Your job-search correspondence package should necessarily include a cover letter (also may be called a letter of introduction/application or employment letter). To make certain that your cover letter is ready to be read by the employer use the checklist of what you should have and shouldn’t have included in a cover letter to make it effective.

Your cover letter should be:
 - original;
 - neat and attractive;
 - concise (try to make it no longer than 1 page);
 - in standard business letter format;
 - correct in grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation and capitalization;
 - sharply focused (without abundant autobiographical irrelevance);
 - confident but not arrogant;
 - interesting.

INCLUDE

• Recipient’s name (unless it is a response to blind ad).
• Nonsexist salutation (if writing in response to blind ad).
• The reason you are writing.
• Personal objectives in concrete and clear terms.
• Concise and specific information
- about what job/position you want;
- about your qualifications and transferable skills (how they are applicable to the job);
- about your achievements (best with some examples of your skills being used).
• Reference to former professor(s), employer(s) for better credibility when talking about your accomplishments or qualities.
• Networking contacts (somebody who may know or work with the employer, etc.).
• Action verbs.
• Request of an action and assurance you will call for an appointment.
• Appropriate farewell salutations.
• Your full name clearly written.
• Your full contact information (including the business time).

AVOID

• Typographical and any other errors.
• Clichés such as “I have taken the liberty of sending my resume enclosed herewith” and others.
• Phrases that weaken the statements you do about yourself such as “I think”, “I believe”, etc.
• Everything negative.
• “Willing to learn” statements, not to remind the employer about training time and expenses.
• “Willing to do anything” and the like statements, which make you sound desperate.
• Repeating everything that is written in your resume.
• Mentioning hobbies and interests that are irrelevant to the job.