Landing the Deal: How to Create Professional Looking Cover Letters!

A cover letter is your best chance to make a excellent first impression. A cover letter is simply a must for every resume. The cover letter is your opening statement and should be addressed with all the significance that it has. The rule of thumb for every cover letter is that they be one page and one page only. The principle of the cover letter is to offer the employer a quick summary of your resume and a motivation why you are best for the job.

Here are some tips on how to prepare a forceful cover letter.

• Put your name and contact information at the very top of the page. Make your name large and bold enough so it can be easily read. Be sure to include your address, phone number and email address as well. Since the cover letter is a reduced version of your resume you can make the print large enough to be easily read.

• Always use the standard letter format and put the date on the upper left side, under the name section. Then place the company's information right under the date. It is important that this includes the full name and title of the person you are sending the resume to. If you don't have the title of the person make it your business to find it out. Use some undercover research to find out the name if need be. Then address the person directly by name using "Dear (Mr./Ms) last name"

• Start the letter with a persuasive sentence. Try to think of something to grab the interest of the reader. You may want to try to make a bond with the person here. Alternatively you could use a quote or a question, but this is less convincing. Don’t be tempted to be witty and above all try to avoid coming off as unbearable or too cute. That will only get your cover letter a one way ticket to in the garbage can.

• Don’t forget to include the title of the position you are applying for. Frequently the company has more than one job opening and you need to be specific about the one you are applying for.

• The middle of the cover letter should be one or two short paragraphs that make pertinent statements about your qualifying credentials. Try not to just recapitulate your resume but instead use some relevant and interesting facts about you that you take from your resume.

• And most importantly the last paragraph of the cover letter should be a call to action or a clarification of your next action. For instance you may want to incorporate asking the person to contact you in order to arrange an interview or state that you will call to verify receipt of the resume.

• End the letter with "Sincerely yours" and your first and last name. Type your name with a space above where you can sign it. At the bottom type the words "enclosure: resume"

• Always pay close attention to any directions that are given in the job posting or ad. They may give exact addresses and may or may not accept phone calls for questions. They also may prefer mailed resumes to be emailed or fax copies, so be sure to check beforehand.

• Don’t make yourself sound neither too bright or too plain. You want to stand out yet don't want to make it sound as though the company is making all the wrong moves and you will come in and set the records straight.

• Before you submit your resume and your cover letter do your homework and do a little research on the company. On the internet you can do that very easily since most companies have a website.