Your cover letter is more than just a way to get your resume in front of the hiring manager for a prospective employer. It is also the first impression that you will ever give to the person who will later evaluate your resume. For this reason, it is important to pay as much careful attention to developing a cover letter as you would to creating a polished resume. Below are a few tips for addressing your cover letter and making it appear as professional as possible. In the coming weeks, additional installments of this Cover Letter Workshop will address problems that may arise in completing the body of a cover letter.

Since every detail counts, you may wish to give some thought to an appropriate header. While it is not technically inappropriate to send your cover letter on a plain sheet of white paper, you can achieve a more professional look by adding a header to the top, which is easily done by copying and pasting from the top of your resume. Most resumes include an applicant’s name in a large, bold font, as well as all relevant contact information. This information is usually set apart from the rest of the resume text by a single or double line, or similar feature. By copying this information and pasting it to the top of your cover letter, it not only dresses up your cover letter in a professional style but also matches the look of your resume for optimum polish.

In today’s world of electronic communication, it is appropriate to include your email address as part of your contact information, in addition to your address and telephone number. Be certain that it is an email address that you check regularly; you don’t want to miss out on an interview simply because you failed to check your email. Before including your email address, however, give some thought to the impression it may send to a prospective employer. If you have a “vanity” email address that includes unprofessional words or makes no reference to your name, it’s a very good idea to take the time to set up an account with a free email provider so that the email address you provide includes your real name for a more professional appearance.

Your cover letter should be addressed like a standard business letter, with the date, as well as the name and address of the hiring manager at the top, under your header. If you do not know the hiring manager’s name and are unable to learn it through reasonable research, write the name of the potential employer, and “Attn: Hiring Manager” underneath. Under these circumstances, be certain to use “Dear Hiring Manager” as the salutation, rather than “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.” This is because letters addressed in such a vague way are often not directed to the correct person within a company and may even never be seen by the hiring manager.

The salutation of a cover letter (“Dear Ms. Smith”) should be followed by a colon, rather than a comma. Commas are used in the salutations of casual letters, but colons are appropriate in addressing a business letter. Even if you believe that the potential employer maintains a casual atmosphere, it is still appropriate to keep your cover letter as professional as possible.

You never have a second chance to make a good first impression. By taking just a few extra steps, your cover letter can make the most professional impression possible to optimize your chances of landing an interview!



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