Types of Cover Letters with Samples

Cover letters can be a very effective means of communicating with potential employers. Seek out opportunities to send them. Because you compose cover letters at your leisure and can therefore give them careful thought, letters often get better results than phone calls.

The three most common types of cover letters are: (1) the letter to generate a lead (also called a broadcast letter because it may be sent to many potential employers at the same time); (2) the referral letter (also called a networking letter because it uses one contact to make another); and (3) the response to a classified ad.

Here's how to use each type:

Lead-generating letter. Use this type of letter when you've identified a company you would like to work for but don't know if any positions are available. You may send out five to ten of these letters or several hundred, depending on the type of job you want and the breadth of your search. The good news is that if you obtain an interview from a lead-generating letter, you'll probably be one of the few (or even the only one) being considered for a position. The bad news is that of the many letters you send, only a small percentage, and maybe none at all, will net a response.

Referral letter. Referral letters often bring excellent results. The mere mention of a mutual contact can get your letter past the secretary to the decision maker. If you are networking effectively, you'll have many opportunities to send out this type of letter.

Response to a classified ad. The best thing about responding to a classified ad is that you know that a position exists. Unfortunately, a classified ad in a major publication can generate hundreds of responses, so your cover letter had better be good.

• Take a look at the following cover letter samples. (Word | ZIP)