Cover Letter Basics

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Preparing your resume for distribution to potential employers it is important to know about the ever important Cover Letter. Such a letter, though, not always required, is a very important way of indicating your seriousness for the position you are applying for.

The main purpose of your cover letter is to:

1. Get the hiring manger or recruiter to look and read your resumé.
2. It is a personalized bit of information that lets the recruiter know more about you as a person, and not just the hard facts portrayed on your resumé
3. If the cover letter is “optional” always make it a point to create one. It will go a long way to showing that you put forth the extra effort to provide that extra bit of information about you and your skills above and beyond just your resumé.

What to do and not to do with your cover letter.

Don’t rehash your resumé, instead use your cover letter to go into some of the details that make you a good fit for this job you are applying for. Customize the description to match the skills of the job you are applying for.

Always try to specify who your letter is directed at. If you are able to include the hiring person’s name, title, and address, then always make such an effort. To “Whom it may concern” while always acceptable, having the hiring individuals name shows that attention to detail and passion for the job you are seeking.

Be ready to speak of what makes you a great candidate for the job. Talk about your education, relevant work experience, and personality traits that benefit the job role you are applying for. Expand on your Summary from your resumé.

Write your letter in Paragraph or in Paragraph with Bullet points format. Don’t copy items directly from your resumé but highlight items that weren’t mentioned on the resumé.

Your cover letter should be no longer than one page. It should be clean and concise and match your resumé style if possible.

These are the basic items your cover letter should be equipped with. A good cover letter can be the deciding factor as to whether your resumé gets looked at or not, so as in all things, do your best with the tools you can present.