Covering Letter
Many businesses utilise email for most correspondence they need to deal with and this is due to the increased speed and ease of use that it provides. However, there are still instances in our daily lives where we need to see documents or other information through the post. When sending correspondence through the post it is recommended to include a cover letter as a matter of courtesy.
A covering letter is there to introduce yourself to the person you are sending information to and briefly detail what you are sending them and how to contact you if they need any further information or clarification. It is recommended that your covering letter be generated on the computer unless you have very tidy handwriting but another benefit of generating it on your computer is that you then have a template save should you wish to send you require it in the future. If you are sending out promotional information to a number of people it can be save a lot of time to just be able to print of multiples letters at a time. It is advisable to include a signature individually on each one as it can give a better impression to potential customers and make them feel that care and attention has been given in writing to them.
If you require the person or company that you are corresponding with to respond to you then it might be a good idea to include an individual reference number that they can quote when they get back in touch; this means that you are able to identify them quickly and be able to deal with their query much more efficiently.
Other occasions for a cover letter
One of the most important instances when you should include a covering letter is when you are responding to a job advertisement and sending your CV to a company. The outcome of whether you will be considered for the position or offered an interview is very dependent on the impression that you make to your prospective employer and the old adage that first impressions count remains true. The covering letter that you send with your CV should represent the level of professionalism that you are capable of and should be neat, succinct and well set out. Your prospective employer may be receiving multiple applications through the post and may not have the time to read an extensively long covering letter; therefore it should be polite and to the point. You should state the position that you are applying for and inform them that you are enclosing your resume for consideration. It is imperative that you include up to date contact information on your covering letter so that they can are able to contact you should they wish to discuss your application further or invite you for an interview. Always use a clear font of a reasonable size and include a hand written signature; this will all help to ensure that you make the best possible first impression.