Addressing the Letter

Address the letter to a specific person or Department rather than “To Whom It May Concern”. If you do not have a name, call the organization to try to get one. Be sure you have the person’s full name; correct spelling of their name and current title.

Format and Style

All letters require your return address, including telephone number and e-mail address, the date and the full name, title and address of the recipient. Start each letter with a salutation (i.e., Dear Ms. Employer). If you are unsure of the recipient’s gender, type out the full name (i.e., Dear Jamal Khayat). Close your letter with “Sincerely”, “Yours truly” or “Regards”, followed by four returned blank lines and your typed name. If you are submitting a hard copy, print on a laser printer, use resume-quality paper and sign each letter individually. Make sure the letter looks professional. Align all of your information to the left margin and use a clear, easy to read font (Arial or Times New Roman are the safest).

In general, your letter should contain no more than four to five paragraphs, with double space between paragraphs. The introductory and concluding paragraphs should be between one and three sentences and the body paragraphs should be between three and five sentences.

Grammar, Spelling and Typos

Pay close attention to spelling and punctuation - misspelled words and grammatical errors can be “deal-breakers”. Always print your letter so you can proofread carefully to catch any typos and errors. Double check the name, spelling and address of the person to whom you are writing – making sure that the name in the heading fits the name on the salutation line.