HTML Preview Financial Accountant Resume Cover Letter page number 1.
1
The Cover Letter
Once your resume (c.v.) is ready to be sent to prospective employers, you will need to write a
cover letter to complete your “sales presentation.” You should never send a resume without a
cover letter. The cover letter is NOT intended to land you a job; that is the purpose of the
interview.
A cover letter gives you the opportunity to:
position yourself more precisely than you can in the resume alone
write about specifics (relevant experience you have had, projects you have worked on, why
you are interested in the position, etc.)
direct the reader’s attention to your strong points
stimulate the interest of a prospective employer
persuade him or her to grant you an interview
The Cover Letter in English
Before you begin writing:
Try to identify the name of the person to whom the letter should be addressed (not “To whom
it may concern” or “Dear Personnel Director” if you can avoid it). Ideally you should be
sending it directly to the person who has the power to hire you.
Plan how you will tailor the letter to the particular position/employer you are contacting. Select
certain experiences, achievements or abilities to highlight which are relevant to the
position/company. If you are answering an ad, make sure your letter focuses on each of the
requirements mentioned and how you fulfill them. Don’t be afraid to make this information
stand out by putting it in bold print!
Format and appearance:
always typed
neat and well-organized
one page in length
use same paper as resume (good quality unlined bond paper)
Presentation Dos and Don’ts:
DO...
be professional and concise
focus on what’s most relevant to the potential employer
highlight your accomplishments and direct your reader to your strong points
suggest why you and the company would make a good match
begin and end your letter on a positive note; indicate how interested you are at the prospect
of working for the company
proofread each letter (and have a friend proofread it too!)
DON’T...
come across as arrogant or attempt humor
use clichés (e.g “I like to work with people” or “I am looking for a challenge”)