Your resume should be submitted with a cover letter.

The cover letter is the first impression you present to your prospective employer. If it is not well organized, has grammatical, typing or spelling errors, your prospective employer will probably not take the time to even read your resume.

Do not write a generic cover letter (or resume). Tailor your letter to the specific company's job requirements. Address the cover letter to a specific person, not "To whom it may concern." This shows that you have taken time to research to whom you should be writing. This also personalizes your correspondence so that you are introducing yourself to a real person.

Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself and stand out from other position seekers.

Address issues which cannot be put in a resume. For example, are you willing to relocate? Are you changing careers? What is it you like about the company to which you are applying for a positon  Why are you the best candidate for the job? Are you a possible candidate for more than one position? What background may be relevant that was not appropriate to put in a resume format?

Your letter should be professional. Don't try to interject humor or slang expressions.

It should be limited on one page. Avoid fancy, too small and too large fonts.

Include a note at the bottom of the cover letter saying that references are available.

Example:
   References and portfolio are available upon request
   OR
   References provided upon request

• Resume overview
• Writing an Effective Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Example
• Writing an Effective Resume
• Resume example
• Preparing Your Resume for the Internet- The Riley Guide