skills, you can say that you honed your writing skills while writing medical school references for pre-med students in your role with the health professionals’ board.
To showcase your counseling skills, you can state that you possess strong counseling skills that enable you to help struggling students identify and address their obstacles.
Your enthusiasm for the job
Express your interest in the job. If competing candidates have the same qualifications, the most eager candidate will often get some preference over the other. For instance, you might say that you are highly interested in pursuing the position due to your passion for helping non-traditional students to succeed at their community college level.
Sample Academic Advisor Cover Letter
Sample 1:
Elaine King
(123) 254-6754
June 2, 2019
Dear Hiring Manager,
It is a pleasure to be applying for the Academic Counsellor position at Clinton Memorial. As someone with a great background in education, I am well-furnished to guide students throughout their college careers. My love for education makes me confident in my ability to carry out the role of Academic Counsellor at Clinton Memorial.
In my time as an Academic Counsellor at Oakland Bay University, I worked with 4000 students and was assigned to 1000 of those students per year. My responsibilities included addressing student concerns, guiding students on course outlines and grade concerns.
I pay close attention to the needs of the students and my colleagues. My priority is to put their needs first and always meeting deadlines. I am well informed of the commitment it takes to be an Academic Counsellor. My abilities originate from my education at Brantford University. My degree in psychology taught me the knowledge required to properly counsel students. Throughout my career, I had come to be the Academic Counsellor I wish I had when I was a student in college. I will do what it takes to make sure that my students succeed.
I would like to thank you for reviewing and considering my application. I am looking forward to learning more about Clinton Memorial and the tasks of your Academic Counselling team. I am confident in my ability to deliver as an Academic Counsellor.
Sincerely,
Elaine King
Sample 2:
Ms. Briana Gates
Human Resources
North University
235 North Street
San Diego, CA, 20567
Re: Academic Counsellor Position
Dear Ms. Gates:
I am an experienced Academic Counsellor with certified skills working with students from different academic cultural, social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. I lately noticed the Academic Counsellor job posting on NorthUniversityTimes.com and feel this I am appropriate for this position because my education and experience and education match the skillset which you are searching for.
I am committed to academic counseling as I have been an Academic Counsellor at King University for the past 3 years. I have been responsible for carrying out individual counseling assistance with academic counseling and degree plans. I am also an active member of the Academic Counselling Committee. I have a bachelor’s degree in education, and I’m currently doing my master’s in Higher Education. I have strong organizational skills shown by monitoring multiple students.
I look forward to reviewing my background with you. I have included my resume for your review. I will follow up with you in 2-4 days to discuss this position. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Briana Gates
Academic Advisor Cover Letter Templates
If you are looking to apply for an academic advisor position, you will increase your chances of getting hired by submitting a professionally designed academic advisor cover letter together with your resume. Download our templates today to help guide you in drafting an effective academic advisor cover letter guaranteed to capture your potential employer’s attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be an academic advisor, you need to have at least a bachelor’s degree. However, some institutions require that their academic advisors have at least a master’s degree in school counseling or any other related field, such as education, social work, or psychology.
Academic advisors work hand in hand with students, parents, and other school employees to help guide them through their education. To be able to work effectively, they need to have a mix of hard and soft skills, including:
• Strong analytics skills
• Attention to detail
• Patience
• Ability to collaborate across teams
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Friendly personality
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an academic advisor’s average annual salary in 2017 was $41154. Since salaries vary from state to state, when determining what you could learn as an academic advisor, it is important that you either use a salary calculator for information specific to your geographic area or visit the institutions in your area.
