Sample Cover Letters Basics

Sample cover letters provide a strong foundation for career success

By Kristen McClung
In today's competitive job market, a professional cover letter for a resume can make or break your future career success. Most job candidates will be chosen or rejected for an interview based solely on the quality of their resume and cover letter. Before spending hours laboring over your cover letter, check out the myriad of cover letter templates available.

Cover letter examples are excellent resources for today's savvy job candidates. While there are many different types of sample cover letter websites available showcasing thousands of sample resumes and cover letters, it is important to follow some basic rules for cover letters. Before you customize a cover letter example, keep in mind these sample cover letters basics:

1. Look for attractive, easy to read samples of quality cover letters with designs that invite reader interest.

2. Select an effective sample resume and cover letter that accurately reflects your industry and job market.

3. Customize cover letter templates with action verbs and powerful sentences that highlight your skills, talents and abilities.

 

Choose a visually appealing and professional resume cover letter

Your cover letter should reflect your personal style -- whether traditional and elegant or contemporary and edgy -- and match the style of your resume. Sample cover letter services providers offer an assortment of attractive sample cover letter designs and formats to simplify your cover letter preparation. Be sure to use quality paper and an easy to read font; and for professional results, print your cover letter using a laser printer.
Try: Get tips for formatting and designing your cover letter at SoYouWanna.com. Choose from several attractive sample cover letter designs at Distinctive Career Services. Get advice for developing a professional cover letter design at MBA Depot.

Select a cover letter example that is appropriate to your career and industry

A great advantage to utilizing the services of sample cover letter providers is access to industry-specific samples of quality cover letters. For best results, look for cover letters that best reflect your industry and career. Industry focused cover letter examples will include helpful phrases, descriptions and terms relevant to your career field.
Try: Utilize sample cover letters for a variety of career fields, including technology, marketing, administration, management, customer service, education, accounting, engineering and military at Resume-Resource. Download sample cover letters sorted by industry at WorkBloom.com. ResumeApple offers customized resume and cover letter packages in more than 60 career specialties.

Tailor a sample of a quality cover letter to showcase your talents, skills and abilities

While the design of a cover letter is important, content is the key to getting an interview. When writing your cover letter, use action verbs and specific, descriptive nouns. Describe your career accomplishments -- not just your job responsibilities -- and use numbers to define success whenever possible.
Try: Get valuable writing tips and information about cover letters at MSN Careers. Learn the key to writing effective cover letters that stand out from the rest at Resume-Help.org. Access a list of action verbs helpful for business communications, as well as quick tips for cover letters at The Owl at Purdue.

 

  • Sample cover letters usually fall into two categories: letter of application or letter of inquiry. A letter of application is written in response to an advertised or specific job opening. A letter of inquiry is written to express interest in prospective or future job openings at a business to let the company human resources personnel know you are interested in working for their company.