Home
>
Writing
>
How To Write Cover Letters That Work

How To Write Cover Letters That Work

Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the term "cover letter".

That's because when most people use that term, they don't realize that there are two main types of cover letters. There are "document transmittal cover letters", and there are "resume cover letters".

DOCUMENT COVER LETTERS

A document cover letter is a letter of transmittal that explains and conveys an attached document to a second party.

The types of documents that this type of cover letter is used for typically include: reports, plans, legal papers, applications, manuscripts, contracts, travel documents, booklets, manuals, brochures, product samples, photos, artwork, etc.

A document cover letter is normally a short one-page business letter that very briefly explains the attached or enclosed document(s) that is being sent. It only contains the essential information such as why the document(s) is being sent, what the recipient is expected to do with it, and any applicable deadlines.

RESUME COVER LETTERS

When most people use or hear the term "cover letter" they are thinking of resume cover letters.

Resume cover letters are used for one purpose only - to convey resumes or curriculum vitae to prospective employers.

A resume cover letter is normally a concise one-pager that introduces you, explains why you're writing, summarizes your key skills, abilities and experience, and asks the recipient to get back to you. Its main purpose is to capture the attention of the recipient enough to get that person to look at the attached resume with interest.

Of the two types of cover letters, by far the most commonly requested at my Writing Help Central Web site is the cover letter for a resume or curriculum vitae.

RESUME COVER LETTER WRITING TIPS

When drafting a cover letter for a resume or cv, there are a number of important rules of thumb to follow. The following list is an adapted summary of a similar list in my eBook "Instant Home Writing Kit".

1. Address It To A Specific Person

Even when sending an unsolicited resume to a company you should take the time to find out the name of the appropriate person and write the letter to that person. At least it will reach their office. Resumes sent to "Dear Human Resources Manager" are almost always a waste of time. Name someone specifically and it will at least make it into an in-basket.

2. Keep It Short And Focused

Remember, your resume already says it all. Keep the letter short and focused and don't repeat what is already in the attached resume or c.v. Never exceed one page in a cover letter.

3. Be Enthusiastic

Express your interest in the job and the new company with enthusiasm. Show that you really want the job, and that you would really like to work for that particular company.

4. Focus On The Needs Of The Employer

Throughout your cover letter make it clear that you are interested in the needs of the employer. You are there to help them. You are part of the solution. Try to make this the subliminal message of your entire letter.

5. Show That You've Done Your Homework

Demonstrate a good knowledge of the company and industry for which you are applying. A one-liner, or a phrase or two in the appropriate place in your letter that shows you are interested, and understand that the company's problems will give you instant credibility (i.e. do some simple Internet research).

6. Use The Appropriate "Buzzwords"

Every organization has its own ways of doing things and its own lingo. Look through key documents such as annual reports, corporate Web sites, etc. Try to spot key words, terms, and phrases that are often repeated. Every company has them. Use as many of these "hot buttons" as you can in your cover letter - where appropriate, of course. For example, if the "Message From the CEO" in the annual report mentions the phrase "action plan for the future" three times, make sure you work that term into your cover letter. Don't overdo it, of course.

7. Summarize Your Skills and Abilities

If possible, without making the letter too long, summarize your overall skills and abilities in bullet-point form. This can make them stand out in a way that they wouldn't, buried in the resume or cv.

8. Promise To Follow Up

In the final paragraph, clearly state that you will be following up by telephone in a few days to see if you can answer any questions. Make sure you do this. Industry experts say that over 80% of people never do this crucial follow-up and just wait for the phone to ring.

The challenge of course, is to try to address all of these points in a three or four paragraph letter. It can be done!

To see a fully-formatted "real-life template" of a resume cover letter, go to the following link:

http://writinghelp-central.com/cover-letter.html

? 2005 by Shaun Fawcett

Shaun Fawcett, is webmaster of the popular writing help site WritingHelp-Central.com. He is also the author of several best selling "writing toolkit" eBooks. All of his eBooks and his internationally acclaimed f-r-e-e course, "Tips and Tricks For Writing Success" are available at his writing tools site: http://www.writinghelptools.com

eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.