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Writing the Best Resume Cover Letters

by Carlie Evie

Jobseekers frequently underestimate the importance of resume cover letters. A well-written cover letter can mean all the difference in the world, or at least become the deciding factor in whether your resume gets read or cast into the circular file.

Jobseekers commonly make the mistake of duplicating their resume when they write the cover letter-- although many of them just plain forget to write the cover letter to begin with! Instead, the cover letter should complement and expand upon the resume.

Put yourself in someone else's place and imagine that you have to sort through a bunch of different resumes. They're all printed on nice, white paper. They all boast of each applicant's skills and objectives.

Lots of them are accompanied by cover letters, some of them very long and rambling. Overwhelming, isn't it? Set yourself apart. You want to write a cover letter that gets attention and gives persuasive reasons for the reader to look at your resume.

So where to start? You can always learn by example. There are many example resume cover letters online. You'll find cover letters available for all kinds of different jobs in several different formants. You can find them all by using your favorite search engine.

Now, if someone that the company or interviewer knows well has referred you and also gave you permission to use their name in your cover letter, do it! You'll be using the power of networking referrals, which can go a long way in making sure that your resume gets serious consideration.

Look over the job description carefully. Reference it in your cover letter, mentioning appropriate skills that make you a great candidate. The easy thing to do would be to repeat everything that's on your resume, but this is a golden opportunity to take everything a step further. Use the job description to show the reader how your skills will benefit the company.

Above all, picture the interviewer reading the cover letter and asking, "What's in it for me?" The interview is more than likely thinking that exact thought when he or she is reading through a bunch of resume cover letters. The interview is sure to be yours if your answer sounds good!

Need the Perfect Resume? Visit Make a Resume. We cover everything from How to Write a Cover Letter for Resume to How to Write a High School Resume and every other position you can think of.

Published December 3rd, 2007

Filed in Business, Marketing


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