Paper and Presentation

Your cover letter should be neat, clean and laser-printed if possible. If you are enclosing your résumé then use the same paper for your cover letter. The paper should be white or off-white. Color paper is often perceived as a gimmick. When mailing your cover letter, use a 9" x 12" white envelope instead of tri-folding. This ensures your cover letter and enclosure(s) remain clean and crisp, making it easier to scan, handle and file. Avoid stapling.

Response Postcard

A technique you can use to encourage a response to your cover letter is the inclusion of a response postcard. Include a 3"x 5" or 4" x 6" card with your name, address and return postage on one side and questions on the other. Make it easy for the employer to indicate whether or not s/he is interested and how you will communicate if s/he is interested. The response postcard puts your cover letter and other enclosure(s) in a better light by indicating to the employer that you are genuinely interested in the position. There are a number of postcard solutions available from office stores. See Sample 7.

Reference Sheet

Although reference sheets are rarely included with cover letters, it is sometimes necessary to include them if you are unable to attend an interview or an employer requires it. A reference sheet presents your references in an organized manner to a potential employer. It contains all the information necessary to contact your references (name, title, company, address, phone, fax, e-mail). Before you offer references, contact these individuals and confirm their agreement to be included.