Cover Letter Mediums
When applying for a job, most people rightly focus most of their attention on the resume. However, the cover letter is an important component that shouldn't be ignored. The cover letter and resume should be considered a connected pair, and you want to do everything you can to keep that pair together after it reaches the recruiter. So here are some tips, depending on the medium you're using to send in your application:
Hard Copy
- If you're sending in a physical copy of your cover letter, make sure that it's attached to your resume in some way. A paper clip is better than a staple, because the recruiter can easily remove it. Don't put them together with a binder, though, because that's just creating extra work and detritus that the recruiter will have to get rid of.
- Don't put the cover letter on thick, scented, or colored paper. Not only is it gimmicky, but if the recruiter has to fax or scan the page, it might end up looking blurry or smudged.
- Make sure that your name and contact information are on both the cover letter and the resume, in case they get separated.
Digital Copy
Different recruiters might have different requests, which you should always follow precisely. Some might ask you to attach both the resume and the cover letter to your email, while others may not. If there are no specific instructions, you have a few choices.
- Make the cover letter the body of the email. This technique is best to use if you're doing a cold call or unsolicited application. If the recruiter is not looking to fill a specific position, they probably won't take the time to download a cover letter, but they might open the email. That could be enough of an edge to catch their eye. The downside to this method is that the cover letter will remain in the email after the resume is downloaded, so they might get separated.
- Attach the cover letter as a separate document. This is the standard technique. Your email message would just say "Please find my cover letter and resume attached. Thank you for considering me for the position of Floor Manager" or something like that. You can then attach both the resume and the cover letter. Make sure that the file names are similar and include your name, such as "Smith Cover Letter" and "Smith Resume," so they'll be easy to categorize.
- Make the cover letter and the resume one document. This might seem like an unusual thing to do, but it actually just eliminates a few steps for the recruiter. If they print it out as a two-page document, you've saved them from having to open two files. If they forward it to someone, they only have one file to worry about. If you go this route, make sure you mention in the body of your email that the cover letter and the resume are in the same document.
Index of Cover Letter Examples
