Write a Cover Letter That Zings!

You wouldn't go to a job interview half-dressed, so don't send your resume out half-dressed either. A well-written cover letter is the key to making a great first impression.

Your cover letter can unlock the door to a job interview, which will affect your career and your paycheck and, therefore, your life. That's a lot of pressure riding on one 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheet of paper.

"With a great resume and cover letter, you go out on a first-class public relations campaign," explains Anne McKinney, a career expert and senior editor at PREP Publishing in Fayetteville, N.C.

Writing a good cover letter is tough, and you're not alone in fretting over it. "Almost without exception, what people feel most uncomfortable and awkward about [in the job hunt] is the cover letter," says McKinney. "It's worth doing right because you are developing your reputation."

Tailoring That First Impression
The cover letter connects that past experience listed on your resume to your potential future at a new job. "Cover letters are exciting," McKinney enthuses. "A cover letter can really express your personality so much more than a resume can."

While you can emphasize and de-emphasize certain aspects of your history on a resume, it is nowhere near as flexible as a cover letter. Your letter can be tailored to the needs of the company to which you are applying, McKinney explains.

Most companies have someone screening the applicants, so make sure you say the right things to get your foot in the door. One way to make sure your resume is passed on to the boss is the use of words from the job ad or description. With a quick scan, that assistant will connect you with the job.

Go for the Gusto!
Remember again, this is a potential employer's very first impression of you, so keep the sunshine turned up. Highlight your strengths, accomplishments and sparkling personality. Don't admit to shortcomings. Forget about apologizing for career gaps. Leave off the whining about what a creepy boss you have. You want the potential employer to be eager to meet you, not to pity you.

Also be positive in terms of specifics. Give (brief) examples:

• Show that desired flair for efficiency by explaining that on your last job, you reorganized the department's supply-ordering process, saving them $1,000 over the course of a year.

   

• Reveal your persuasive charm by telling them you met the highest quota of any vacuum cleaner salesman in the last 10 years.

   

• Clarify your extensive computer training with a list of classes you've taken and programs you've worked with. Don't stop now. A salesman would never make a pitch without trying to close the deal. And neither should you.

   

• Tell the reader -- your potential new employer -- what you want them to do next: interview you. Of course, you have to do this politely and professionally with a little moxie, without being pushy.

   

• In the final paragraph, suggest they call you for a meeting, and provide your phone numbers and e-mail -- even if they're also at the top of the letter. Or show a little extra moxie and say you'll be calling them in the next week to set up an interview. Then do it.

User-Friendly Letters
You can accomplish all of this by creating a user-friendly cover letter. That means keeping it short and sweet, like four to five paragraphs -- certainly no more than one page.

Your cover letter is not the place to go into exhaustive detail about your experience cataloguing ancient Korean pottery or that Pentagon internship during the Gulf War. Touch on relevant topics. You can regale them with your stories during the interview.

"Try to think of three main things you want the employer to know," McKinney advises. She suggests a breakdown such as this:

• First paragraph: Explain why you are writing. Tell them what job you are applying for, where you learned about it and who referred you to the job, if someone did.

   

• Second paragraph: Talk about your most distinguishing, but relevant, characteristic.

   

• Third paragraph: Bring up your next most distinguishing characteristic, still relevant, of course.

   

• Fourth paragraph: One more time, tell them one more reason why you are perfect for this particular job.

   

• Fifth paragraph: In conclusion, tell the reader what the next step is.

Here's a quick list of do's and don'ts:

• Do type the cover letter -- no matter how good your penmanship.

   

• Don't make spelling or grammatical errors. Have someone else read it over before you send it.

   

• Do use a standard business letter format, including the company's full address, even if you're faxing or e-mailing the letter and resume.

   

• Don't get too creative and cutesy with fonts and paper. The cover letter should be neat and legible.

   

• Do mention what job you are applying for.

   

• Don't send a copy of a generic letter that you're sending out to any old potential employer.

Once you have a versatile, well-written cover letter in your computer, you're ready to go. With a quick tweaking, it will suit whatever position or company you are interested in. Now all you have to worry about is what to wear to the interview.

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