Self-Editing Checklist

Opening (Paragraph 1)

Does my first sentence name something specific about the firm?

Could I NOT swap in a different firm name without rewriting?

Have I avoided "I am writing to express my interest"?

Does the opening show evidence of research?

Why This Firm (Paragraph 2)

Do I name a specific project, value, or focus of this firm?

Have I built a bridge to my own work through a specific project of mine?

Do I explain the shared approach in my own words, not the firm's marketing copy?

Could this paragraph have been sent to any other firm, or only to this one?

What You Bring (Paragraph 3)

Do I name one specific project that demonstrates my work?

Are my tools embedded in a project sentence (tool + project + outcome), not listed?

Am I leading with the skill most relevant to this firm's work?

If I worked in a team, have I shown that through what I did (not by claiming "strong collaborator")?

Quantifying Impact

Have I included at least one measurable outcome (numbers, percentages, scale)?

Do my accomplishments use the Action + Context + Outcome formula?

Am I showing results, not just listing duties?

Closing (Paragraph 4)

Does my closing reinforce a specific value I bring?

Do I name a concrete next step?

Have I avoided "It would be a pleasure" and "at your earliest convenience"?

Does my closing sound confident, not tentative?

Overall

Is the letter one page or less?

Have I proofread for spelling and grammar?

Does every paragraph have a distinct job to do?

Would this letter make sense ONLY for this specific firm?

If applying to a landscape architecture firm, have I used discipline-specific vocabulary?

Career insights for architecture students and emerging professionals

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