And a cover letter can indeed be a powerful tool that introduces you and catches the attention of your potential employer, making them interested in learning more about you in your resume. Therefore, I would advice presenting your cover letter right there in the email itself.

Here is a quick guide for how to do that:

Preparing your cover letter: Open your cover letter in Word and take a look at it. Is it more than three paragraphs long? If so, edit it down by removing the most irrelevant information. While a printed cover letter may be perfectly suitable at five to six paragraphs, an “electronic” letter (one sent in an email) should be far shorter.  This is because people tend to skim over words on a computer screen and hiring managers are likely not to finish reading a long email. Once you get your cover letter to a suitable length, copy and paste it into a new email.

Introduction: Formal printed cover letters need a traditional business letter template, but email cover letters are acceptable with a simple “Dear Mr. Jacobs,” (or “Dear Sir or Madam,” if your contact is unknown).

Salutation: Resist the temptation to insert an electronic signature. Some email systems do not pick up HTML and your signature image will not go through, so your salutation will appear incomplete. Simply type your name followed by your contact information (phone number and email address). Note: If possible, avoid using your current company’s email; opt instead to use a personal email account.

Subject Field: Be sure your subject field is clear and succinct. A simple “David Andrews’ resume” will suffice. You may also choose to include the position to which you are applying or even the job posting number.

Attachments: DO NOT forget to attach your resume!!

In the digital age, applying for jobs electronically is a whole new – and more competitive – ball game. But, including your cover letter in the email itself makes the presentation of your resume more organized and more likely to get noticed.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

But that being said, not doing so can leave you in an interesting predicament. How do you personalize a cover letter if no contact information is provided?

This is where The Talent Buzz comes in. I was reading Is “To whom it may concern” the kiss of death? the other day and it’s a great resource for anyone who has run into this problem. The entire article offers tips and advice on what you can do to track down a contact name and what you should resort to if you are unsuccessful.

My favorite?

2. Call the company

If a job posting does not list a contact name, call the company. Yes, it really is that simple. Call the main number listed for the company and ask for the name of its corporate recruiter or hiring manager. Or, call and say you were wondering who manages the position to which you’re applying. That way, your materials get sent directly to the person who needs to see them.

This is a great read for anyone currently looking for work.

Enjoy!

As you can see, it’s a real eye catcher. It gives the reader a clear and concise look at why the applicant deserves the job.

Have you ever tried something like this? If you have, I’d be interested to hear how it worked!

In my opinion, this really shows how you can use different media to stand out from the crowd.

Animated Cover Letter! from Shea Richardson on Vimeo.

I have a huge soft spot for animation. I love it. The best part was the “help from experienced animators” bit. It really shows a willingness to learn and develop, a trait that is invaluable to employers.

What do you think?

Here are a few quick points to help improve your cover letters:

• Be specific: There is nothing more putting-off than a generic cover letter, which is used to apply to all positions. Put in the time/effort to make your cover letter as relevant/specific for the job you are applying to. It will be noticed and I can assure you that it is a breath of fresh air for a recruiter

• Use a good headline: The headline needs to catch the recruiter’s attention. Stay clear of the usual/boring/much-overused headlines such as – “Telecom Engineer – Resume Attached” or “CV Client Service Representative, 5.2 years experience”. How about something like “Award Winning Client Service Professional, Interested in Account Manager position”

• Highlight relevant experience/achievements: You need to know what the requirements for the position are and mention relevant experience – “Handled maximum number of MNC client accounts amongst peers and increased client satisfaction by X%”

• State what you want: Especially if you are sending in a general application (i.e. not for a specific/advertised post), make sure you tell the person what you want. Is it an interview with that person, forwarding your application to the relevant people, a phone call to discuss further and so on.

So spend some time behind your cover letters and you should see the results soon.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

According to the article, in a 2-column cover letter you…

…quote in the left-hand column specific qualifications that come right from the employer’s want ad and in the right-hand column, your attributes that meet those qualifications

I’ve never heard of this being used, but I can see that it may be a very useful technique. It would certainly present a compelling image to the employer or recruiter.

Has anyone tried this? If so, did it increase your success rate?

See here.

Does it work? I’d love to hear from someone who has tried this!

Please accept my resume for consideration of the (XYZ) position within your organization.

She goes on to suggest some alternatives based on the industry you wish to work in.

I think that this is great advice. Any time you can move away from an established norm, while staying within accepted job search boundaries increases your odds of standing out.

Do you have any cover letter intros that work for you? If so, feel free to share on the comment boards!

I’ve read the whole thing a couple of times, and of all of the advice, the following really rings true with me:

Set your materials aside for at least 24 hours.

It is vital to step away from your work after completing it, especially if you are proofreading it yourself. This will provide the distance you need to be totally objective when reviewing it.

Lots of other good advice here. See Don’t Kill Your Resume With Dumb Errors.

Normally when I talk about writing cover letters and resumes, I like to harp on the fact that you need to stand out from the crowd. This, in my opinion, is an absolute must.

But at a higher level, it is important to understand that beyond just standing out from the crowd, sending generalized cover letters is no longer an option. Enough intelligent people are writing personalized cover letters to ensure that your generalized one will be immediately ignored.

Make sure you take some time to explore this article on how to craft a personalized cover letter. It will go a long way towards helping to land an interview.