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Q: What should my cover letter say?
Answer(s) to this Question (
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Cover Letters to Companies
Keep your cover letter short for easy skimming. Avoid restating the information in your resume, but feel free to concisely expand on any information that is particularly relevant to the position.
If you are answering an ad, address the requirements in the ad and speak to how your experience relates to each requirement.
If you are sending the letter cold, make sure your letter reflects some research on the company, how your background relates, and why you have an interest in that company.
What A Search Firm Wants to Know
Other important information that belongs in your cover letter to an executive recruiting firm: do you have any specific requirements regarding relocation? Are your parents getting old and you’d really like to be back in Kansas? Are you focused on your career progression and will go anywhere? Do you prefer warm weather but are willing to go to Alaska?
Mind the Details
Don't rely on your word processor's spell-check feature to correct typos in your cover letter. A computer won't be able to catch misused words such as "there" and "their."
To make sure your cover letter is perfect, proofread it personally and then hand it to someone you trust to proofread. Your attention to detail will make you look more professional to a potential employer.
Your Cover Letter is NOT Your Resume!
Don’t labor over a resume cover letter that fills the page with long, uninviting paragraphs restating your experience. It will be neither fully read nor will your hard work be noticed or appreciated. Your cover letter should not resell your resume. If you’ve written your resume correctly, it will speak for itself.
