Cover Letters

Some people feel that cover letters are a waste of time.  As a recruiter, I have to admit that depending on the position I am trying to fill, sometimes I don't really read the cover letter.  That said, it's a really good idea to assume that everyone will read your cover letter so it should be just as impressive as your resume.

A few pointers: 
DO keep your cover letter short (e.g. Writing Thank you Notes - short and to the point is key).  You probably want to have two, maybe three, paragraphs and they should each be no more than a few sentences.
DO make sure you mention the position and the company name in your cover letter.  All too often I see "your company" and "this position" and it indicates to me that you are spamming your resume to every position posted.  If I think you're doing this, I think you are not really interested in working for my company - so I kick you out of the running.
DO try to find out the name of the recruiter - this can be pretty much impossible on-line so the next best salutation is "Dear Hiring Manager".  Sounds kind of strange but it's really just fine.
DO summarize your skill set in this letter.  One really good way to do this is to look at the job description, or a job description that generally fits the kind of job your are looking for, and based on what you know they are looking for in a candidate, draft your letter to respond to their needs.
DO go ahead and use the same letter for all of the jobs to which you apply but DO double check to ensure you do have the correct company and position name!
DO have someone proof-read your letter.  It's also a good idea to PDF your letter and resume.  It shows up a little better and no concerns about any formatting issues.
DON'T be lazy about this.  We can tell if you put virtually no effort into this and it will count against you! 

We know that looking for a job is tedious, exhausting and depressing - we do - but it will really pay off for you if you buck up and put the same great effort into finding a job as we know you will put in when you land a job!