If this is the case, don't start with "My friend John Peterson told me you have a job opening so I thought I would write." This will not "wow" anyone. This is especially important if you've been referred by a mutual friend or acquaintance. Paragraph One: Start with how you heard about the job-friend, employee, newsletter, advertisement, etc.Write clearly and avoid hyphenated words at the ends of lines. Don't use a tiny font just to fit everything on one page 10- or 12-point type is best.
Leave wide margins (minimum 1 inch) and use a clean, simple font like Arial or Times New Roman. This means that you may indent your paragraphs or not-but not indenting gives a bit more room. The cover letter should be no more than one page long, written in standard business letter format. If you cannot find a specific person to write to, try "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Human Resources."īusy people don't want to read long letters from people they don't know. Be sure to spell both name and title perfectly. If you're responding to an ad that does not include a specific contact, try to look up the name of someone related to the role. To whom are you writing? It's always best to write to an actual person (with a title) if you can.Do some research about the company online or through trade magazines, etc. Maybe it's personal (a friend worked there), or maybe you are impressed with what the organization does or admire their unique work philosophy. What do you know about the organization you're writing to? Consider what attracted you to it in the first place.If through an advertisement, write down where and when you saw it and list the specific points the ad wants you to include. How did you hear about this opportunity? If it was through a personal contact, write down the name.Which of your talents, skills, personality traits and accomplishments should this particular organization know about? Brainstorm a list for yourself. Then think about how you would like to relate these experiences to the organization you're writing to. Think about yourself and your experiences.Here are some things to keep in mind while you prepare: Jump to SectionĮach cover letter takes preparation. What it says about you can be the difference between getting in the door and missing your chance.
The cover letter is another way of introducing yourself to a potential employer. It's a good idea to customize your cover letter for each job you're applying for.
Every time you send out a résumé, you'll need to have a great cover letter to send along with it.