4 Tips for a Great Cover Letter

The biggest problem with cover letters is that you want to be sure to keep them short. Keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers are busy professionals who don't have the time to read long cover letters for each application they receive. With this in mind, keep your cover letter no longer than one page. This makes it crucial that you keep your cover letter short and to the point.

How can you get all of the information in such a small space?

It's really not that hard, if you keep these 4 tips in mind.

• Chose your layout wisely- Be sure to double space between paragraphs and keep you layout clean and neat to keep it easy on the eyes. Sometimes it helps to make your margins a little bit wider that you would normally in order to make it easier for the reader to follow.

• Keep your letter down to three paragraphs- Using this format allows you to make the first paragraph and introduction about you and why you want to apply for the position. The second paragraph should explain why you think that you are a perfect fit for the job and reference job experience, education and specific skills you have that the employer needs. The third paragraph is where you can ask for an interview and thank the employer for their time.

• Keep it simple- This isn't the place to list all of your job experience or to write your autobiography. Try to keep each paragraph down to three or four well written sentences that maximize the information while still keeping it brief.

• Proofread, then proofread again- Don't be afraid to use spell check and grammar check. These tools are there for a reason and can help you fix many mistakes, but don't rely on them for everything. You will want to read over it a few times to be sure that you have used proper punctuation and word usage, but even more, you want to be sure that each sentence expresses your point. During the proofreading portion, I often find a sentence or two that doesn't seem to work just right, and this is the perfect time to polish it up.

So, that's it. You should be all done with the perfect cover letter and ready to send it off with your resume. It really isn't nearly as hard of a job as it seems, just keep in mind that you want to be sure to keep your cover letter short, to the point and to be sure that you are making each letter specific to each job that you apply for. So get to work and start knocking them out with your great cover letter.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.