Eight Clues for Your Cover Letter

"Great. My resume’s printed and ready to mail, so as soon as I slap together a few general-sounding sentences in the cover letter I’ll be done." If this sounds anything like your own attitude toward cover letters, you may be in for a rude awakening when your job search begins. Yes, the resume is the heart and soul of the job search process, but remember that the employer will see your cover letter first. If it turns him off for any reason, your sparkling resume may never get a chance.

Despite its name, the cover letter is more than just a glorified transmittal letter — it is a letter of introduction, a selling tool, and a vehicle for customizing your resume to a specific employer’s needs. Keep the following tips in mind, and your cover letter may motivate the employer to read your resume with interest, sympathy — and even excitement.

1. Make sure your cover letter passes the three-part test. The first section should be an introductory paragraph that excites the employer’s interest and states your objective (why are you interested in this organization?). The second or central section should consist of one or two paragraphs in which you (a) show the employer that you understand her needs and (b) describe a few accomplishments that demonstrate you can fill those needs. The final section should (a) proactively keep your candidacy in play by offering to call the employer at a specific time and (b) thank her for her time.
2. Always capitalize on personal contacts. If you know anyone at the target organization who knows of your job search mention his name in the opening sentence of the letter. Doing so will almost always ensure that your letter will be read carefully.
3. Always address the letter to a specific person. The recipient should be someone with hiring authority for the area in the target organization where you want to work. More often than not, personnel in the human resources department will know only of existing openings. A manager can hire you now for a position he may have planned to fill at a much later date. If you have trouble identifying this person, call the organization directly and ask.
4. Always demonstrate your knowledge of the target organization. Since your resume focuses on your background, use the cover letter to impress the employer with your understanding of her organization or industry. Not only will this show that you have taken the trouble to personalize your letter; it also allows you to show off some of your expertise and analytical skill.
5. Use numbers to substantiate your statements. The central part of your letter will help the employer see the connection between his needs and your qualifications. The best way to do that is by briefly describing two or three accomplishments. Quantifying these accomplishments will magnify their impact.
6. Complement your resume — don’t repeat it. Your cover letter offers you a perfect opportunity to tell the employer more about you than she can learn from your resume. Referring to the same accomplishments in both the cover letter and resume will make the reader wonder if you have run out of positive things to say about yourself. You do want your cover letter and resume to project the same themes, but make sure the cover letter provides new information.
7. Never address negatives or do "damage control" on negatives. The place to deal with issues such as a job termination, job-hopping, lack of experience, or gaps in employment is in the interview after the employer has already been impressed enough with your background to invite you in. The cover letter is a marketing tool that accentuates the positive and addresses the employer’s needs.
8. Avoid the most common cover letter mistakes. Double-check that your cover letter doesn’t commit any of the following deal-breakers: (a) generic, canned language, (b) poor design or sloppy appearance, (c) overemphasis on yourself rather than the needs of the employer, (d) grammatical, spelling, or punctuation mistakes, (e) wordiness or loose organization, (f) a conceited or imperious tone, or (g) an apologetic, self-defeating tone.

Take a look at our sample pages to see an example of an effective cover letter. If you’re still having trouble getting started, call an Accepted.com editor. We’ll be glad to help.