Technical Tips On Cover Letters

MyFox Job Shop - You've heard what you should be adding into your cover letter - now learn what to do with it before you hit that print button, courtesy of the Michigan Civil Service Commission.

• Always mail a cover letter with your résumé.
• Address the letter to the contact person or to the Human Resources Director.
• Use standard business letter format on paper that matches your résumé.
• Use white or off-white 8-1/2- x 11-inch paper.
• Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.
• Use non-decorative typefaces.
• Choose one typeface and stick to it.
• Cover letters should be individually typed and signed.
• Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer.
• Minimize jargon, abbreviations, and contractions and be concise.
• Check your letter for errors and grammatical correctness.
• Print on one side of the paper.
• When sending a résumé via email, include your cover letter in the body of the email or (depending upon the employer’s instructions) send it with your résumé as an attachment.