Cover Letter Formats
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Invited Letter
Use the "invited" letter whenever an employer has asked for a resumé. This is often in response to a want ad or publicized job listing. This style focuses on matching your qualifications to the advertised requirements of the position.

Referral Letter
Use the "referral" letter to contact employers to whom you have been referred. The effective job seeker will receive referrals to many job opportunities through networking and informational interviews. The referral may be to a specific job opening (advertised or unadvertised). In a referral letter the individual who provided the referral is mentioned in the letter.

Job Match or "T" Letter
It is always important to match your qualifications to the job and/or employer in the cover letter. This is generally done as part of the body of the letter. In the "T" letter format, this is done as bullet points targeting the specific requirements and your corresponding qualifications. Some sources for information to help you match your qualifications include: employment advertisements, position descriptions, phone conversations with the employer and informational interviews.

Uninvited or Cold Contact Letter (Least effective.)
Use the "uninvited" letter to contact employers who have not advertised or published job openings. The focus is on matching your qualifications to the perceived needs of the employer based on labor market research. This strategy requires that a phone or personal contact with the employer either precede or follow sending the resumé and cover letter.