Cover Letter Writing Help for Job Application Needs

Some folks say that the resume is more important than the cover letter, but I respectfully disagree.

After all, if the person opening your application doesn't like what he or she sees when glancing at your cover letter, there might be a pre-disposition (unconscious though it may be) to not pay a lot of attention to your resume.

So, yes, I do believe that if you feel - even a little bit - that you need cover letter writing help, then chances are you really do! And I'm glad that you know that, because your head is in the right place - which means, you are a serious contender for the job you're going after! So... let's help you get it!

For starters, I recommend making up a little worksheet to get you on the right track. It's almost like you are going to put yourself through a little cover letter writing workshop, ok? Read on...

In my advice to job seekers needing cover letter writing help, I ask them to make a sheet of paper with the following categories that they will subsequently fill in as they go along:

• Job Target/Title: Knowledge You Have of the Company (I review this extensively in some of my other resume help lenses, which you can visit by starting here at => Tips for Writing a Resume.
  
  I am also pleased to mention that the good folks at eZine Articles.com have just published one of my articles that targets this subject. You can read it here at: => Effective Resume Writing Strategies That Work)
  
  
• What does the company need (e.g. info you have learned from the ad posting and/or job description and/or other places you've gotten information), and how can you address that need specifically? Make 2 columns next to one another labeled: "Their Needs," and "Your Solutions." List as much as you can.
  
  
• Who does the letter go to? Make sure you get a name and title! You SHOULD be able to find this information through your company research.
  
  
• Did someone known to the company recommend that you apply and/or write? If so, who?
  
  
• What can you do or offer the company that's different than the competition?
  
  
• What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) in this case?
  
  
• What should they know about you that cannot be seen from looking at your resume?
  
  
• Why should they bring you in for an interview?
  
  
• Will you follow up on this application? How and when? (Be sure that you are allowed to follow up - some companies say "no calls" - so you must respect their rules.)

Now you have a nice, easy cover letter writing help sheet to get you started!

Good question! Now it's time to turn all this information into a great sales letter that does NOT repeat any of the information on your resume!

Using the information you have compiled, begin drafting a SHORT letter to the person you have identified as being "the one."

Now - I want to take a moment to stop and bring your attention to a FREE eBook that I have been authorized to give away by the folks at www.CoverLetterWriting.net.

So, before we go any further, I was able to get this eBook in a viewable form for you here => View the World's Greatest Cover Letter eBook brought to you by www.CoverLetterWriting.net.

I'd like you to read that.

And I'd like you to read it sooner, rather than later. Because it has the best advice I've seen yet (other than stuff I've come up with myself, of course... LOL! :) ) on this topic. And then, what I mention next will make more sense...

Ok. Now that you know you need a headline , what will yours be? (Hey, you just said that you read the book!)

Work from your first part of your Cover Letter Help worksheet where you mention the:
=> target job/title,
=>the company name and
=> the solutions you have to the company's need.

Then use the formula outlined in the World's Greatest Cover Letter book. For example:

"2 reasons why I believe I may be the candidate you are searching for regarding the Technical Analyst position at Ajax Manufacturing."

"After studying Ajax Manufacturing's mission and vision statements, I've come up with 2 strong reasons why I believe I may be the Technical Analyst you need."

Simply work the advice from the book (examples on page 4), and you'll have achieved a "big bang theory" approach, as it's called in the book!

In other words, your headline will have such power and confidence pouring from it, that it will instantly catch the interviewer's eye - and attention.

But please don't just copy the "headlines" or words - they aren't yours, and it will show if the rest of your letter doesn't "sound" like you.

Yes, you'll have to practice, but that's ok! You want to show how much work went into your application, and that you are a serious contender for the position.

You will work from the points on your Cover Letter Help worksheet, and go from there. Please continue to my next lens in this series, "How Do I Write a Cover Letter"

There, I'll show a few examples of wording for the text of the letter. Note, we will not be reviewing the headline idea, which is covered by page 4 of the World's Greatest Cover Letter book that is FREE for you to view here.
(NOTE: I realize that these links take you away from the page here, but I haven't figured out how - or if - I can get them to come up in a different window. Sorry 'bout that!)

Hey, we're trying NOT to repeat ourselves too many times here!
Ok... See you in the next module!