Cover Letters

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The Art of the Letter 

The first rule of cover letters: Never use a generic cover letter with only: "To Whom It May Concern." With tons of work on your desk, would you be interested in such a mass mailing? You would probably consider it junk mail, right? You would be much more likely to read a letter that was directed to you personally and so would human resources professionals.

The second rule: Every r�sum� sent by mail or fax needs a personalized cover letter even if the advertisement didn't request a cover letter. 

The third rule: R�sum�s sent by e-mail don't need a cover letter. Use only a quick paragraph with three to five sentences telling your reader where you heard about the position and why your qualifications are a perfect fit for the position's requirements. E-mail is intended to be short, sweet, and to the point.

This guide will address several cover letter types. A letter to a recruiter requires different information than a letter in answer to an advertisement.  A targeted cover letter that tells a story and captures your reader's attention is ideal when possible, but such letters aren't always practical.

Before we get into specific styles, let's cover some general rules that apply to most cover letters. The sample cover letters demonstrate most of these rules.

1. Customize each cover letter with an inside address (do not use "to whom it may concern").

2. Personalize the greeting (Dear Ms. Smith). Try to get the name of a person whenever possible. A blind advertisement makes that impossible, but in other cases a quick telephone call can often result in a name and sometimes a valuable telephone conversation. When you can't get a name, use Dear Recruiter, Dear Hiring Manager, Dear Search Committee, or Dear Sir/Madam.

3. Mention where you heard about the position so your reader knows where to direct your r�sum� and letter. The first paragraph of your cover letter is a great place to state (or restate) your objective. Since you know the specific job being offered, you can tailor your objective to suit the position.

4. Drop names in the first paragraph if you know someone in the company. Hiring managers take unsolicited r�sum�s more seriously when they assume you were referred by one of their employees or customers.

5. The second paragraph (or two) is the perfect place to mention specific experience that is targeted to the job opening. This is your "I'm super great because" information. Here is where you summarize why you are absolutely perfect for the position. Really sell yourself. Pick and choose some of your experience and/or education that is specifically related to the company's requirements, or elaborate on qualifications that are not in your r�sum� but apply to this particular job. If you make mention of the company and its needs, it becomes immediately obvious that your cover letter is not generic. Entice the reader to find out more about you in your r�sum�. Don't make this section too long or you will quickly lose the reader's interest.

6. The closing should be concise. Let the reader know what you want (an application, an interview, an opportunity to call). If you are planning to call the person on a certain day, you could close by saying, "I will contact you next Tuesday to set up a mutually convenient time to meet." Don't call on Mondays or Fridays if you can help it. If you aren't comfortable making these cold calls, then close your letter with something like: "I look forward to hearing from you soon." And remember to say, "Thank you for your consideration" or something to that effect (but don't be obsequious!).

Letter Design 

Letterheads
It is so easy to create a letterhead all your own and to make it match your r�sum�. Just copy into a new document the name and address you have already created for your r�sum�. It couldn't be simpler! It makes a very sharp impression when your cover letter and r�sum� match in every respect from paper color to font to letterhead.

Paper Colors
Color, like music, creates an atmosphere. Everyone knows that different colors evoke different feelings. Red can make a person feel warm, whereas blue does just the opposite.

Of course, you wouldn't want to use red in a r�sum�! . . . although an artist could get away with just about any color. As a general rule, r�sum� papers should be neutral or light in color. After 20 years in the r�sum� business, I have discovered that brilliant white linen paper is still the most popular, followed closely by a slightly off-white and then by shades of light gray.

Just make sure that the color of the paper you choose is representative of your personality and industry and that it doesn't detract from your message. For instance, a dark paper color makes your r�sum� hard to read.

In a scannable r�sum�, never use papers with a background (pictures, marble shades, or speckles). A scanner tries to interpret the patterns and dots as letters. This is a good rule to follow even for paper r�sum�s that will never be scanned. Often companies will photocopy r�sum�s for hiring managers, and dark colors or patterns will simply turn into dark masses that make your r�sum� difficult to read. If a company has multiple locations, the original r�sum� may even get faxed from one site to another and the same thing happens.

The type of paper (bond, linen, laid, cover stock, or coated) isn't as important, although it also projects an image. Uncoated paper (bond, linen, laid) makes a classic statement. It feels rich and makes people think of corporate stationery and important documents. Coated stock recalls memories of magazines, brochures, and annual reports. Heavy cover stock and laid paper can't be successfully folded and don't hold the ink from a laser printer or copier very well, so they must be handled gently. All of these factors play a part in your paper choice.

Regardless of the paper you choose, mail your r�sum� flat instead of folded. It costs a few extra cents in postage and a little more for the 9 � 12 envelope, but the impression it makes is well worth the extra cost. It also helps with the scannability of your r�sum�. Thank you letters and other follow-up letters can be folded in standard No. 10 business envelopes.