Writing Flawless Cover Letters

Writing a cover letter to an employer is a lot different from writing one to a recruiter. You want to grab the reader's attention in both, but the type of information you include can vary greatly. Here's a chart to help identify the differences between a letter addressed directly to an employer, and a letter to a recruiter.  More »

There's no getting around it. You need to include a targeted cover letter if you're applying for a specific job (form letters won't cut it). As the name implies, a targeted cover letter speaks directly to the job you're interested in, using words and phrases that match the job description. Thus, no two targeted cover letters should ever be exactly the same. It's a pain in the butt to tweak your letter for every new job application, but it's also one of the best ways to show you're willing to put in the extra effort to do it right.  More »

When you meet someone new, it's not always easy to strike up a conversation, especially if you focus only on yourself. Self-absorption is a big turn-off. The trick is to find something of mutual interest and see how far it takes you. If your knowledge matches their interests, and vice versa, it could be the start of a great friendship. The same theory applies to writing your cover letter.  More »

As a rule, you should not mention salary in a cover letter. You'll have more negotiating power after you've had a chance to communicate your value in an interview. In other words, if they don't ask, don't tell. But what if they DO ask? A couple weeks ago, we launched a poll to find out how our readers would handle this situation. The results might surprise you!  More »

The cover letter is a crucial lead-in to your resume that allows you to communicate directly with the employer about your skills and background. But some cover letters fall flat, and we have our theories why. But we asked authors of other career- and job search-related blogs for their top cover letter tips. Here they are.  More »

It's easy to find resources that teach you the best practices for writing cover letters. You can find several right here on this blog, more in our Learning Center, and plenty of others on the web. But I'm not sure it will be any more helpful than hearing these somewhat harsh words from Blaine Hilton, a business owner and hiring manager who tells it like it is regarding cover letters. In his Blaine-on-Business blog, he gives a 9-point reality check that might make you rethink the way you've been writing your letters.  More »

A sales rep looking for new customers will likely resort to making out-of-the-blue cold calls. Likewise, a job seeker can use a cold contact cover letter, which pitches your qualifications to a prospective employer (or recruiter) that has no advertised job openings. Here's how you can put one together.  More »

The topic for this post came straight from a former co-worker who recently went through the whole job-search process. She wanted to know what the best subject line for an email in response to a job ad is, and if you should attach the cover letter to the email or copy and paste it into the body. I did the research, and here are the answers.  More »

There's no question that the emergence of the personal computer and stratospheric rise of the Internet have forever altered the world of the job search. A mere two decades ago, for instance, a job seeker used one or two generic resumes to apply to several openings. Today, the recommended practice is a customized resume for each position. There are even some who go as far to suggest that all this technology has made the cover letter an anachronism. Don't believe it for even a nanosecond.  More »

I'm always surprised when I hear recruiters or career experts say the cover letter is dead. I'm sure there are some companies that don't want cover letters, but most still do. I suspect the biggest reason people try to get out of writing a cover letter is that they don't know what to write. ( I already put everything in my resume! What else can I say? ) Here are four tips for writing a standout cover letter that will invite hiring managers to read your resume, without rehashing every detail.  More »