COED Job Guide: Successful Cover Letter

After the resume, the most important document in your job search will be the cover letter.  These two documents are what employers will base your potential for employment from.  While the resume highlights your experience the cover letter should focus on what you will bring to the company.  Here are a few tips for a successful cover letter:

1. Short and to the point.  As an eager job candidate you probably realize the the cover letter could be the only communication you have with the employer and you want to make sure that they know everything about you.  The problem is that you don’t want to bore them with your life story.  The cover letter should not go beyond one page.  You want to highlight what you will bring to the company but do not go into excessive detail.

2. Don’t repeat your resume.  Don’t spend time going into your work history and list every job you had – that is what you resume is for.  It’s fine to highlight a few of the key traits you will bring to the employer based on previous experiences but you really should focus on what attributes you will be bringing to your new company.

3. THANK YOU.  Make sure you thank your potential employer for giving you consideration for this position.  Being polite and gracious can go a long way.  Don’t take manners for granted when applying for jobs.