The humble cover letter can produce a big return on your time investment. Many prospective employers view a cover letter as a sample of your business writing skills.

Four significant things a cover letter can do for you:

• Present the name of the person referring you
• State your career change/transition desires
• Provide information on experience gained through personal interests
• Note new credentials gained or in process (certifications, degrees, etc.)

A strong cover letter is a vital part of your job application; and, the quality of the writing should be echoed in your resume. Even a cover letter sent via e-mail should be written in the style of a formal business letter; and, it should not exceed two-thirds of a page in length. Your resume header should be repeated in your cover letter. The full name, title, street address, city/state/zip code of the person to whom you are writing constitutes the inside address; and, the salutation is Dear Ms. Smith followed by a colon. Adopt the familiar “who, what, why” questions as a gage to assess the content of your letter checking that all three have been defined and confirmed. Select action words and descriptors that convey self-confidence, but not over-done. Save praise for the company’s accomplishments for your face-to-face interview.

The first paragraph of your cover letter should clearly state your reason for writing.

Example: I am writing to present my resume for the Senior Manager position posted on your company website.

However, if you have been referred to the company by a current employee or personal contact of the addressee, offer both pieces of information.

Example: At the recommendation of Mary Jones I am presenting my resume for the position of Senior Manager posted on your company website.

Take a moment and imagine that greatly enlarged versions of the position description and your resume have been displayed side-by-side on a huge monitor. Pick up an imaginary laser pointer and begin using the beam to search for descriptors existing in both documents. Add a point to your resume score board every time there’s a match. When composing your cover letter refer to information in your resume; but, don’t re-state it. Of most importance is to ensure that your wording is to-the-point and aligned with the job and the company requirements.

Sample job requirements: critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, team building, facilitation, achieving goals, analytical reasoning, meeting deadlines, managing multiple tasks and working well in groups or independently.

Although most candidates will not have one hundred percent of all position requirements, don’t draw attention to missing skills. However, you can express your genuine interest in acquiring new ones.

Ensure that the final paragraph of your letter clearly states what you want ---- an interview. You can take the bolder approach and indicate that you will call for an interview appointment. Or, you can simply refer to your contact information (top of your letter in the header) and express your eagerness to schedule an interview.

Once you have a draft of your cover letter switch hats and become your own editor ---- or engage the services of a career coach or a discerning friend. Editing and refining your cover letter is absolutely as important as composing it. All rules of spelling, capitalization and punctuation must be applied. Compose in complete sentences; eliminate abbreviations, jargon, slang, and informal texting acronyms. Remember that this is a business writing sample competing with many qualified candidates.

If you plan to mail your letter and resume, print them on business stationery, not routine copier paper. However, if your route is electronic paste your full cover letter into the e-mail with the resume as an attachment. And, if you plan to post it, review the unique website instructions first. Should the website disallow cover letters, consider faxing both your cover letter and resume. Complete the application process as defined by the individual company because your candidacy can be kicked out of a system for incomplete process steps.

So, cover letter, or not? Yes, by all means. Don’t let your resume leave home alone; always cover it with a strong, professional business letter.

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