
How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Ideal Length in 2023
The right word count can make or break your cover letter. So how long should a cover letter be? 1 or 2 pages? Read on to find out.
All professional packages list what they contain. Who would buy it otherwise? Do the same with an expert cover letter enclosure.
So the hiring manager has read to the end of your cover letter. That’s great!
They blink a couple of times. No enclosures? They guess you didn’t send the two letters of recommendation they asked for. Into the garbage it goes.
The thing is, that business disaster could have been averted by using a professional cover letter enclosure. Let me show you how.
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Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter samples and create your cover letter here.
More interested in how to end your cover letter effectively? Check out our guide dedicated to just that: How to Sign Off a Cover Letter
A cover letter enclosure appears at the very end of your cover letter and refers to any additional documents that you’ve attached to your job application. These could include things like a resume, letters of recommendation, school transcripts, certificates, and essays.
Does this sound like overkill?
Perhaps, but it’s actually quite helpful. Have you ever seen the typical recruiter’s desk(top)? It’s super simple for your submission to pull an Amelia Earhart in that wide ocean of job applications, but the cover letter enclosure makes it very clear which and how many documents belong to you. It also shows that you’re a total pro.
That said, there’s no need to go overboard with enclosures if the job ad doesn’t ask for them. That is definitely overkill.
Read more: What Should a Cover Letter Include?
Now that you know what an enclosure on a cover letter is, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how it actually works and what you need to include.
Read more: How to Format a Cover Letter
Here are a couple of cover letter enclosure samples to show you the theory put into practice.
Right |
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Sincerely,
Ryan Gunter
Enclosure: Resume |
Right |
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Sincerely,
Ryan Gunter
Enclosures: Resume Application form Letter of recommendation |
Wrong |
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Sincerely,
Ryan Gunter
Enclosures: 3 (resume, 2 letters of recommendation) |
That wrong example is really cluttered and hard to read. Are there two enclosures? Three?
The right example shows very clearly what you’ve included and the recruiter can easily collect your entire job application.
Read more: What Should Your Cover Letter Say
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Cover letter enclosures are just as important in business as they are in your job hunt. Use them to your advantage and show the hiring manager that you’re the candidate they’re waiting for.
When adding your cover letter enclosures, remember to keep these things in mind:
There you have it. Easy as pie!
Have any questions? Does something about cover letter enclosures have you stumped? Let me know down in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you!
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The right word count can make or break your cover letter. So how long should a cover letter be? 1 or 2 pages? Read on to find out.
Want to send a cover letter along with your resume? You've got two options: email your cover letter as an attachment, or write an email cover letter. We'll show you how to do both.
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