Create A+ Cover Letters By Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark

Writing cover letters can be one of the most difficult tasks in your job search. They must be individually written to have the most impact and generate the most response.

Cover letters are "situation-dependent." Letters sent in response to an ad or to a recruiter in your industry whom you've never met, for example, will be very different. E-mail letters also require special treatment.  The circumstances dictate the strategy you adopt in crafting the letter and the information you include.

Here are three common types of cover letters:

Ad-Response Letter to a Company

Writing letters in response to specific job advertisements is a staple of many job-search campaigns. When you see a job posting that matches your qualifications, you'll want to respond quickly with a resume and cover letter. But these cover letters are best written individually so that you can highlight how your experience and qualifications match the specific requirements for the job. So, instead of just sending a standard cover letter from your files, you'll need to write a separate letter each time, which can be rather time-consuming. Getting out that quick resume and cover letter isn't so quick.

Don't panic. There are ways to make the process easier. You can prepare in advance a bulleted list of your experience, positions, achievements, educational credentials and more. For each letter you send, choose among these items the ones that directly match the hiring company's needs.

This type of cover letter is easier to write than a paragraph-style letter because each sentence doesn't need to flow with the next. What's more, these letters are simple to edit, so you can change an item or two and quickly create multiple versions of your letter within minutes.

Be sure to reference the position title or number when writing an ad-response letter. You can do this best in one of three ways:

1. Include a "position-reference line" at the beginning of your cover letter. Type this between the inside address and the salutation. For example:

   i. Mr. Harry Jones
   President
   ABC Manufacturing Company
   123 Main Street
   Elm, WI 39393

   ii. RE: Purchasing Manager Position -- Posting #34837-12

   iii. Dear Mr. Jones:

2. Reference the position in the last paragraph of your cover letter with text such as "I would welcome the opportunity to interview for the position of Purchasing Manager (#34837-12) and look forward to speaking with you." With this approach, however, you run the risk of not capturing the reader's attention immediately by appealing to the advertised need.

3. Reference the position in the first sentence of your cover letter with a sentence such as "I am writing in response to your advertisement for a Purchasing Manager (#34837-12)." This is a less preferable way of referencing the position, however, because cover letters should start with a more dynamic and positive introduction.

Characteristics

Company ad-response letters are characterized by the following:

• A targeted nature: Because these letters are written directly in response to known hiring criteria and requirements, they closely target a specific position.

• Bullet style. Your objective when writing in response to an advertisement is to quickly and easily bring your qualifications to the forefront as they directly related to the position requirements. Using bullet points is the easiest and cleanest way to accomplish this.

• Comparison-list style. You might choose to use the direct-comparison style in responding to ads, however remember that this is effective only if you meet or exceed every single one of the stated requirements.

Cold-Call Letter to a Recruiter

Cold-call letters involve writing to a recruiting firm to introduce yourself and explore your potential fit for current search assignments.

For these letters, it's critical to quickly identify who you are, what value you bring to the company, and what type of positions you are interested in. No one is going to take the time to read between the lines and make assumptions. Spell it out.

These letters will be very similar to writing cold-call letters to companies. But unlike when writing to companies, letters to recruiters should disclose your job preferences, such as the your preferred type of position, company and geographic location. For example, if you're willing to consider only management opportunities, share that information with the recruiter. Be as specific as you can, and don't waste anyone's time -- yours or the recruiter's.

It's also critical to provide a recruiter with information about the level of salary or type of compensation you're seeking. You can do this in several different ways, generally in the last paragraph of your cover letter. The most common strategies for disclosing this information without giving away too much information include the following:

• "Most recently, my salary has averaged $100,000 annually." This is the best strategy if your salary has varied over the years.

• "My current salary objectives are in the $100,000 to $150,000 range." This clearly defines the range without stating a specific figure. If you state a specific number, it can potentially work to your disadvantage -- either by taking you out of consideration because your expectations are too high, or short-changing you with a salary that is lower than the company had expected to pay. And don't assume that a low figure will make you an attractive candidate. Both the recruiter and the company might assume that you lack the level of experience they're seeking.

• "My salary requirements are negotiable and can be discussed at the time of an interview." This is a less preferable option because you haven't disclosed any information. Use this type of response only when, for whatever reason, you don't want to provide any details.

Characteristics

Cold-call letters to recruiters are uniquely characterized by the following:

• Disclosure of job, company and geographic preferences. Lay your cards on the table and be specific about your job preferences.

• Disclosure of salary and compensation information. Unlike cold-call letters to companies, where you should never discuss compensation, it's a good policy to at least "define the ballpark" when writing to a recruiter.

E-Mail Letter

When writing an electronic cover letter, you're usually writing in response to an advertisement on the Internet or in a print publication, in which you've been instructed to respond via e-mail. You need to present your experience as it pertains to each and every one of the requirements outlined in the advertisement.

The strategy in writing an e-mail cover letter is the same as the one you'd use for an ad-response letter. However, several issues differentiate an e-mail cover letter and make it unique.

Firstly, e-mail cover letters should be more brief than traditional letters printed on paper. Recruiters don't want to read lengthy e-mail messages, so keep your letters short and on target. Your challenge is to write a letter that meets all of the criteria -- defining who you are, highlighting your achievements and qualifications, clearly communicating your value, identifying the type of position you're seeking, and asking for an interview. The distinction between including this information in an e-mail message versus a printed letter is that you need to use less space and fewer words.

Include a meaningful and informative subject line. Use the subject line of your cover letter to communicate why you're writing and a key point or two about your background. Use abbreviations if you can't fit more into this brief space. Never send an e-mail cover letter with a blank subject line or a generic "resume" subject. Let your readers know why you're writing so that they'll be motivated to open your e-mail.

In their visual presentation, e-mail letters are "plain Jane." You don't need to be concerned about their appearance. Simply type them in the normal default font of your e-mail program. Although you can include different types of fonts and colorful backgrounds, it's wise to keep these letters as simple and straightforward as possible. In fact, all caps is the only font enhancement guaranteed to come through in an e-mail message. Even if your e-mail program lets you use bold and italic formatting, the recipients may not be able to see it. Recruiters don't evaluate the quality and feel of an e-mail.

But do make certain to spell-check and proofread your e-mail, just as you would a print cover letter. Typos and misspellings are no more acceptable online than they are on paper.

Characteristics

E-mail cover letters are characterized by the following:

• Brevity. E-mail cover letters are short and succinct, but long enough to include the top two or three most significant selling points of your career, experience, qualifications and credentials. Although you want to keep these letters brief, you don't want to totally eliminate all substance.

• Ease of readability. Because you'll type these letters as e-mail messages (usually with your resumes as an attachment or as part of that same message), their presentation is plain, easy to read and quick to review.

• A meaningful subject line. Use the subject line of your cover letter to communication why you're writing and an important point about your background. Feel free to use abbreviations so that you can fit more into this brief space. Never send an e-mail cover letter with a blank subject line or a generic "resume" subject. Let your readers know why you're writing so that they'll be motivated to open your e-mail.

Your cover letter is an employer's first impression of you. Too many job seekers make the critical error of ignoring the importance of a well-written cover letter. If your cover letter is skimpy, sloppy or boring, your resume could go straight into the trash. Don't let this happen to you.

-- Ms. Enelow and Ms. Kursmark are co-authors of "Cover Letter Magic, Second Edition" (Jist Works, 2004), from which this article has been excerpted.