Resume and cover letter?

How long should a cover letter be with a resume?

• I'm faxing some resumes and most places say that I need to include a cover letter. What exactly is that? In the past, I only used a cover letter during a fax to give my name, address, and number, but all that info is already on my resume. Is the cover letter to inform the company of what specific job i'm applying for? How long should such a cover letter be and what exactly should be in it? Is it normal for the company to contact me to confirm that they've received my resume, or should I contact them in a few days to make sure they got it?

• Answer:

  Try this: Dear HR Professional, I am responding to your advertisement seeking a ((job title). I have worked in this industry for ((years)) and I am confident that I can quickly contribute to ((company or department)) My experience also includes ((a key asset you possess)). I am very anxious to speak with about this opening. I will call you on Tuesday to follow-up this fax. Please call me if you have any questions. My resume accompanies this fax. Very truly yours, ---- Absolutely no more than one page and YOU should do the follow-up, especially if you have a name and a telephone number. Being aggressively interested in the job just doesn't hurt.