Even when a job description or help-wanted ad doesn’t mention including a cover letter, you should write one and include it in your application or resume mailing. Your prospective employer is expecting to see a cover letter – if they didn’t mention it, it’s either because they assume you know it’s part of the application process, or it’s because they’re using the absence of the letter to quickly screen out the people who are clueless about the process of getting a job. Thus, whether they ask for the cover letter or not, you should always write a customized letter and send it along with whatever materials (like your resume, CV, or application forms) that they employer requests.

There are three principal reasons for always including a cover letter:

The first reason is outlined above – the employer expects to see it, even if they didn’t ask for it. The second reason is that your cover letter is your first and best opportunity to present a customized, personal message to the person examining your application or resume. While you might have a few variant resumes for different types of jobs, it’s unlikely that you are going to be able to take the time to create a customized resume for every job you apply for. Your cover letter, however, gives you an opportunity to take a sentence or three to put your best foot forward, and to emphasize whatever skills or unique abilities you have that make you the right choice for the job.

For example, you might be sure from reading the job description that the employer really wants someone with outstanding Excel analysis skills – but the job where you spent three years developing Excel spreadsheets might be buried five years back in your work history. In your cover letter, you can say something like “I was very excited to see that your company uses Excel for analytical work, because I loved developing Excel models when I worked for XYZ Corp.” That keys the person reading your resume into your Excel experience – which they probably would not have caught on their first casual read-through of your resume.

Finally, a cover letter is your chance to “sell yourself” to the employer. Beyond listing your specific talents or skills, the cover letter lets you present an attitude and an impression of the kind of person you are that a resume simply cannot convey. You can write a cover letter that is brisk and professional, or cordial and personable, or eager and enthusiastic – whatever impression you desire to give your potential employer.

Each employer presents a unique situation, and what is appropriate for one application might be a terrible mistake for another. You always want to present yourself honestly so that you and your potential employer can find out if there is a good fit between the company and you, but you also want to read the social cues correctly and present yourself as the right type of employee for their needs. For example, most people can relate just as well in a formal and professional environment, as in a casual and friendlier atmosphere – and your cover letter can telegraph your ability to match the company’s preferred style.

Cover Letter Tips/How-to Cover Letter Help

Effective Fax Cover Letter Strategies

Download: Jimmy Sweeney Cover Letters

Business Plan Cover Letter Advice

For additional assistance writing a Cover Letter, visit www.CoverLetterCentral.com.