Cover Letters: Yes, You Really Need Them

Everybody does. Even though your resume is your first opportunity to market your skills andexperience to a potential employer, sending out a cover letter along with your resumeallows you to draw attention to specific strength areas in your portfolio that are relevant to the specific job vacancy you are applying for. In your cover letter, you will have a chance to let the employer know you are familiar with their company and its activities, and you can demonstrate how you will fit to the position through mentioning your relevant key points. This does not mean that you should repeat the information in your resume, but rather compliment it. Finally, the main objective of a cover letter is to draw the reader to refer to your resume and differentiate you from among the many applications s/he will receive.

A cover letter is often laid out as a typical correspondence letter, with your full name, full address and contact information appearing on the top right hand corner of the page. Your recipient's name, title and company name appear on the left hand side of the page.

Contents of a Successful Cover Letter:

Your name and contact information.   Recipient's name and contact information.   Identify the position you are applying for and mention where you found the announcement and when. If you have been referred through a person, mention their full name and title. If your letter is a prospecting one, ie. there no formal vacancy announcement, you should make this clear so the employer is clear on why you sent the letter.   Introduce yourself, your educational degree and your current employment situation.   Begin by stressing your interest in the company and display some knowledge of its activities and/or achievements.    Identify your strength areas and why you think you match the position requirements.   Highlight your biggest achievements and refer to your resume for more details.    Close the letter by promising the reader to contact them on a specific day and time to schedule an interview.  Thank the reader for taking the time to read your letter.    Sign your name preceded by "Sincerely," "Cordially," or "Best Regards."  Include your telephone number(s) again at the bottom of your letter.