Cover Letter Examples

Looking at cover letter examples is a good way to get some ideas about the kinds of things that you should include in your own. Keep in mind that the cover letter you are writing should be tailored to each position you are applying for.

Write Your Cover Letter Carefully

The cover letter is meant to introduce a job applicant to the prospective employer. Your goal when composing it is to make the employer want to take the time to review your resume. You have likely spent a considerable amount of time on your resume and your cover letter deserves the same level of care if you are going to increase your chances of being invited for an interview.

• Make sure contact information is correct: Incorrectly spelling a company's name on the cover letter may be enough to get your resume discarded. It only takes a few moments to double check that the name and mailing address are correct. Visit the company's web site to get this important information. You could also check the phone book, or call to find out.

• Address the cover letter to a specific person: When you are contacting a potential employer to apply for a job, don't just send it to the Human Resources Department. If the ad you are answering doesn't have someone's name in it, call the company to ask for the name of the person you should be sending your resume and cover letter to. The exception to this tip is when you are filling out an online form to apply for a job. You may still be able to include a cover letter, but many employers only want candidates to upload a resume.

• Write a custom cover letter for each position: Using a cookie-cutter approach to writing your cover letter isn't going to show a prospective employer why you are a good fit for the position you are applying for. Take the job ad and write a cover letter addressing each point that it contains.

• Don't copy your cover letter from a book or a web site: While looking at cover letter examples online or in books can be helpful, they should be used as guides only. You want your cover letter to reflect you and simply copying a prewritten one won't help you reach this goal.

There are many web sites offering cover letter examples. Use them as inspiration when you are writing your own introduction to an employer:

• The Career Services at Virginia Tech web site has several cover letter examples. Find out what language to use when applying for a job in response to an ad, as well as how to write a letter to inquire whether a company has any positions available that you would be qualified for.
• Visit QuintCareers.com to see approximately 40 cover letters written by people looking for jobs at different points in their career. From prospective interns to senior executives, the site has a variety of examples available.
• SusanIreland.com is another site with a large number of cover letter examples for site visitors to review. There are examples of cover letters a job applicant can use when responding to a job ad, when sending a cold application, when following up on a phone call or a personal meeting, and more.

Looking at cover letter examples can help you decide how you want to present yourself to a prospective employer. Study a number of them carefully and you can get a feel for what you think will work well for you in your own job search.

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