What are the dos and donts of an application letter?

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Cover letters can be the deciding factor between getting called for an interview or being passed up for another candidate who submitted something better. To make sure your cover letter helps you land the interview, keep these do's and don’ts in mind when you're writing:

• Do create a personalized cover letter for every company and position.
• Do take the time to find out the hiring manager's name, and open the letter with a proper greeting.
• Do identify the position you're applying for, including the job code or reference number (if there is one).
• Do maintain a confident, enthusiastic tone.
• Do proofread repeatedly (typos and grammatical mistakes are a huge turn-off)!
• Do ask someone you trust to critique and proofread your cover letter.
• Do end with a statement of intent (e.g., I will be in touch on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of an interview).
• Don't go beyond one page. In most cases, three or four paragraphs are enough to tell your story.
• Don't try to be cute. Humor is subjective; it can make you seem unprofessional rather than personable.
• Don't resort to cliches, exaggerations, or false flattery.
• Don’t assume spell-check will catch all errors!
• Don't simply repeat claims you made in your resume. Instead, highlight the most impressive accomplishments from your resume and describe the story behind them.
• Don't forget to change the recipient's name and company name for each cover letter you write!

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• Don’t ever send your resume without a cover letter.
• Do address your letter to the appropriate person (e.g. the hiring manager).
• Do send an original letter to each employer.
• Don’t use clichés such as “Enclosed please find my resume” or “As you can see on my resume.”
• Don’t depend on the employer to take action. Request action. Request an interview and tell the employer when you will follow up to arrange it. Then make sure you follow up.
• Don’t have any typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar or punctuation.
• Do keep the cover letter brief—one page maximum.
• Do tell the employer how you can be of benefit to the company.
• Don’t rehash your resume. Use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the position.
• Do avoid the three most common cover letter mistakes:
     Not addressing the letter to a named individual
     Not asking for an interview
     Not talking about what you can do for the employer
• Do use Action Verbs
• Don’t forget to personally sign the letter (if mailing the letter).
• Do use emailed cover letters—keep them shorter and more concise.
• Do contact Career Services for assistance in writing your cover letter.
   

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