What Instances Require a Cover Letter
if you are not shaking hands with the hiring decision maker and introducing yourself, then you need a cover letter to introduce you. If you are shaking hands with the hiring manager, you are introducing yourself verbally and requesting an interview. In this case, hand them your resume without a cover letter. On the other hand, if you are sending a resume by mail, if you give your resume to a friend to hand in, or if you leave your resume with the hiring manager's secretary then you are not shaking the hiring manager's hand and you need to have a cover letter enclosed with your resume.
Tips for effective cover letter.
Your resume can be very impressive. But if your cover letter isn't equally impressive, it's entirely possible that your resume will never get read. First impressions are lasting impressions. Most people spend about twenty seconds reading a cover letter, so it has to make your case clearly and effectively.
Learn, How do you write an effective cover letter?
Go to Job Search and read the Resume and Cover Letter Guide. Job Search Guide also has an email course on writing cover letters. Subscribe to it. Even if you think you know what you are doing, it pays to keep your cover letter writing skills current.
Here are five tips for writing an effective cover letter.
1. Be brief and to the point.
Most of the time a cover letter for a job application only has to state that you are applying for a position and that the application and supporting materials are enclosed. That's it.
2. Make no mistake about it.
The most important caveat in a cover letter? Make no mistake about it. Absolutely no errors. Your cover letter must be perfection itself. A typo, a poor printing job, a misspelling - mistakes will make a poor impression because they imply that you don't care.
3. Use a word processor.
Never hand write a cover letter. Never. Prepare your cover letter on a computer using MicroSoft Word. Don't have a computer? Borrow a friend's or go to a business center and rent one for an hour or two.
4. Avoid fancy fonts and colors.
You are not creating a flyer or a poster. So use a business font such as Arial. No colors. Black on white reproduces easily. Use a plain white paper. No deckled finishes or colors either. Print your cover letter and resume on a laser printer. DeskJet printer ink smudges.
5. Keep it short.
Your cover letter should be one page in length and perfectly centered. The cover letter and resume are never folded. They are placed in an envelope large enough to accommodate them unfolded.
Using Templates
There are literally hundreds of cover letter templates available online. While it may be tempting to just cut and paste one you happen to like, don't do it. That's dishonest and conveys the wrong impression about your ethics and judgment. Always write the cover letter in your own words.
Print your cover letter on one sheet of plain paper. Do not fold it. Paper clip it to your resume and supporting materials. Place it in a large envelope with no folding whatsover.
