Get to know the three standard cover letter formats to decide which one will work best for your current job search.
Paragraph style
Comparison-list style
Bullet style
The Paragraph style cover letter is a traditionally formatted cover letter consisting of three paragraphs answering what job you are applying for, why and how the employer can follow-up with you. This type of cover letter:
Is the most popular and recognizable type
Communicates a story to the employer
The Comparison-list style cover letter is a direct and assertive format which allows you to clearly show the employer why you meet the qualifications for the job. This type of cover letter:
Easier to write
Highlights your skills, capabilities and accomplishments in comparison to the job description
Most appropriate when you meet most, if not all, of the job requirements
The Bullet style cover letter is a hybrid of the paragraph and comparison-list styles. This style allows you to open and close with paragraphs but highlight your skills with bullets:
Mixes paragraph #1 and #3 from the Paragraph style cover letter with a bulleted list of your strengths from the Bullet style cover letter
Easy to edit for future use
The last tip in cover letter writing is when you are e-mailing your resume to an individual, place your cover letter as the e-mail text. If the employer reads your cover letter first, they will be more interested in your resume. Quite often when people attach their cover letter and resume separately, an employer goes directly to the resume and misses the important information in your cover letter. And sometimes if the employer reads the cover letter first, they are already sold on your skills.