Cover letters and Online Resumes

Cover Letters-

• effective cover letters attract an employer's attention by highlighting the most attractive features of the product, like an advertisement
• Format- arrangement comes across as credibility
• 2 styles- business or personal
• In a business style cover letter, all the elements begin at the left margin
• Include: return address, write out date, inside address, salutation , 3 or 4 paragraphs are ideal, enclosure line is unnecessary
• use standard paper size
• use matching paper and envelopes for resume and cover letter
• handwritten letters are not acceptable
• Personalize each letter, know the name of the head of the department that you are interested in
• be sure its clear you know something about the company you are applying to
• keep the writing style clear and persuasive
• sound confident 
• use concrete examples of your achievements
• avoid catchphrases 
• if applying to an out-of-state firm, indicate a willingness to relocate
• DON'T include cliches, unrelated career goals, wasted space, innappropriate stationery, amusing anecdotes, desperation, photos
• don't misrepresent yourself
• using the first person is preferable
• don't forget to sign your name
• RESPONDING TO A BLIND ADVERTISEMENT- they do not list employer information, your cover letter should define your knowledge of the industry; tailor your letter to any information given
• Resume on the internet:
• have a scannable version
• a plain-text version to keep on disk
• an email version- formatted
• send resume in body of email message, not as an attachment- the recruiter would have to find it and open it before he could read it
• use the advertised job title in the subject line
• when formatting, delete page numbers, use all capital letters for special emphasis, replace bullet points with a standard keyboard symbol
• limit line lengths
• protect yourself on line