Beyond that, I agree in concept with many of the comments above.

I don’t know that a “cover letter” is the correct forum for selling freelance vs. in-house employee.

That position needs to be taken in a sales letter, which in my mind is different than a cover letter (though sales is an element of a cover letter). The sales letter would be appropriate if looking for eventual work from a publisher (if no current position is offered).

If, on the other hand, the writer is attempting to apply for a position where the hiring authority has indicated that he or she is seeking an employee, then I would handle it by mentioning freelance is what I’m offering.

Personally, I’ve found if someone is pre-determined to hire an employee, a cover letter isn’t going to change the person’s mind.

Also, to expand on what others have mentioned, outsourcing is so common now in so many industries, the breaks, vacation, sick time, etc., don’t need to be mentioned. That’s understood today by virtually anyone in business.

On the plus side, the credentials are indeed impressive.

Dear [always try for the name of an actual person in Design/Production]:

I am a freelance book designer and page layout artist. My experience goes back almost 15 years, and is fairly broad, including years of experience typesetting math and science books and journals and other design elements that lend themselves to a variety projects. Working in both Quark and InDesign, I am able to provide cross-platform, printer-ready PDFs at project’s end which has proved beneficial for many clients.

My skills, versatility and reliability will be assets to your production operation. I am ready to make the journal pages you want: on schedule and at prices that are fair and reasonable.

Please find my attached resume below, and feel free to see the samples on my website, html://withheld. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Regards…

If you want to mention you saved on company costs, then use a truthful example that matches the role. May be you saved business XX amount or percentage by introducing a labor saving process or idea, etc.

It appears the writer has a wealth of experience but really needs to narrow it down to suit the type of opportunity s/he is applying. If you cut out some of the fluff and concentrate on key highlights, then the letter will become more appealing.

It seems the writer has a wealth of experience but really needs to narrow it down to suit the type of opportunity s/he is applying. If you cut out some of the fluff and concentrate on key highlights, then the letter will become more appealing.