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7 Secrets of a Highly-Effective Resume Cover Letter
Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover letter gets no respect. Job-seekers spend so much time and energy on their resumes they've got nothing left to offer their poor, neglected cover letters. Big, BIG mistake! It is the well-written cover letter not the resume that can single-handedly land you more job interviews. The cover letter is your one chance to really "market" yourself to an employer using proven marketing strategies rarely found in the typical cover letter. Conversely, there's only so much you can do with the traditional CV or resume. I believe the carefully crafted cover letter is more important to your job search success than any other written document, including the resume. As a direct marketing professional for over 20 years, I bring to you my 7 secrets of a highly-effective resume cover letter: 1. ADDRESS your cover letter to a specific person. Do your best to find out "To Whom" you should address your cover letter. "Dear Manager" is lifeless. 2. OPEN with an attention-grabbing first sentence to really grip the reader. This will almost guarantee your cover letter and resume get a closer look. 3. REMEMBER less is more. The best cover letters have plenty of white space. Cover letters that are clear, focused, short and sweet land more job interviews period. 4. FOCUS on what you can do for the employer. How can you benefit the company specifically? Do a little research and relate this simply and clearly in your letter. 5. CHOOSE WORDS that show enthusiasm and passion for the position you seek... (big, big secret!) Then, carry this passion into the interview with you. 6. REQUEST ONE ACTION you want the employer to take: "I would really like the opportunity for a personal interview this week." (You never know until you ASK.) 7. END your cover letter with something enthusiastic and telling like, "I look forward to being interviewed at your earliest convenience. Thank you so much for this opportunity." Sincerely, Jane Jobseeker. (Notice how Jane assumes she'll land the interview? This is clever, smart, and it works like a charm). Think of your cover letter as a sales letter. The only purpose of your resume cover letter is to land you more job interviews. That's the bottom line. By using the proven marketing strategies I've outlined above you will land more quality job interviews than your competition. You must find a way to get your "foot in the company door" to have any chance of landing the job. With the right cover letter you can blow the doors of opportunity wide open. And remember, more job interviews translate to (drum roll please)... more job offers. Finally, the most important advice I can offer you is this: FOLLOW-UP every job lead, contact, and communication. Following up is the "golden key" to getting hired for the job of your dreams. Use follow-up cover letters, thank you letters, even follow-up phone calls. Following-up can literally double your chance for success. It is also the one secret ingredient missing from 99% of every job-seeker's playbook. Good news for you! Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy has written several career-related books and his unique, "think-outside-the-job-search-box" approach, make his articles a job-seeker favorite. Jimmy is regularly published on some of the Internet's largest career web sites. Who else wants their phone ringing off the hook with more quality job interviews? Visit Jimmy on the web right now at http://www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com for your 'instant' cover letter today.
MORE RESOURCES: Employment opportunities Department of Taxation and Finance Search & Apply Lowe's Careers at USCIS USCIS Careers UNCO News Central Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University The Best Jobs in America in 2025 U.S News & World Report Money Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov Jobs, health and inclusion at Davos 2025. Here's what to know World Economic Forum Careers ontarioca.gov Plan your career pathway or job search with comprehensive online resources from Workforce Development Board kawarthaNOW.com Careers | Home USDA.gov The Right Way to Look for a New Job The Atlantic Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Nearly Half Of Workers Will Consider A Job Change If Ordered Back To The Office, Survey Finds Forbes Even Harvard M.B.A.s Are Struggling to Land Jobs The Wall Street Journal Howard Levitt: Tariffs would lead to devastating job losses — without the usual safety nets Financial Post Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Careers Catholic University Communications Anatomy of a jobs promise Financial Times Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them World Economic Forum Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov The Future of Jobs Report 2025 World Economic Forum Careers Franchise Tax Board Careers The Ocean Cleanup Careers Fred Hutch News Service Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem The Wall Street Journal Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Careers BASF Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care The 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US, according to LinkedIn Business Insider Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign UK employers cut jobs after Budget, official data shows Financial Times Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers West Virginia Department of Education Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Future of Jobs Report 2025: These are the fastest growing and declining jobs World Economic Forum Auberle's $1.5 million YouthBuild grant will change lives through training programs that lead to jobs Pittsburgh Union Progress Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance U.S. Job Growth Ends the Year Strong The New York Times Why elite MBA graduates are struggling to find jobs The Economist Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy U.S. payrolls grew by 256,000 in December, much more than expected; unemployment rate falls to 4.1% CNBC Physician recruitment agreements: Understanding signing bonuses, relocation expenses, or loan repayment incentives. Medical Economics Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Early Careers | Students & Recent Graduates | BCG Careers Boston Consulting Group State Job Openings CT.gov The Top 40 Jobs for Women Looking to Change Careers at 40+ Parade Magazine KPMG Careers KPMG Work with us | Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs 33 Jobs That Require Little or No Experience in 2025 Money Crashers Aviation to advertising, top 10 fastest-growing jobs in India 2025 The Indian Express BP axes 4,700 jobs in cost-cutting drive Financial Times Most Americans Feel Good About Their Job Security but Not Their Pay Pew Research Center Join our team FHI 360 Careers Olympic Channel and OBS Olympics Work at the U.S. Department of Energy Energy.gov Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Bring Resumes To Health Ministry’s Career Expo And Employment Fair Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Information Service Careers at Jacobs Jacobs WORK AT LVMH LVMH |
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