What should my cover letter say? Author: Ron Erolia Website: http://www.resume-ez.com Added: Sat, Oct 28, 2006 9:48:06 Category: Resume Questions

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A cover letter's purpose is to catch an employer's interest so that they go on to read your resume and schedule you for an interview. A cover letter acts as a sort of sales letter, selling your credentials to a prospective market.

You need to find time to research the company to determine how you are going to attract your reader's interest, writing a letter that convinces the employer that your background matches their company's needs.

There are several goals you should try to accomplish in your letter:

- Give insights about your personality, showing how you will fit into the organization. Showing that you have a sense of humor doesn't hurt, but this should not be overdone. Your letter should have a serious tone overall.

- Use key terms from the job description or ad that are clearly significant in your background.

- Build the reader's interest starting with the opening paragraph of your letter by stating why you are applying for that particular job.

- Persuade the reader that you have skills and abilities useful to their company. This is expressed in the body of the letter.

- Request an interview, along with a strong reminder about the benefit the company will receive by interviewing you.

keywords: Resume | Interview | Job | Cover Letter | Employment

About the Author:
Ron Erolia answers frequently asked resume questions at PrettyGreatAnswers.com.

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