Tips to Writing Effective Cover Letters
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1. Whenever possible, your cover letter should be individually addressed to the person responsible for filling the position.

2. When responding to a "blind ad" where you don't know the name of the company, send the letter to the title of the appropriate hiring manager, e.g., "Production Manager," "Maintenance Supervisor," "Office Manager," etc.

3. Project confidence, but DON'T be arrogant.

4. Make the most of your opening paragraph.

5. Send a professionally typed or laser-printed letter on white or near-white bond paper in a matching neatly printed envelope.

6. Answer the question, "Why should I hire this person?"

7. Use simple, uncomplicated language and sentence structure.

8. Tell the potential employer how to reach you. Give a phone number at which either a person or an answering machine will answer all calls. ALSO INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS.

9. Make a copy of each letter sent, and keep it for future reference.

10. Use action words to create dynamic sentences.

11. Never send your resumé without a cover letter.

12. Don't be negative or too humble.

13. Don't use cliches, such as, "I've taken the liberty of enclosing my resumé."

14. Check your cover letter for typos, misspellings, grammatical errors, or smudges.

15. Make sure you spell the person's name and company correctly.

16. Do not send letters that are obviously photocopied or mass produced. Sign each copy in ink.

17. Do not write your letter by hand.

18. Do not use a sexist salutation when answering a blind ad. For example: "Gentlemen" or "Dear Sirs."

19. Do not leave the ball in the employer's court. For example, don't end with: "I look forward to hearing from you soon."

20. Never use the term, "To Whom It May Concern."

21. Keep sentences short and to the point. Your cover letter must be intriguing enough to get the reader to look at the resumé, however it is only an introduction to the resumé, not a repeat of it.

22. Keep the cover letter brief, usually no more than one page with three to five paragraphs.

23. Use the same paper stock for both your cover letter and resumé.