Tips to Keep in Mind
Keep these tips in mind regarding cover letters:
- The best cover letters reveal your enthusiasm for a particular job and the employer, and tell the employer why you are worthy of consideration. The cover letter is your initial "knock on the door," your chance to make that all-important first impression.
- Don't send a resume without a cover letter. Your cover letter puts your resume in context, drawing attention to your strengths and best attributes. It gives you a chance to reveal your personality in a way that a strictly formatted resume does not.
- Personalize your cover letter. If you address your letter to a specific individual rather than to "Dear Sir," "To Whom It May Concern," or "Human Resources Department," your letter has a much better chance of being read. To get the name of the appropriate individual, call the company for information, search the Internet for company information, or find out from a personal contact.
- Make sure your letter looks professional. Type and spell-check your letter. Typos, misspellings, grammatical errors, and cross-outs immediately communicate that you don't pay attention to detail. It would be wise to ask your instructor, coworker, or a friend to proofread your work before sending it out.
- Keep your letter to one page. Your cover letter should be concise but thorough. The length will depend on how much you have to convey, but a total of three paragraphs should allow you to cover the most important points. Devote one paragraph to each key point. Short paragraphs (no more than three or four sentences each) make your letter easy to read.
- Familiarize yourself with standard letter formats. The sample letters in the section Types of Cover Letters with Samples follow standard rules for spacing and punctuation. If you are unsure of proper letter format, print and copy one of the samples found in the section on types of cover letters. Look especially at the full-block format used by Christopher George (Word | ZIP), which tends to be the easiest to follow.
Source: Adapted and excerpted from Susan D. Greene and Melanie C.L. Martel.
The Ultimate Job Hunter's Guidebook, Fourth Edition, Boston: HMCo., 2004, pp. 110-111.
