You’ve composed a resume cover letter, sent it in response to 10 newspaper advertisements, and haven’t heard a thing; not a single person has called; not one interview has been scheduled. Is it you? Is it your resume? It could be either. Or it could be that you’re perfectly qualified, but your...

There are also many people who believe that making a letter sound businesslike means using stuffy, stilted language full of  cliches and jargon. Certainly, your letter should be professional. However, it must also be interesting, appealing, and reflect your personality. To create a letter...

If your resume is strong, it will provide all the information your interviewer will need. (If it’s not, there are plenty of books, software programs, and professional resume writers to help you strengthen it.) So don’t just regurgitate your resume in letter form. “Zoom in” on the most salient...

Do make your letters clean and professional looking. Even so much as an ink blot is clearly an insult to the reader. It implies that the reader is not worth the time it would take to retype the letter. Worse, it suggests that you are a sloppy person who doesn’t value order, personally or in the...