Final Entry Level Cover Letter Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure that your entry level cover letter is complete:
- One page only and limited to three targeted paragraphs
- Written to someone specific, with the name and title spelled correctly
- Company name and address are correct and complete
- Full spell check and proofreading
- Three focused paragraphs (focused on the reader's needs, not yours)
- Close with "Sincerely,"—anything else can sound too chummy
- Includes a P.S. for emphasis
- Final step: do not forget to follow up, or all the other steps will be in vain!
Paper vs. Online Cover Letters
Is the cover letter only to be used with a paper resume? No. If you are sending your resume via email as an attachment, the accompanying email is your cover letter. And if you are submitting your resume directly to an online database, you will often have the opportunity to include additional attachments, such as your cover letter. The resume explains your features, your cover letter explains your benefits. Do not pass up this opportunity to fully communicate your value, whether on paper or online.
About the author: Brian Krueger founded CollegeGrad.com in 1995 and is the former Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition at Amazon.com, where he led a global team of more than 100 recruiters. He is the author of College Grad Job Hunter, the best-selling entry level job search book, and has interviewed more than 10,000 job candidates over a 20-year hiring career at Fortune 500 companies. He wrote the job search advice on this page.
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All job search information at our site is written by Brian Krueger, best-selling career author and former VP Global Talent Acquisition at Amazon.com. All of our content is unique and only available here at CollegeGrad.com.