You now come to the heart of the letter, as the body is an excellent place for you to use your resume cover letter writing to list out what about you is relevant to their needs. Employers are not interested in you, but rather what it is that you can bring to the overall organization. If you write professional cover letters to show that you can help them do something, they will be much more interested and motivated to talk to you. This goes for your cover letter, resume, actual interview, and all aspects of your job search.

If you are using your cover letter to relate to or respond to a specific job opening, then you can cite the job description to help interpret the employer’s needs from your point of view. Use your resume cover letter writing to convey your knowledge of the job, the function of the job, the overall organization, and the industry that it is a part of. Any specific information that you can site will help to make you appear more qualified and ensure that you move on throughout the process.

Another key point which is often a mistake in resume cover letter writing is to mention and point to credible and powerful examples that are specific in nature, and not general.

For example, a food company might place a job posting for somebody with “three years of corporate financial experience in the manufacturing industry”, but if you take the time to call ahead and learn more about the company and the specific position, then you can find out that the position is actually going to focus on budgeting and planning. 

With this key information, you can use your resume cover letter writing in a much more powerful and effective way by saying: “I have over five years of experience in corporate planning and budgeting experience in food manufacturing. I would like to apply all of my experience to the related position in your organization.”

Step4: Smart closing with a call to action

To this point, your cover letter has opened with an impactful hook and then gone on to include relevant and effective examples of your abilities throughout the body. Here’s where you keep the momentum going by closing with an assertive yet polite request to advance you onto the next step of the process. This is where effective resume cover letter writing comes into play as you don’t ask for a next step for an interview, but you instead politely demand it.

A smart closing is one which emphasizes how you can contribute to a potential employer with a positive note and follow up call. Be sure that you actually keep the promise and follow up with a call.

Here is a sample closing:
I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you and look at the opportunity to have a new branch in Canada. I would love to do my homework and put together some ideas and thoughts for how I can help to make this happen with my five years of applicable working experience in Canada.

Step5: Proofread and double check everything

This is another important part of resume cover letter writing many people might ignore. Before you fold the paper and insert into an envelope, you need to make sure it is 100% error-free. The best way to do it is to read loud several times by yourself and then have your friend or family member double check for you. It is worth the time doing this so that your cover letter clearly communicates your message to a potential employer in a positive and professional manner.

Step6: Sign your letter and choose the appropriate method

At this point, you just need to hand sign your name in the space between the complimentary closing and your typed name. If you choose to send your professional cover letter by mail, make sure to use only high quality paper for printing. You can also print the envelope or use a label for the mailing address and your retune address on top of the left.

Email is another popular way to send your professional cover letter. Start in directly with:  “Dear Ms. Wells”, and avoid the temptation to begin with something like “Hi, Helen.” It’s important to remember that even through email, you must follow the basic rules and professional approach for professional cover letters.
The subject line of your email is equally as important, keep it short and make sure that the recipient understands why you are writing.
An example: Subject: job application Jul02 – Sales rep. Jennifer Walkers

Step7: Dig into the opportunity by following up

Right after sending out the letter, you should remind yourself to follow up within the time frame you specified in your letter. Don’t assume that the employer will contact you. The bottom line is that you are the one who cares about the job opportunity the most. Don’t be afraid to follow up with your letter, call and ask for an interview, and ultimately make it happen. If you don’t care enough, who else will?

As with any other step in the process, professional cover letters take some time and effort. You want to be sure that you are always conveying yourself in the most professional manner possible, and that you demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the job. If you follow these seven steps, you are sure to have success and create the best and most effective cover letter to get you noticed and to move on in the process.

Technorati Tags: Professional Cover Letter

What words will you say to determine if you get the interview and stand out from the crowd? What is your specific hook going to be? What will you do to really capture the attention of the reader and ensure that you move on in the process rather than be thrown aside? These are all important elements in the job search process, and some would argue that the hook can be the most crucial element for your resume cover letter writing. If you have a good hook that works in grabbing and retaining attention, then you’re in! If you have an ineffective or bad hook, your hopes at a potential job are gone. You want your cover letter to come right out in a straightforward and confident manner and say “hire me”!

So how do you do it? What is the best and most effective way to create a powerful and attention grabbing hook?

Before you dive right into writing a good one, you need to do your homework. Take the time to research the potential employer and understand what about you will bring value to the overall organization. It’s important to portray how you above any other candidate understand the organization, and what specifically you will do to add value. This not only involves research on the company as a whole, but also a little soul searching to really dig deep and establish what credentials and qualifications you have. You may know what they are, but to be able to put them into effective words can sometimes be the hardest part. You want to also look into the job itself and the person you are reaching out to whenever possible. The more homework you do on these two individual factors, the more confidence will show through in your hook and your resume cover letter writing.

Help to define and clarify for the hiring manager what specific skills and experience helps to not only qualify you for the position, but make you the best choice. What about you and your experience is pertinent to the position you are applying for? Why would a hiring manager choose you over any other candidate? These are the types of questions you must ask yourself, for without this background and expression, you are doomed from the start. It can be equally important to understand who you are writing to. Any knowledge you can gain on the reader of the cover letter can really help you to gain credibility. Your hook should not only be based on your qualifications and knowledge, but also catered to the individual that is reading it as well. This is just as important of a factor!

Remember that the purpose of the hook within a resume cover letter writing is to capture the attention of the reader. You are sending an immediate and very important signal that you are undoubtedly the right candidate for the job. You aren’t just any other “run of the mill” candidate—you are the one and your words will say that for you. Your hook should exude confidence and ability, and should demonstrate that you understand what the position and the organization calls for. It’s important to avoid certain words or phrases that will cause you to fall into the boring trap as every other candidate.

