You’ll likely need to use cover letters when:

Responding to a Listing

Read carefully to determine what the employer is looking for. Look for keywords in the posting and use these keywords when composing your cover letter. (Don’t repeat the ad word for word.) Make sure to personalize the cover letter and give it your unique voice.

If there is no contact name provided, call up the company and do your research. (You must respect their request if the ad specifies no calls, however.)As an alternative, you can look for the contact person’s name online. Or phone some people related to the company to get some information regarding the contact person.

Research the company online so that you’ll be better able to express how you can be of help to the organization. If they won an award recently, for instance, feel free to congratulate them. (It may work to your advantage.)

Blind Advertisements

This is precarious because you don’t know anything about the hiring company. Responding to this type of ad can be dangerous, since you will be sending your personal information to a complete stranger.

It’s best to avoid these types of listings, but if you’re really curious, create a separate cover letter without your personal information, and include only your secondary email address and a separate phone number. Any other personal information can compromise your online and personal safety.

Recruiters’ Ads

Responses to these ads should include your salary requirement. However, make sure to do your research first to have an idea of how much you should be getting for the position available. This is to avoid placing yourself too high or too low regarding your salary preference.

Rather than listing a specific number, you can specify a range to avoid being misunderstood.

These are just some of the types of ads or postings you may encounter while looking for a job. No matter what the job posting states, make sure you tailor your cover letter to thejob’s requirements and the included info in the posting