The Cover Letter/Letter of Interest is a companion to your resume. Some people will read the cover letter/letter of interest before the resume, so it can be as important as your resume. It should have similar formatting, font and paper (if hard copy) as your resume and should create a good “first impression.”
The purpose of the cover letter is to:
The Cover Letter/Letter of Interest could be a word-processed document attached with your resume, or could be an email message to which you attach your resume.