With job search sites such as Monster.com and Ladders.com recommending that users attach a cover letter to their application, the use of a graphic signature on that letter might show potential employers that you truly care about the position. The instructions that follow utilize the basic components of Microsoft products MS Windows 7 and MS Office 2010, the results of which will give you a signature you can use to sign your cover letter and most other documents.

Scanning and Creating the Signature

Sign your name on a blank piece of paper.

Scan your signature. Be sure to save the scanned signature as a "jpeg" graphics file.

Open Microsoft Paint and open your scanned signature file.

Click the SELECT button.

Using the RECTANGLE function, create a rectangle around the signature. Be sure to have small margins around the signature.

Right click inside the rectangle and select "crop." This should remove all white space except for the signature.

Save the image with a file name of your choosing in a folder you will be able to easily find later.

Inserting the Signature Into Microsoft Word Documents

Open a new or existing document in Microsoft Word.

Place the cursor at the place on the page where you want to insert your signature.

Click the INSERT tab, and select PICTURE. Navigate to the folder where you saved your signature file and select the file.

Right click on the signature image and select FORMAT PICTURE. Click the LAYOUT tab, and click BEHIND TEXT and OK.

Grab the image and move it to the precise position on the page where you want your signature to appear.