The document provides tips for writing an effective cover letter. It stresses that the cover letter is the employer's first impression and should highlight the applicant's skills and experience relevant to the job. The letter should be personalized for each application and kept to one page. Proper formatting and proofreading are emphasized to avoid errors. Examples of an effective cover letter and its components are also included.

1. COVER LETTER Khos-Od

2. Contents Objectives Tips and suggestions Getting Noticed How to Write Covering Letter For example

3. Objectives Upon successful ,students will be able to create an effective cover letter outlining their interest in applying for a position/college/internship/scholarship utilizing proper business letter format.

4. Tips and suggestions Your cover letter is potential employer’s first impression of you and can be the most vital part of the application packet .

5. A well written letter entices the employer to read your resume .A poorly constructed cover letter may doom your resume to the “No Need to Read” pile .It is important to highlight your skills ,knowledge and experience .

6. Effective cover letters must convey a sense of purpose and project enthusiasm .A “form” cover letter rarely does this .Researching the employer ,college or scholarship prior to writing the cover letter will give you the opportunity to effectively personalize your letter.

7. 1. Always include a cover letter when mailing your resume .A letter of introduction will prove useful when applying to colleges .It may act as the basis for a college essay or it may be a useful addition to an application packet.

8. 2. Unless the advertisement specifies “no phone calls please” and the name is not given in the ad ,find out the name and title of the individual who will be receiving your letter .Make sure you spell the name properly and get the proper abbreviation (Mr.,Mrs.,Ms.)

9. 3. Do not use “form” letters or photocopies .Personalize each letter .If possible ,explain why you want to work for the organization or attend the school.

10. 4. Use a proper business format for you letters. 5. Make sure the letter is PERFECT ! Spelling ,punctuation ,and grammar count .Have someone proofread the letter before mailing it.

11. 6. Create the letter on a computer word processing program(Microsoft Word ,WordPerfect ,etc) and use a laser printer ,if possible.

12. 7. Utilize a one inch margin on all 4 sides .This white space draws the reader to the body of the letter. 8. In the opening paragraph ,tell the reader the purpose of the letter.

13. 9. Use “I” statements and action verbs when describing your experience. 10. Get to the point! Employers do not have the time to read lengthy letters. A cover letter should never exceed one page.

14. 11. Focus on the specific skills and interests you possess that you can offer the employer or college. Concentrate on skills which match the advertised employment qualifications or the desired program of study.

15. Stress what you can do for the company or college, not what the company or college can do for you. Sound upbeat and confident. Sell yourself!

16. 12. Don’t mention salary expectation unless the advertisement specifically requests it. In that case, the best strategy is to give a range.

17. 13. End by thanking the reader and stating that you look forward to meeting with them. Make a specific suggestion for the next step of the process and follow up as promised.

18. Getting Noticed Show interest Clear up problem areas Put yourself forward

19. Give a reason for applying Flatter them-but carefully Don’t grovel Don’t repeat the CV

20. Keep it short .One side of A4 is quite sufficient. You don’t need 2 pages ,and many recruiters won’t reach that much anyway.

21. How to Write Covering Letter The basics of any covering letter are the same as any other important letter .

22. Just bear in mind the importance of this particular letter: if you get it right ,you might get a CV looked at that wouldn’t otherwise have been .If you get it wrong ,you may stop your excellent CV from being considered.

23. Include your name ,address and contact numbers Address personally

24. Follow instructions If an advertisement says write to a particular person ,do it .If it says quote a reference ,quote it in the title of your letter .Some organizations may have recruitment policies that disqualify anyone not following the instructions given ,so follow the instructions!

25. Choose a good title If there is a reference to be quoted ,use the job title and the reference.

26. Make it obvious Put the title in bold , underlining if it looks right .The recruiter may have several different vacancies and needs to see quickly which you are applying for .

27. Be professional Use good quality paper and neat typeface .If sending an e-mail application ,keep it businesslike.

28. Stick to the point The letter is to introduce the main thing-your CV .It should never be longer than one side of paper.

29. Avoid gimmicks Coloured paper ,fancy lettering ,gold signatures, etc. May all get you noticed, but for the wrong reasons. Remember the basics-white or cream paper only.

30. Write well Get help if necessary. Short words ,short sentences ,short paragraphs ,good English. Avoid jargon.

31. Refer to the CV After all ,the idea is to get them to read it.

32. For example Barry Wild, P.O. Box 317 Independence, IA 50644-0317 Phone: (319)334-2196. Date

33. Mr. Allan Bobby, Quality Director, Florida Diagnostics, 1 East Main Street County Courthouse Marshalltown, IA 50158-4915 Phone: (641)754-6330 Fax: (641)754-6321

34. Dear Mr. Allan Bobby, Please permit me to apply for the position of Quality Engineer, as advertised in the Marshalltown Globe on Monday, June 27th.

35. I worked as a Quality Engineer in the Medical Device Sector for a period of five years. I gained broad experience in the manufacture of cardiac products such as catheters and stents used in Angioplasty procedures.

36. Added to my experience, I have completed additional Quality Courses, which have benefited me greatly in terms of problem solving techniques. These coursed helped me to acquire knowledge on current FDA requirements.

37. I have enclosed my resume and will contact you within the next two days for an interview at a mutually convenient time. If you are in need of clarification on any information prior to that, please contact me at the above telephone numbers.

38. Thank you in advance, I look forward to meeting you soon. Sincerely, Barry Wild

39. Thank you