A cover letter is supposed to be brief, readable, and professional. A fax cover sheet or a handwritten note should preferably never be used, especially when you want an employer to view you as a serious potential employee. The ideal cover letter is four to five paragraphs long, with each paragraph consisting of maybe three or four sentences. Keep in mind, too, that “less is more.” Your letter should preferably be no more than one... 

You can find many books, websites, and other guides with hundreds of sample cover letters. Use them as a starting point to help you get ideas for format and content, but don’t copy them. Write your cover letter in your own words so it has your voice and style. Take the time to research the company and convey your own enthusiasm for the job. A bland, generic cover letter says that you didn’t care enough about the position or the employer... 

When you’re planning to relocate, submitting your resume with a cover letter to various companies in hopes of establishing a relationship and inquiring about employment opportunities is a great idea. A cover letter is an extremely important part of your direct-mail campaign, but also be sure you’ve devised an overall strategy about relocating. Research companies in the new location, decide which ones to target, and identify key people... 

A resume by itself can be limiting; but when paired with a cover letter, both documents serve as a highly effective tag team. Consider this: An employer has a large number of applicants to review, yet he or she can take only seconds to consider each candidate. By knowing what is useful to the employer and calling attention to that in your cover letter, for example, you help quickly answer the question, “Why should I hire this person?”... 

The importance of first impressions is clear when it comes to cover letters. In just a few paragraphs, you’ll present your communication skills, your attention to detail, your interest in the company, and let’s not forget your qualifications that are perfect for the job. A cover letter is also a great place to shine a bit of your personality too. Not sure what details to snapshot in your cover letter? Start by making a list …  Read More →

A paragraph in your cover letter should describe who you are and what makes you stand out writes Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a career, life, and mentor coaching company. “Include your strengths and what you are passionate about in your career.” Brown-Volkman advises that you think of this paragraph as completing the sentence, “Here’s why I am a good candidate…”  Read More →

Understanding how to portray your skills as transferable is one of the most important concepts you can master in writing a cover letter. Learn why and how to do it in resumes and cover letters in our article, Strategic Portrayal of Transferable Skills is a Vital Job Search Technique .  Read More →

Although not stated in an ad or mentioned in conversation, an employer likely wishes to see a cover letter accompanying your resume. True, not all employers share the same views on cover letters and therefore can’t all be put in the same barrel of opinion. But, there’s a certain degree of risk when the employer expects a cover letter …  Read More →

One paragraph in your cover letter should discuss your accomplishments or highlights that you want to showcase or have the employer locate quickly, writes Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a career, life, and mentor coaching company. “Bullets work well in making your accomplishments easy to read.” Brown-Volkman suggests thinking of this paragraph as filling in the details of this sentence: “Here are... 

Much like a resume, a cover letter should be unique and personalized for each position. Although the bulk of your information will likely remain the same, don’t utilize the exact same letter from one recipient to the next. Areas that are prone to change are the first and second paragraphs. The most critical portion of your letter is within the top section of the content because those first statements are made in response to your candidacy.... 

Just as certain secrets can help you write a dynamic cover letter, there are also key strategies for sending email cover letters. Those strategies can be found in our article, Tips for a Dynamic Email Cover Letter .  Read More →

The introductory paragraph obviously is very important to ensure the reader “cares” about your submission. The starting sentences of each subsequent paragraph should also encourage readers to keep reading. In fact, each paragraph should be a main point, and then each subsequent sentence should contain supporting details. Professionals who write corporate communications will also tell you that little things, such as word choices, can... 

In the second paragraph of a cover letter, compliment the employer on what the organization has done right and what you admire about it, writes Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a career, life, and mentor coaching company. “Sincere flattery goes a long way and shows that you have taken the time to get to know the employer in more detail.” Brown-Volkman advises thinking about the phrase, “I like your... 

With jobseekers now changing positions 10 or more times throughout their careers, gaps in employment are becoming more prevalent amongst the pool of jobseekers. Try to avoid it, certainly. Depending on the length, you may not need to address the gap within your cover letter. You don’t really need to address a small gap, such as a couple weeks, or maybe two to three months. The gap may come up in an interview, yet the timeframe isn’t... 

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been instructed to list your career accomplishments, and you can’t think of any. Or you’re asked in a job interview, “What accomplishments are you most proud of?” — and you freeze up. You know you have had accomplishments, but you just can’t dredge them up. The inability to come up with accomplishments happens to lots of job-seekers. We know because we’ve asked…  Read More →