A resume should always be submitted to an employer with a cover letter. Most job seekers have heard this, but many neglect the importance of writing a custom-crafted cover letter for every job to which they apply and each informational interview they request.

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A recent study by ResumeGo revealed that job applications that feature a custom-tailored cover letter stand a 50% better chance for an interview than those that feature no cover letter or a generic one. Here's how to write an effective cover letter to boost your chances at landing the job.

What Is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a written document that typically accompanies your resume and any other application materials when you apply for a job. The cover letter doesn't just repeat what's on your resume. While some elements may be repeated, each letter should be written individually and tailored to the needs of the company.

A cover letter builds and explains the details of your work history and outlines why your previous experience will help you succeed at the job. Resumes catalog fact while cover letters deliver context, fit and persuasion. It provides the job applicant with the opportunity to present his or her personality and experience before the resume is even scanned.

An effective cover letter will include key components and avoid the pitfalls that sabotage an otherwise high-quality application.

This is a basic cover letter outline, along with additional tips to master writing it:

Addressing the cover letter.

Introduction.

Body.

Conclusion.

How long should a cover letter be?

What to know when looking for cover letter samples.

Pitfalls to avoid.

Addressing the Cover Letter

Sorry, folks. Kicking off your cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern" is outdated and may make you sound totally out of touch, experts say. It also may make your cover letter sound like a form letter that you've sent to dozens of hiring managers, says Dawn Fay, senior district president for Robert Half, which staffs workers in the finance, accounting, technology, legal, creative and administrative professions.

Starting with "To Whom It May Concern" makes your cover letter look like it wasn't tailored to the specific job description and hiring manager.

Not only does the phrase come off as old-fashioned, it also shows that you haven't done the appropriate legwork and research to determine to whom you should address your letter. Instead of starting with that five-word cover letter cliche, make an effort to find out who will be reading your cover letter and use his or her name in your formal greeting.

Having the name of the hiring manager or department head will make your letter pop from the first word. Ideally, you were referred by a professional contact who can tell you to whom to address the cover letter, says Alexandra Levit, co-author of "Mom.B.A.: Essential Business Advice from One Generation to the Next."

"I don't believe in blind cover letters," she says.

But if you're not sure what name to use, look at the job posting. Does it tell you to send all application documents to Mr. X or Ms. Y? If you're working with a recruiter, he or she should be able to demystify the name of your contact at the organization. You may also be able to do some online sleuthing on the company's website or a business networking site such as LinkedIn to locate the name of the hiring manager. Even if the manager won't be the first person to open your email, it'll make it look like you did your homework and customized your cover letter for that specific job.



Alternatives for 'To Whom It May Concern'

Don't know how to address your cover letter? Here are a few alternatives for "To Whom It May Concern," according to former U.S. News On Careers contributor Vicki Salemi.

Dear (hiring manager's name)

Dear (recruiting manager's name)

Dear Recruiting Department

Dear (name of department you're looking to work in)

Dear (name of referral)

"Whichever way you decide to spice it up, please don’t be that guy or gal who makes the ultimate faux pas: 'Dear Sirs,'" Salemi writes.

While these alternatives come off as less stilted than "To Whom It May Concern," Levit still cautions against using phrases such as "Dear Hiring Committee" or "Dear Hiring Panel."

"You're not going to get to the top of the pile that way," she says. At the end of the day, while personalizing the greeting in your letter is a great way to make it stand out, it's probably not going to make or break your application, so go with what sounds appropriate and makes you feel comfortable.

Introduction: Grab Attention

Like the beginning of a song, story or video, a great hook at the beginning will grab the reader's attention and compel them to read more. The opening sentence of the first paragraph is your opportunity to make a high impact entry. After beginning with a salutation, the applicant should seek to make a splash. A few examples:

"Achievement as a sales professional is a function of hard work, preparation and skill. As a ..."

"The best nurses balance the science of the head with the compassion of the heart."

"In the field of civil engineering, getting the science right the first time saves lives, builds trust and preserves budgets."

A key prerequisite of a great first line is knowing what the employer truly seeks. This may or may not be evident from the job posting itself, but from careful research and networking, you should know what constitutes the "real job description" in order to tailor the hook to the reader's needs.

Body: State Your Case

Since cover letters are typically restricted to one page, the center paragraph must be carefully written to highlight two or three of the best reasons why the job seeker is a fit for the position. Heed the old high school English teacher's advice to "show rather than tell." Include relevant metrics and measurements. For example:

"In five years as a labor and delivery nurse at General Hospital, I was ranked in the top 10% of all registered nurses in quarterly evaluations and was chosen as the nurse of the year twice."

"I converted the company's laggard sale territory to the top three within six months of my accession to the role of regional sales manager."

"In the four major projects I have managed since joining XYZ, I have delivered each under budget with top client satisfaction scores."

Don't just list jobs. Your resume already does that. Highlight your best accomplishments and skills that help rhetorically prove the question: "Why should I interview you over all the other applicants I have to choose from?"

Conclusion: Call to Action

Basic salesmanship training encourages the salesperson to "ask for the sale." Since the cover letter is a sales document, it needs a call to action that does just that. Be sure to offer a summary sentence or two of your job fit thesis and describe what will happen next. Especially in sales and marketing roles, it is important to offer a follow-up action on your part if possible. Examples include:

"I offer the work ethic, experience and resiliency necessary to excel at XYZ Company. I will reach out to you during the week of March 7 if I do not hear from you before."

"The successful applicant for this position will provide the scientific knowledge, research experience and team orientation that characterizes the ABC Institute. If I do not hear from you or a member of your team before, April 10, I will contact your office."

Another sales technique is the presumptive close. A job applicant can display confidence and professionalism with a final line like: "I look forward to meeting you in person to discuss our mutual fit in more detail."

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Brevity is key when it comes to writing a good cover letter, experts say. "You need to keep them short and sweet," Fay says. The job post might give you a word count or ask that you limit the cover letter to one page. If you don't have any hints from, say, the job posting on how long it should be, opt to keep it short. "You want to whet their appetite," Levit says.

What to Know When Looking for Cover Letter Samples

There are tons of places to search for cover letter examples online. "It's an easy Google search," Levit says.

For example, you'll find dozens of examples on job search sites and on university career center websites, among other places. But don't just stop at the generic cover letter template, experts say. Make sure to customize your search by including your industry, Levit says. Different employment fields have varying customs when it comes to the style and substance of a cover letter, and you want to ensure that you're adhering to industry norms and common practices when penning your letter. After all, a cover letter from, say, a computer engineer should look very different from one coming from a journalist.

Pitfalls to Avoid

It should go without saying that a cover letter should be well written and free of errors of grammar, spelling or word meaning. The letter must also be customized for the opportunity for which the applicant is applying. A reader who is paying even cursory attention will be able to discern when the same text is being used for multiple communications. Likewise, a good cover letter will avoid information that is irrelevant, jargon-heavy or otherwise inappropriate.

Finally, choose a font and format that is professional and appropriate to the industry and company culture on offer.