A cover letter – or a cover email – is vital to your success when you apply for a job. Even jobs and employers who claim not to require a cover letter will give you more attention and are more likely to contact you for an actual interview (where you can truly shine and blow them away with your abilities) if your cover letter clearly states what they stand to gain by getting in touch with you.

As electronic communications dominate all aspects of the hiring world to an increasing degree, more and more employers are actually admitting that in many cases, they do not even read applicant’s resumes in the initial round if the potential employee has a good cover letter. So not only will a good cover letter get you through the door, but it can also help your future employer start out with a good feeling about you (not only because you’re great, but because you saved them time and hassle before they even brought you on).

To achieve this type of cover letter, the traditional “form letter” in which you describe your achievements and maybe fill in a few blanks for the title of the job and the employer’s name will not cut it. Your cover letter needs to be targeted directly at your potential employer, showing him or her exactly how you will fit the bill. Now, this can mean rewriting a cover letter over from scratch, but do not be alarmed. Worst-case scenario, you spend an hour in order to dramatically up your odds of getting the job you want. However, in most cases, you can still use the best parts of old cover letters as long as you clearly involve the new employer in the letter.

A targeted cover letter still shows exactly why you are the best. It should give a good summary of your history and your accomplishments. However, as soon as you are done with that history, draw a clear line for your future employer from your job history to their new job. For example, if you were applying for a job as a PR consultant for an internet marketer, but your background is largely in technical writing, then you might, for example, need to say clearly to your reader, “My background in technical writing will enable me to promote your company to potential clients in a way that not only shows them how they can benefit from your products and services, but also makes it clear that you are with them every step of the way.” While this type of thing may seem obvious to you, you cannot rely on your reader to see everything that you see. Spelling out how you will benefit a company in unique ways is critical to targeted cover letters and to getting the jobs and attention from employers that you want and deserve.

Your cover letter is, in some ways, even more important than your resume. If you do not write an effective cover letter, you may soon find that no one is even taking the time to look at your resume. In today’s competitive job market, there are so many people applying for jobs that often employers are only reviewing the applications that really stand out. And, in many cases, this means only the applications with really stellar cover letters…

Here are three ways to make sure that your cover letter makes an impression:

1. Don’t be afraid to brag
   Your cover letter is supposed to show how great you are, so make sure that it does. Now is not the time to be humble. You need to make sure that everyone understands just how good your accomplishments are.
    
2. Relate yourself to the job
   Review the job listing and make sure that you tell the reader exactly why your accomplishments mean that you fit their requirements to a “T.” Just bragging is not enough; for each item that you list on your roster of accomplishment, make it clear why that item should matter to your future employers.
    
3. Be professional!
   Take the time to format your letter, check spelling and punctuation and make sure that your syntax is correct and appropriate. While it may be okay to use industry jargon, avoid slang, contractions and conversational language.

Of course, your cover letter should not spend a lot of time doing anything other than telling the reader why they cannot afford to let you slip away. Save your life history for another day. Cover letters have to be short in order to get attention, so limit yourself to one or maybe two pages at maximum. You will find that with a good cover letter, your foot is already in the door!
 

When you go to a job interview, you know it is important to look your best. However, many people forget that they also need to sound their best. This does not mean take voice lessons; it means you need to be able to show that you are better prepared than anyone else to assume the responsibilities of the position for which you are interviewing. To this end, you should do some background research before the actual interview.

The most important thing to do when doing your background research is to take note of company policies and accomplishments. This way, you can relate your job skills and accomplishments directly to company goals. For example, if you have a lot of experience with social media, you can point out that you have noticed that the company is expanding in this area and give one or two concrete but brief examples of things that you have done in the past that would work within this company as well.

Next, be sure that you think of one or two relevant questions. There will be a time in the interview where the interviewers ask you if you have any questions. This may be the time to discuss salary – it depends on the company – but it is also a great time to show that you have thoughts and interests in common with the company. Ask about a project or about your involvement in an area of work should you accept the position. Turning your interview into a chance to interview your employer not only gives you a better idea about whether or not you want to work at that company, but it also turns the tables on the interviewers, which can work to your advantage if they feel that they have to impress you.

Finally, make sure that you are aware of anything that could potentially go wrong during your interview. For example, you should make sure that you are physically prepared to tour the facility (at least bring appropriate clothing even if you are not wearing it) and that you have plenty of time should the process run long. Bring a copy of your resume and cover letter along with any other relevant information that you feel shows how qualified you are for the job.