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 Resume Components Guidelines
 Cover Letter
- The cover letter, or letter of application, accompanies a resume that is mailed. You should customize your letter to each organization and match your skills, experience and personality traits to the advertised position.
- A cover letter may or may not be required for an online job posting, so it is best to adhere to application guidelines.
- A cover letter is NOT needed when handing your resume directly to an employer.
- Identify the name and title of the person to whom the letter should be addressed. For online postings, include the name of the contact person and/or title that are listed. For ads with no contact information, you should still attempt to identify the organization, if possible. Only address the letter to “Dear Hiring Manager ” if you are not able to find the necessary contact information.
- If the employer asks you to include “salary requirements” in the letter, always state your requirements in a range and that you are open to negotiation. You should research salary figures for the position and geographic area. If an employer asks you to include “salary history,” he or she is looking for consistency. Gaps or salary cuts should be explained in general terms.
- Your letter must be well written, free of errors, and grammatically correct. Do not over use the word "I".
- The letter should be one page in length and composed of three to four paragraphs. All margins are left justified.
- Read your letter out loud to ensure that your ideas flow, and to catch any awkward sentences or overuse of words or phrases.
- As a final check, bring your letter to the Career Services Center for review by a career counselor during drop-in counseling hours.
- Print your letter on quality paper, preferably the same paper as your resume.
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