Professional writer explains the cover letter's importance - - -

Published Sunday November 23, 2008
Writing expert recommends cover letters introduce, personalize applicant

BY CHRISTINE GALT
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

If you think e-mail and online databases have eliminated the need for a cover letter, think again.

A survey by Robert Half International found that 86 percent of executives said cover letters are valuable.

Mike Young, owner of Executive Writing Services in Ralston, Neb., says a cover letter is a necessity and is a sign of good manners. "In a way, it’s a formality, but it’s also a way of breaking the ice," Young says.

• Employers don’t want to read generic letters.
  

The cover letter should be addressed to a specific employee or department in the company and should never be
informal.

"Don’t use ‘to whom it may concern’" when addressing the letter, says Young, "because it sounds generic." "Dear Sir or Madam" should be used if you don't have a specific name, or if you cannot discern the gender of the person, as in the proverbial "Pat."

The cover letter should be used to introduce your résumé and highlight key points. Young recommends keeping it formal and brief.

"Too many people write a very long cover letter and have a short résumé," he says. "In reality, it should be opposite."

To make the package pop, Young says to use the same letterhead on the cover and the résumé.

Although the letter should be formal, it’s OK to personalize it by using conversational language.

Young recommends ending the cover letter with a signature and a contact number.

He says the applicant should inform the company that he or she will be contacting them within two weeks to set up an interview.

Often, he says, the cover letter can make a difference.

"First impressions can be lasting impressions," he says.

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