WRITING A COVER LETTER
Contact Information
Name of company applying to, not your own contact information
Address of company applying to, use location specified in job posting
Company contact info left aligned at top of page
Insert space after company contact information then address interviewer
by name if possible
Body
Keep opening greeting brief and direct
State where you discovered job opening
Include why you’re applying to the position
Consider adding two or three targeted bullet points for emphasis
Body is brief, with two or three short paragraphs
Closing
Include professional send-off such as “Thank you for your time” or simply “Sincerely”
Include hand written signature in addition to typed name in closing
Include your current address after sign-off, matching address on resume
Format
Font is not below 10pt or exceeding 12pts
Line Spacing is not below single spaced or exceeding 1.5
Letter total length does not exceed one page
Margins and borders are standardized, matching those of attached
resume
No colors, word art, pictures or symbols
Double check for grammatical or spelling errors
EXAMPLE OF COVER LETTER FROM monster.com
[Date]
Hannah Jones
VP Purchasing
XYZ Company
15 Main St.
Sometown, MA 55555
Dear Ms. Jones:
As an accomplished purchasing specialist with extensive healthcare industry experience, I was very interested to learn about your purchasing specialist opening. I offer eight years of experience working for ABC Company, a national home healthcare company and a billion-dollar leader in the industry. As the company’s corporate purchasing specialist, I managed:
• Purchasing functions for 115 locations.
• 75 major contracts in areas including medications, supplies, equipment, furniture, uniforms, distribution and vending machines.
• A 15-member team of contractors, buyers, analysts and support staff.
Consistently recognized for outstanding performance, I saved ABC Company more than $5.3 million in 2007 alone. An expert in contract negotiations, vendor management and global sourcing, I repeatedly reduced expenditures, cost-of-sales (COS) and cost-of-goods (COG), as well as assisted with major system implementations of inventory, purchasing and tracking systems.
In 2011, ABC Company experienced a significant workforce reduction and my position was eliminated. Since then, I have remained active in the American Purchasing Society and completed courses in business ethics, contract law, the art of negotiation and supply chain management. I plan on sitting for the Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM) exam later this year.
I am confident that my ongoing studies combined with successful experience in the field will enable me to aggressively pursue cost-reduction opportunities and improve return on investment (ROI) for your company. If you agree that my skills and experience would benefit your operation, please call me at (555) 555-5555 or email someone@somedomain.com to arrange an interview. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
David Brentwood