Cover Letters and Thank You Letters

	COVER AND THANK YOU LETTERS - Page 1/6
A cover letter is a business like way to introduce your résumé or application form when applying for a job by mail and fax. A Thank You letter is a letter you send to interviewer after your interview, thanking him and reminding him again of what you are capable of along with those things which you forgot to mention in the interview. This letter MUST be sent within 24 hours after the interview.

Cover letter does the following:

	Introduces yourself and your résumé to a potential employer
	Explains to a potential employer why you are writing and what position you are seeking
	Summarizes your qualification
	Highlights your skills and/or experience

There are 3 types of Cover Letters

	Solicited - A response to a job ad
	Unsolicited - Cold contact letter
	Referral - Networking letter, using the name of a person the employer knows

Parts of a cover letter

It is one page in length and covers the following

Part 1

	Your name and complete address
	Employer's name, title, company name and complete address

Part 2 (Opening Paragraph)

	Position you are applying for, including a competition/file#
	Where you heard about the job opening/company

Part 3 (Second Paragraph)

	Highlights of your skills and education that are relevant to the position you are applying for (if an advertised position match what is in the job ad to your qualifications)
	How you will benefit that employer

Part 4 (Final Paragraph)

Request for an employment interview and how you will follow up, including your telephone number

Part 5 (Final Paragraph)

End your letter with a common statement like Sincerely, your name typed and your signature

COVER AND THANK YOU LETTERS