Cover Letter Dos and Don'ts

Business protocol dictates that your resume be accompanied by a cover letter. Your cover letter is your introduction - the compelling reason for employers and recruiters to read on through your resume. Here are some tips for writing a cover letter that does its job.

• Personalize your cover letter. Avoid 'To whom it may concern' or 'Dear Sir/Madam' whenever possible. If possible find out the person's name; call the company. If there's only a fax number and no title for the person to whom it is going, then you probably have no choice.
  
• Write a compelling cover letter that makes recruiters want to read on. Don't make it a repeat of what you wrote in your resume.
  
• Be brief and quickly make a strong point. The individual reading your cover letter will scan, not study it.
  
• Highlight pertinent information and provide relevant data that may not be covered in you your resume. In fact, if you see an advertisement that requires certain skills or experience you have, but it's not strongly emphasized in your resume, this is the place to tout it.
  
• Be positive and confident. Let them know how you'll make a valuable contribution or be a real asset to the company.
  
• Make sure you tell them where and when to reach you.
  
• Let them know that if you don't hear from them by a certain date you'll follow up with a call to schedule an appointment.
  
• Match the cover letter and envelope paper to the resume when mailing. It makes a better presentation.
  
• PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Rewrite your resume in your cover letter, that is what the resume is for.
  
• Bore the reader. Make your point in the fewest words possible..
  
• Hand-write the letter if possible. After-all, this is a business letter. Use a printer or typewriter.
  
• Use first names; Mr. or Ms. is more appropriate.
  
• Forget to sign the letter.
  
• Use a company e-mail address. You never know who is reading your e-mail. Avail yourself of the many free e-mail service on the Internet (yahoo.com, mail.com, etc.).

If cover letter writing seems like more than you'd like to tackle, contact Marty and let him do the work for you.