Filling up a resume / cover letter
Make a
great impression with a properly formatted cover letter
A
properly formatted cover letter attached to your resume is a great way to show
a prospective employer that you are interested in the job being offered—a cover
letter may even give you a valuable advantage over other candidates. Whether
you fill out an official application provided by the employer or you are asked
to send in a resume, we recommend taking the time to write a cover letter. Remember, in addition to your
resume, a cover letter is the first impression that a prospective employer will
have of you—make it a good one!
Take time to present yourself professionally on
paper
It is
generally good practice to use a standard business letter format. Remaining within the
one-page maximum, your letter should be printed on basic, white, letter-size
paper and typed in a business-style font such as Times New Roman, Calibri, or
Arial, usually in an 11- or 12-point size. Regardless of the industry in which
you seek employment, we suggest avoiding fancy colors or lettering, as this may
appear unprofessional. Remember that you want to encourage the prospective
employer to review your resume with the mindset that you are a professional; you
do not want him or her to be deterred by an overly casual approach.
How to format a cover letter
When you
are formatting your cover letter, remember that you must include a header, an
introduction, the body, and a closing. These sections can be separated into
individual paragraphs. Looking at cover letter examples can sometimes help in the process
of creating a properly formatted cover letter.
At the
top of the letter, include your name and complete mailing address; leave some
space, then add the recipient's name, title (if any), and complete mailing
address. Add the current date as a separate line.
For example:
Jane Doe
123
Spruce Avenue
Anytown,
MI 12345
John
Smith, Human Resources Manager
Acorn
Merchandising
456 Maple
Way
Anytown,
MI 67890
23 June
2009
Following
this, include a reference section (for example, RE: technical position at ABC
Company). You may also wish to indicate by what means your letter was
delivered, i.e., Via Fax, In Person, etc., again on a separate line.
Next, add
your opening salutation; for example:
Dear Mr.
Choi:
or
Dear
Hiring Managers:
Please
note that a full colon is placed after the name or title and not a comma,
which is used only in casual writing.
Introduction
This
section should briefly indicate the position for which you are applying; here,
you can also thank the employer for an earlier conversation you may have had
with him or her regarding the position or indicate how you heard about the
position (i.e., from a website, a newspaper ad, etc.).
Body
Here, you
will list your qualifications, experience, and any specific points of note,
such as availability. You should also highlight your skills and characteristics
as they pertain to the position. This part of the cover letter is all about
showing the employer what you have to offer and why you're the right candidate
for the job.
Closing
In the
closing of your cover letter, thank the employer for his or her time in
reviewing your application. You should also mention that you look forward to
discussing the position in more detail with the employer in the near future.
Ask him or her to "contact you at the number (or numbers) listed
below," which will be placed after your signature at the bottom of the
page.
The
closing also includes the final salutation, which can be written as follows:
Sincerely,
or
Respectfully,
Note that
in each case, a comma follows the final salutation. After the closing
salutation, double-space and type your name. If you will be printing and
mailing this letter, leave four lines between the final salutation and your
typed name, which will give you room to sign your name. On the next line under
your typed name, type your phone number(s), since you mentioned in your closing
for him or her to contact you at the number(s) shown below.
It's
important to provide a notation at the end of your cover letter stating there
are additional documents in the envelope for the employer to review (i.e., your
resume). The way to make this notation is as follows:
Double-space after your contact phone number(s) and
type the abbreviation Encl. (for one enclosure) or Encls. (for more than one).
This section can also designate who else is receiving a copy of this letter and
enclosures. This is done by double-
spacing
and typing cc: File, or cc: Human Resources, if applicable. This should be the
final item on the page.
Here is
an example of how the closing salutation would appear with all of the above
included after it:
Respectfully,
Jane Doe
Home
phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Cell
phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
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