One of the most important letters you'll ever write is the cover letter for your resume or job application. Consider it the equivalent of walking into the interviewer's office and making a first impression. The cover letter is an introduction of you and your resume, states the Purdue Online Writing lab. Make sure it reflects your professionalism and reasons you are qualified for the job.
Keep It to One Page
The CV Tips website advises keeping your cover letter to one page. Most interviewers are trying to fill more than one position, and they receive quite a few applications for each opening. Make their jobs easier by keeping your letter concise and on point without extraneous information.
Be Specific
You should never send a resume without a cover letter that specifically lets the interviewer know what position you are applying for, according to the Virginia Tech Career Services website. Let the reader know what type of job you want and how you heard about the opening or the company. If don't know of a posted position, you can mention that you are interested in working for the company if your skills match anything they have available.
Be Positive
The Resume-Help website recommends being positive and avoiding anything negative. You don't need to tell why you are leaving your current position or mention anything you can't do. The goal of the cover letter and resume is to get the interviewer to call you in for an in-person meeting. Putting something negative will give that her a reason not to call.
Use Business Letter Format
When you send a hard-copy cover letter, follow the standard business letter block format. Don't get too creative with fonts or colored paper. Use black ink on white paper to prevent eye strain. Avoid having any kind of smell---perfume or smoke--- on the paper that the reader might find offensive or be allergic to. Don't forget to sign the cover letter.
If your cover letter is electronic, put the job title on the subject line. If you don't have a specific job title, you may put your name and the word "resume" in that space. Follow all the conventions of a hard-copy cover letter and resist the urge to use symbols or abbreviations.
Body of the Letter
The first paragraph should be a brief introduction. This is where you'll tell how you found out about the company or job. State your career objective and how it relates to the position you are applying for.
The second paragraph should tell about your skills, education and other training that makes you qualified for the position. If you have a job description, use it as a guide to match your skills.
Your final paragraph needs to provide contact information. Provide your phone number, email address and fax number if you have one. You can add a final sentence thanking the interviewer for reading your resume and mention that you look forward to discussing the position in more detail.
Salary
Don't mention anything about your salary history or what you expect to get if you are offered the job unless you are instructed to do so. If you are asked for salary information, provide a range rather than a specific minimum and mention that you are flexible on salary if the position offers future opportunities.
Proofread
Before you print your cover letter, proofread it on your computer screen. After you print it, proofread it again. You never want to send a cover letter that has spelling or grammar errors, so you may even want to have someone else read it to make sure you didn't miss anything.
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