Employers may not read every letter received, but don't think that means you can afford to relax about the quality of your writing in those letters. Just like the resume, each letter provides another piece of information about you. So keep in mind the following fact: all literate people are surprisingly talented at quickly spotting errors or gaffes in the writing of other people. You must write good letters. And good letters come from careful writing.

Organization

One template to use in writing your letters is the following:

from address date to address salutation first paragraph - introduce or remind second paragraph - sell yourself third paragraph - commit to actions fourth paragraph - show appreciation Sincerely, (blank lines for your signature) your name

Writing Tips

Keep paragraphs short, preferably fewer than five lines. Vary the length of your sentences. And don't be afraid to begin sentences with conjunctions (and, but, or). To emphasize a point, you can use a one-sentence paragraph. Think twice before using any adjectives or adverbs. Impress people with your nouns and verbs, not with decorations. Use a friendly, conversational tone. Also, keep it deferential. Show confidence but not arrogance. Avoid mind-numbing phrases like "enclosed please find my resume for your perusal." Be more creative than that. Avoid vague statements. Give specifics: people will find it both refreshing and easy to understand.