Looks Do Count
Your cover letter (print or online) is as important, if not more so at times, than your résumé. Why? Because it's the first thing an employer sees from you. If your cover letter doesn't look professional or if there are misspelled words, grammatical errors, sentence fragments or other mistakes, you're not making a very good first impression. And you know what they say about first impressions, don't you?
A cover letter isn't a great work of literature. It's a marketing tool. So don't spend hours trying to come up with a clever "hook" to grab the reader's attention. Keep it short (3–4 paragraphs), simple, and direct. Most important, make sure it focuses on how you can meet the employer's needs and bring value to the organization. It should compel the reader to want to learn more about you.
For more, read our Career Advice Documents or listen to our podcasts on Cover Letters.
Sample of a Cover Letter
