Cover letters are extremely important. Whenever your resume is sent by email, mail, delivered or faxed, a cover letter should go along with it.
A good cover letter should:
- Personally address someone in authority (by name and title) who could hire you. When it’s impossible (try some creative phone techniques) to get that information, use a functional title (“Dear Manager”) even if you have to guess (“Dear Selection Committee”).
- Tell how you became attracted to this particular company or position.
- Demonstrate that you’ve done some “homework” on the company and can see their point of view (their current problems, their interests, their priorities).
- Convey your enthusiasm and commitment for this line of work.
- Balance professionalism with personal warmth and friendliness. Avoid using generic, alienating phrases like, “enclosed please find” or “Dear Sir”.
- Identify at least one thing about you that’s unique – say, a special gift for getting along with all kinds of people – something that goes beyond the basic requirements of the position, that distinguishes you, and is relevant to the position. (Then if several others are equally qualified there’s a reason to pick you.)
- Be appropriate to the field you’re exploring – stand out, but in a non-gimmicky way.
- Outline specifically what you are asking and offering.
- Point directly to the next step, telling just what you will do to follow through.
- Remain as brief and focused as possible. (This should be one page maximum)
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