Such words and phrases to avoid include:

• This letter is in response to your advertisement or job posting
•  To whom it may concern—that’s an immediate turn off just from the greeting
• I am writing to apply for the marketing assistant position

Rather than skipping over the standard words, a good hook should make the reader stand up and take notice. They should feel compelled to read on after reading your hook, and even question “wow, who is this person?” A good hook should force the reader to read on and find out a little bit more about you because it is intriguing and grabs their attention immediately.

If you can find some sort of supporting evidence on the position you are applying for, or some publication or public speaking engagement that is somehow related to your field, then by all means reference it. It can be something as simple as words on a press release, part of a speech given by the CEO, or even some comments on the corporate website or in an interview by an executive. If it somehow supports the organizations vision or mission and you can find a way to relate it to what you do and what the position entails, then reference it. This is an excellent way not only to show that you did your homework, but that you understand how you being hired into this position can add value to the organization and its overall goals and objectives. This is the type of thing that will undoubtedly make you stand out from the other candidates, as it will show an ability that is unrivaled.

You start to see just how special and important the hook really is. If you never understand it before or doubted the importance, then let this be a lesson. A good hook is ultimately your ticket in the door. Rather than going with a “cookie cutter” approach, make your hook really count for something. Choose your words carefully, do your homework, and let this all show through in an attention grabbing hook that leaves your reader feeling impressed from the start. Always remember who you are writing to, and never forget to show confidence in what specifically you can offer to the company. Be specific, be creative, and get to the point very early on—that makes for an excellent hook and a good cover letter overall.

If you want to truly stand out in a tough job market, or be the candidate that gets selected without a doubt, then focus your efforts on a good hook. Remember your cover letter is what will get you the interview, and your hook is what will get you attention to even move in on the process. If you take the time and do it right, your hook will grab their attention and allow you to be the candidate that moves in on the process.
.

Technorati Tags: Professional Cover Letter

If you want to get ahead in today’s tough job market, you need to be successful in writing a professional cover letter. What you think you may have known about this in the past has changed quite drastically.

The job market is not what it used to be and in order to be competitive; you have to be able to keep up. It’s no longer just about your skills and experience, it’s about how you capture your abilities into a cover letter and resume. To get the interview and get hired, you need to know how to grab the attention of the hiring manager and convince them that you are the candidate for the job.

Is There a Secret to a Good Cover Letter?

So what should a professional cover letter look like and what should it accomplish? While a standardized cover letter used to get the job done, it will no longer cut it. You want a cover letter that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The purpose of your cover letter is to convince the hiring manager that you are the candidate for the job. The focus should be on how your qualifications can help to make you the perfect candidate for the job. It’s essential to exude confidence, strength, and ability through your words so they should be well thought out.

In writing a professional cover letter, you need to think through what you want to accomplish. The ultimate goal is to get the interview and ultimately land the job. So you need to focus on the job opening at hand and how you can help to fill it. Your wording needs to reach out and grab the reader so as to convince them right then and there that you can undoubtedly help the organization to reach their goals. There should be no doubt in the mind of the reader that you not only have the appropriate qualifications, but that you can take the organization to the next level. That you can help to add value to the team and to the organization as a whole.

Find a Way to Stand Out from the Rest

If you want to blend into the pile of resumes, then go with a standard approach. However if you want to write a professional cover letter that makes the difference, focus on what you can do for the company. They have a need and you must convince them through your words and approach that you can help them to fulfill it. It should be evident that the value which you can add is undoubtedly second to none. Be careful to be confident but not cocky and speak to how your skills and experience will bring the necessary value. All of these things combined will help you to write a professional cover letter that can almost guarantee you the interview—and hopefully land you the job. If you take the time to really convey the value which you can add, they will have no choice but to bring you in for the next step in the process.

With our special report “3 Goldren Rules for Creative Job Seekers and Top 10 Resume Cover Letter Mistakes“, you will quickly see how easy it is to create your very own winning cover letter by being creative and avoiding the mistakes, just how much that increases your chances of moving on in the running. Download it now when it is still available for FREE.

Technorati Tags: Professional Cover Letter

Learning How to Properly Use the Cover Letter

While it’s true that your resume is an important way to show your experience, it’s only one part of the equation. Learning proper resume cover letter writing is equally as important. Your resume serves to tell potential employers about the jobs that you’ve held and the accomplishments that you’ve reached. This is undoubtedly important and you should put proper attention into constructing this. Remember though that if the cover letter doesn’t stand out or say what it needs to say, your resume and potentially your chances will be tossed into a growing pile.

Good resume cover letter writing is about learning how you can grab the attention of the reader and draw them in. While you don’t want to come across cocky, you certainly want to come across confident. You want to have that “wow factor” that other cover letters do not. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities and strengths, and more importantly express how this can all equal to you being a huge value to the organization.

Make it All About Them for Best Results

Resume cover letter writing is a fine balance because you want to speak to your accomplishments, but ultimately you need to focus on how this benefits the hiring company. If you fill your cover letter with statements about what you want and what you believe, you won’t be doing your part to reach out to the hiring manager. You need to clearly demonstrate the need that their organization has and more importantly express how you can fill the void or add the necessary value.  This takes practice and will very well result in a new and customized cover letter for each opportunity.

If you can figure out how to portray excellent resume cover letter writing, then you are far more likely to get the interview. Remember to focus on how your accomplishments can benefit the organization as a whole. Be confident, speak to your value, and above all remember to pertain it to how all of this can benefit the hiring manager. If you focus your attention on how you can help the organization and add value, the interview is practically guaranteed.

Technorati Tags: Professional Cover Letter