
What to Write in an Email when Sending a Resume in 2023
Learn how to email a resume the right way and start getting more job offers. See a proven resume email sample and learn how to write one yourself.
Learn what to include in a cover letter to get this job. See how to format a cover letter and which parts to include. Check best examples and hints.
Knowing what to include in a cover letter is crucial—
Why?
Because if you stuff your cover letter with wrong or irrelevant things, it will land in… the garbage can.
But—
After you read this guide, you’ll write a winning one which lands you that job interview.
In this article, you’ll learn:
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Are you staring at your blinking cursor on that empty, white page and slowly going blind?
I agree that writing a cover letter sounds tough.
But—
It becomes easy once you break it down into parts of a cover letter.
Here’s a winning cover letter outline:
Not hard at all, right?
As long as you know the best cover letter structure, the rest will be a cake walk.
In the upcoming chapters, you’ll learn how to write each of these cover letter sections.
You’ve put your address on a resume, so you know how to address cover letters, too, right?
No.
The heading area on a cover letter follows a few different rules.
Before we cover those guidelines for the address section, look at this example cover letter header area:
[Your First & Last Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Today’s Date / Date of Writing]
[Addressee’s Name]
[Addressee’s Professional Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
Here’s an explanation of this address template:
Even an informal cover letter is a formal letter, so it should follow the standard letter format. This means your contact info goes first, then the cover letter date, and then the main details of the company and the specific person you’re addressing.
Don’t have the name of a particular person when you’re sending the cover letter? Don’t worry, if you can’t find it anywhere, you can still address the cover letter without their name and job title.
Expert Hint: In resume writing, we recommended not adding your address. However, to follow professional cover letter formatting, you have to include it in a cover letter. Social links, on the other hand, you can leave off.
Like your profile statement, the resume summary statement or career objective statement, you have to make the cover letter intro compelling to not lose the recruiter’s interest.
Why?
If your cover letter hasn’t sold them, they likely won’t read your resume.
So, let’s sell them.
First, start with a simple cover letter greeting:
Dear Ms. Ruiz,
That salutation is how to begin a cover letter, and the introductory paragraph follows.
Ideal cover letter examples of introductory paragraphs come in a variety of forms, because there’s more than one way to catch a recruiter’s attention.
Here’s one take on writing a compelling intro paragraph:
As a yearslong client of 55 Finance, I’m still constantly amazed at all the things your bank does better than the others — from personalized help to an easy iPhone app. You can imagine my delight, when, the week after finishing my bachelor’s in accounting, I see that you have an opening for a new personal banker!
Expert Hint: Of all the best cover letter advice we give, the most important is to tailor the cover letter to the job description, as you did (hopefully) on your resume. Don’t send the same letter of application to 50 companies; you’ll only hurt yourself.
Start with a story, maybe, or lead with an interesting anecdote or impressive achievement. You could choose to be witty, charming, congratulatory, funny, or a mixture of these.
Part of making sure you catch the HR manager’s eye in your opening is to use their name. Likewise, use the company’s name in your writing, as well as your specific position sought, especially when writing an entry-level cover letter.
Do you want a job in marketing?
You won’t get it, if you phrase it like that.
Instead, say you are eager for the opportunity to join Acme Corp and prove yourself as their new junior marketing coordinator.
See the difference?
Our article on how to start a cover letter gives you great sample cover letter openings, and it will help you brainstorm your own path to a fascinating introduction paragraph. Also, if you don’t have a recipient’s name or don’t like the sound of dear so-and-so, it’ll assist you with that, too.
Expert Hint: Why is using a name important? Not only does it personalize it and speak directly to the recruiter addressed, but it also lets them know you didn’t just spam every business in the country with the same generic cover letter template.
As with your own squishy one, you’ve got to take care of your cover letter body.
With a great intro paragraph from the previous section, you have their attention from the onset.
Now—
Don’t let it go as you transition into the heart of this document.
Here’s what to include in the body of a cover letter:
Our guide on how to write a cover letter has great cover letter samples and actionable tips for you to get these paragraphs just right.
Expert Hint: How long should a cover letter be? 3 or 4 paragraphs is an ideal cover letter length, which should take up no more than three-quarters of a page, somewhere between 250 and 300 words.
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In your cover letter so far, you’ve written a killer introduction and used a few paragraphs to prove to them you're their best bet.
Time for a happy ending:
Write a cover letter closing which includes a call to action.
A good cover letter call to action confidently restates that you look forward to meeting with the hiring manager to further discuss how you can benefit the company as their future employee.
Here’s a sample cover letter ending statement:
I would gladly welcome the opportunity to review your near-term plans for the accounting department and demonstrate for you how my previous wins at EBT Bank can be replicated and improved at 55 Finance.
It’s brief and to-the-point, and should be no more than a two sentence-long paragraph.
Then, add just your complimentary close (also called a valediction) and your John Hancock:
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
And you’ve got a solid cover letter ready.
Expert Hint: To really tailor your cover letter to the company you’re applying to, find their “voice” by reading their website or blog and replicate it in your writing.
A postscript is an additional note or an incidental detail mentioned at the end of a letter.
It always draws the reader’s eye, even if they haven’t read the rest of the letter first.
Many people notice that P.S. first and start reading from there. So—
A postscript makes a great cover letter hack.
Just look at this:
P.S. I found you on LinkedIn to get your name to address this letter, and I found out you’re from Costa Rica, as am I! I know a place with delicious gallo pinto nearby, so perhaps we could discuss working at 55 Finance from there. What do you say?
Add a short, friendly statement like this, and your recruiter will definitely read the rest of your cover letter.
Expert Hint: Like your compelling cover letter beginning, you can use this postscript in a variety of ways—funny, enthusiastic, etc.—so long as it’s irresistible, sincere, and adjusted to the company’s “voice”.
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To sum up, a cover letter needs:
Get started writing your cover letter with these free resources:
Have any questions on what to put on a cover letter? Need some advice for any of the various cover letter sections? Wondering whether writing a cover letter is necessary? Write us a comment in the space below, and, as always, thanks for reading!
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