Writing Your Cover Letter Right

Writing your cover letter can be tricky. It's not a recital of your resume. But it has to sell a potential employer on your ability to do the job. It is your first, possibly your only chance, to make a positive impression on an employer. Making yourself stand out can be easier than you think. Simply follow the steps below:

Plan before you write

Before you type the first word, create an outline. You can start by simply listing what you want to include in your letter. The basics are covered, of course. Name and address information, greeting and closing.

But think about your work accomplishments. List each task you'veperformed or milestone you've reached on the job. Now, pick one that you can describe well. This particular accomplishment should also have some direct connection to the position you are interested in.

Write a bad first draft

I'll bet you are saying, "What?!" But no one writes perfect on the first try. Instead, give yourself permission to write a cover letter that sucks. This means not to worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar, or flow. Just get the information down in black and white (or whatever color you prefer).

Put it aside for 48 hours

Unless you are under a tight deadline, you can afford to put the letter away for at least two days. If you hand-wrote it, stick it in a drawer.

If it's on your computer, save it and close the file. DO NOT look at your letter during this two day break. In fact, go play. Watch a ball game. Mow your lawn. Sleep. Whatever. Just DO NOT look.

Edit ruthlessly

Uh-oh. Time to pull the paper out of the drawer. Or to open that computer file. It's time to edit. This is almost as scary as the original writing for some. It doesn't have to be. Take it a step at a time -

Figure out the flow. Put your sentences and paragraphs in logical order.
Fix your grammar. Read aloud to hear where you need to make changes.
Correct spelling errors. Use spell-check, but also do a manual check. Not all wrong words are misspelled.
Do one final review. This is to find any errors you missed.

Have many versions of your letter

It may seem overwhelming to create a new letter for each position. But, do not create a "form" and send it to every prospect. This is worse than bad writing on bright pink paper. Make the letters personal and let your personality come through.

That wasn't so hard, was it? Now that you are done, print the letter on the same nice paper you will use for your resume and sign it. What the heck is "nice paper"? Nice paper means better quality than standard copy paper. It should feel thicker and have a pleasing texture. When choosing stationery, it is best to stay with traditional colors. You should avoid overly bright or dark colors. These make type hard to read. And you definitely want that cover letter to get read.