Job Search Skills: Cover Letters
Why Are Cover Letters So Important?
Cover letters are a way to show potential employers that you are a serious, enthusiastic and qualified candidate for a job. The cover letter also provides employers with a sample of your writing ability. A well written cover letter will make a positive impression on the potential employer and create enthusiasm for your resume. On the other hand, a misspelled word or poor use of grammar could put a damper on an otherwise impressive resume. Writing a good cover letter can seem difficult at first, but with practice and some careful editing, you'll soon be producing high quality correspondence to potential employers.
Cover Letter Commandments
- You shall not waste your time, energy and money on blind, mass mailings. Focus on a targeted mailing based on research that takes into account factors such as firm size, practice areas, geographic location, etc
- You shall have several versions of your cover letter.
- They shall each be addressed to a named individual (unless otherwise instructed).
- They shall each be crafted with the employer's needs in mind...not yours!
- They shall not exceed 1 page in length.
- They shall all be printed on quality paper and mailed with matching envelopes.
- Envelopes shall never be handwritten or addressed using labels.
Additional Tips and Reminders
- Consider a fresh approach for each cover letter. Remember, each employer has unique and specific needs. Your job is to uncover what those needs are and to illustrate how your unique skills and experience will fill those needs.
- As is your resume, your cover letter is a "living" document. In other words, the cover letter should be tweaked and fine-tuned to compel the reader to act.
- Recognize that there are certain facts which might be appropriate in certain cover letters and not in others, and that depending on the audience, such facts can also be used alternatively in your resume and cover letter.
Anatomy of a Cover Letter
This sample cover letter is broken down into parts. Follow the examples to craft your own well-written, custom-tailored cover letter.
