A Good Cover Letter

Here’s a cover letter that I got with a resume:

I am currently looking for a position with a biotech or medical device company in the <Metro Area> area. I have over 5 yrs experience in the pharmaceutical industry and over 10 yrs total in sales. I am extremely driven and I have many accomplishments to my name.

Thank you in advance for reviewing my resume. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.

I like this cover letter a lot. It’s very concise, so I’m likely to read it. That’s the key – I usually don’t read more than a few sentences of a long cover letter. If you write several paragraphs, I’ll probably just read the first sentence of the first two or three paragraphs, and then skip on to the resume.

The letter is specific, giving the industry and geography the candidate is seeking. It also provides some interest with some information on the job seeker’s experience.

A cover letter doesn’t need to be several pages long. In fact, a short cover letter is much more likely to get read.