Many people believe that when applying for a job, the cover letter is an optional addition to the resume. However, most hiring managers expect a cover letter and do not even consider resumes that do not come with one attached.
While the resume is in fact the meat and potatoes of your presentation to a potential employer, the cover letter acts as the spice that makes the meal worth sitting down to eat. Your resume is where your accomplishments are listed, but your cover letter is where you highlight some of the more relevant ones and pitch yourself as the person the company should hire. There may be hundreds of other candidates with equally impressive resumes, so use your cover letter to stand out.
Be original, but don't be "cute". To be original is to present your unique ability to handle the job requirements, whereas to be cute is to use the highly unprofessional "giggle factor", hoping your humor will get you a call back. It won't.
Your cover letter should be addressed to the person whose job it is to hire you for the position. If you do not know his or her name, call the company and ask. Make sure you have the correct spelling and title for this person. Of course, make sure you have meticulously checked your spelling and grammar.
The person who will hire you probably doesn't have much time for all the resumes on his or her desk, not to mention the other work that he or she needs to get done. Therefore, getting to the point and putting as much information as you can in as few words as possible will raise your letter's chances of being read in its entirety. An effective cover letter would read something like this:
DATE
Mr. John Doe
President
Big Company
123 Any Street
New York, NY 00000
Dear Mr. Doe:
Please find enclosed my resume for your consideration for the position of ____________.
Your ad in the New York Times specifies that the ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree or three years experience in ___________. I have recently completed my bachelor's degree, and I also have over two years of experience in the field.
My coursework in __________ has provided a solid foundation for work in _____________. Furthermore, my experience in ____________ began with my first job at Dynamo Company and continues into my present employment with ABC Corporation. I understand the importance of ___________ to Big Company, and am excited about the opportunity to help enhance it.
I have references available upon your request. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. I can be reached at (phone) or by email at (email address).
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Of course, you can't just take any cover letter, change the name and address, and send it off to every employer. Nor can you simply fill in the blanks in the suggested format shown above. The point of your cover letter is to let specific employers know that you have knowledge of their company and demonstrated skills that you can offer them.
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