Cover Letter Outline (Page 7 of 8) in pdf

Cover Letter Outline Page 7

E-Mail Cover Letters

Your e-mail cover letter will follow the same protocol as the print version. When

e-mailing a potential employer the e-mail is your cover letter, you do not have to attach

a separate document. Here are more e-mail specific tips for writing your electronic

cover letter:

 Do NOT waste your subject line of the e-mail. Never leave it blank. The purpose of

this line is to attract the reader and tempt them to open your message. For example,

reference the position title in the subject line.

 In the cover letter, make sure that you indicate if your resume is attached or if it can be

seen below the cover letter. Remember that employers will be wary of opening

attachments, so including a plain-text version of your resume after your cover letter

is usually a good idea.

 When formatting your e-mail cover letter, use left justification for your margins. Avoid

indents and place a space between each paragraph. Avoid using emoticons,

abbreviations, wild colors, and other distracting and unprofessional items. Many e-

mail systems cannot handle text enhancements like bolding,bulleting, or underlining,

so play it safe by using spaces and dashes -- if you feel emphasis is needed.

 Be concise. Remember that reading e-mail on the screen is often harder than reading

printed communications.

 Don’t forget to check your cover letter for spelling errors, style, and content before

pressing the “send” button.

Cover Letter Outline Page 7