Guidelines for job search correspondence

You are here: Career Services > Job & internship search guide > Correspondence index > Guidelines for job search correspondence: hard copy & e-mail | cover letters and other types

Hard-copy & e-mail | cover letters and other types of correspondence

Written communication — whether hard copy or e-mail — serves many purposes in a job search. In a thorough job search, you will write many types of letters.  Cover letters, which accompany and introduce your resume (so called because you place it on top of, and thus cover, your resume), are the ones you may hear about most (and NEVER send a resume without one), but are not the only letters you will need.  Letters also precede, follow-up and confirm verbal conversations, so they serve as a record and reminder of interactions, as well as evidence of your communication skills.

Do I have to send a cover letter with my resume?

Yes.

What's your goal in sending your resume? Isn't it to get into the "yes" pile (rather than the "no" or "maybe" piles) when the employer is sorting resumes to decide whom to interview? A well-written cover letter is an important tool for getting into the "yes" pile.

It's just good manners and appropriate business etiquette to include a cover letter with your resume. It's perceived as lazy and/or ill-informed not to (or to send one that looks like it could have been "shot-gunned" to anyone, or worse, addressed to the wrong person or office).

A resume is a summary of your background and qualifications. A cover letter explains why you're sending your resume. A resume alone is insufficient.

But what if I'm sending my resume to my friend/relative/employer who knows me and is going to pass it on to someone else?

Include a brief cover letter thanking your friend, relative or employer for her/his kindness and assistance in passing your resume along, and remind her/him of your goal (job, internship, co-op, etc.) and career interest. Your friend might pass on your letter or e-mail to his/her contact who can then see your writing style, focus, and professionalism.

What if I'm handing my resume to someone in person, as at a career fair?

Generally, no cover letter is used in person, because you are (or should be!) exhibiting your in-person communication skills. You could send a letter/e-mail afterward expressing your thanks for the person's time in speaking with you (and following any other instructions the employer may have given you). Obviously if an employer specifically asks you to hand-deliver a cover letter with your resume, then follow the instructions the employer has given you.

For all business correspondence, including e-mail:

Individualize:
There are similar elements to job search letters, but each letter should be individually tailored and targeted to the recipient. There is no such thing as an effective "form letter" in a job search. You know when you get a form letter in the mail; a prospective employer knows too. A letter that looks like it could have been randomly sent to any employer is a good candidate for the employer's "no" pile.

Make your purpose clear:
Don't make an employer guess why you are writing or what you are writing about. In choosing your words, think about the purpose of your letter and details of your individual circumstances. For example, if you make a telephone call to an employer prior to sending a cover letter, it makes sense for your letter to refer to the telephone call. If you must respond to an employer's letter to you, read the letter carefully to draft an appropriate response.

Tell the employer what you'll do for the organization, not what the organization can do for you.

Saying, "I really want this job because it will give me great experience," is not a sell to an employer. Of course the job will give you (or someone else) great experience. It just makes you sound all about me-me-me. Instead, tell the employer what you have to offer. Be specific and realistic; as in, "I have great organizational skills that I developed and demonstrated when I was event chair for my club." Don't use hyperbole; as in, "I will immediately contribute to higher profitability on my first day on the job."

Edit:
Grammar, spelling and punctuation should be error-free; wording should be clear, concise and business-like; avoid gimmicky language and slang terms.

Don't rely on spellcheck alone:

Spellcheck won't let you know that you've used manger instead of manager, pubic instead of public, perspective instead of prospective, and so on. (All mistakes we've seen plenty of times.)

Be yourself:
Be your formal, business-like self, but express yourself in a manner that is natural to you. Avoid too much borrowing of language from sample letters and friends' letters. Excessively flowery language or using complicated words won't make you sound smarter; it will make you sound silly. Use good examples as inspiration, but don't copy.

Record-keeping:
Retain a copy of every letter you send, including e-mail; mark your calendar for any appropriate follow-up.

For print (hard copy) correspondence:

Paper:
Use 8.5 by 11 inch, good quality paper; preferably the same paper as used for your resume. Choose paper which produces clean photocopies. Some papers with flecks make hazy copies.

Do I really need special resume paper?
It's a nice touch, if you've done everything else right. But it's not the most important thing. Nice paper isn't going to get you an interview if your content is weak or your document has typos. If you're going to meet employers at a career fair, they would rather see that you have done your research about the organization in advance, and that you can give a succient introduction of yourself and why the organization interests you. Nice paper won't overcome a weak introduction like, "hi, what does your company do?"

Print:
Produce laser quality print; choose a proportionally spaced font, rather than an evenly spaced font. You may choose either serif type (like Times New Roman) or sans serif type (like Arial).

Folding vs. large envelopes:
A one-page cover letter and a one-page resume (appropriate for 98.6% of undergraduates) can be folded, but it's a nice touch to use a larger flat envelope so your letter and resume don't have to be folded. By all means, if you're sending other things the employer requested (transcripts, application forms, etc.) and/or you're a Ph.D. candidate with a multi-page C.V., don't try to cram it all into a small envelope.

Correspondence topics:

1. Guidelines for correspondence in your job search
2. E-mail guidelines and business etiquette
3. Researching employers — why and how
4. Cover letter types and samples
5. After your interviews | thank you & follow up letters
6. Acknowledging a job offer
7. Declining a job offer
8. Requesting extension of deadline to accept/decline offer
9. Accepting an offer and withdrawing from the job search