5 Steps to the Best Cover Letter

Laura Wagner, Résumé Writer & Career Coach

A cover letter is the warm-up band to your one-person stage show. It needs to be clear, concise, and on point or you will lose your audience before the curtain goes up. There are five steps to take in order to craft your perfect cover letter.

1.Do not address your letter to the mystery man known as “to whom it may concern.” The reader will think you are lazy and don’t care enough to address your letter to a real person.

2.Your letter needs to be focused on one subject – why you are perfect for the job. Match your experience to the bullet points in the job description.

3.Throw in your best CAR (challenge, action, result) story. Make it relevant to the organization and to the job requirements.

4.Proofread and then proofread it again. You risk going right into the recycle bin if there are any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. This goes hand in hand to number one. You don’t want the reader to think you are lazy.

5.Finish up with a hard sell. Thank the reader and then close it by saying you will contact them within a week to follow up. Don’t forget to include your contact information.

Cover letters can be tough to write because you may feel like you are bragging that you are the best candidate for the job. Well, you are! Don’t be afraid to put forth your postive qualifications. You want the reader to want to click through to your resume. You can’t do that if you don’t put the spotlight on yourself. You need to shine!

Author Byline: Laura Wagner, Résumé Writer & Career Coach
Author Website: http://www.resumebylaura.com/

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.