1. COVER LETTERS AN INTRO TO THE RESUME

2. COVER LETTERS ARE INCLUDED WITH RESUMES AND SENT TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS WITH THE PURPOSE OF ; u APPLYING FOR A SPECIFIC JOB. u INFORMING THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER OF YOUR QUALIFICATIONS. u SELLING YOURSELF AS THE RIGHT PERSON

3. WRITE A LETTER THAT WILL ACTUALLY GET READ! PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS READ DOZENS OF LETTERS EACH WEEK. IN ORDER TO CATCH THE EMPLOYERS EYE... u KEEP YOUR LETTER BRIEF, CLEAR AND TO THE POINT. u SELL THEM ON THE IDEA OF GRANTING YOU AN INTERVIEW u SEND AN INDIVIDUALIZED LETTER

4. THE MAGIC FORMULA FOR WRITING A SUCCESSFUL COVER LETTER... u SEIZE ATTENTION u PERK INTEREST u GET DOWN TO BUSINESS u SHOW YOUR STUFF u WRAP IT UP

5. SEIZE ATTENTION u IN THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE OF YOUR LETTER, GRAB THE EMPLOYERS’ FULL ATTENTION

6. SEIZE ATTENTION (EXAMPLE). I just completed reading the article in Business Today on your company. Your innovative approach…

7. PERK INTEREST u WHET THE EMPLOYERS’ INTEREST BY TELLING THEM HOW YOU GOT THEIR NAME u IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE EMPLOYER, ASK IF YOU CAN USE THEIR NAME IN YOUR LETTER

8. PERK INTEREST (EXAMPLE). Your secretary was kind enough to give me your name so I could write to you directly.

9. GET DOWN TO BUSINESS u EXPLAIN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO “LEARN ABOUT THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR DEPARTMENT” u EXPLAIN WHY YOU CHOSE THEM u ASK IF THE EMPLOYER COULD SPARE SOME TIME TO EXPLORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITH YOU

10. GET...BUSINESS (EXAMPLE - ACCOUNTING). I would like to learn about the career opportunities within your company. Through talking with several of your employees I have gained a definite interest in working in your Accounting and Finance Department. Could you possibly spare a few minutes one day next week to explore some opportunities with me?

11. SHOW YOUR STUFF u LIST QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU POSSESS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE JOB…Don’t restate your resume.

12. SHOW YOUR STUFF (EXAMPLE ) u. For your review, I am enclosing a copy of my resume which shows: - An Internship in Financial advising - Over two years of customer service experience - Related coursework in Communication Arts and Industrial Psychology

13. WRAP IT UP u STATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW-UP AND SEE IF THEY COULD SCHEDULE SOME TIME TO TALK WITH YOU

14. WRAP IT UP (EXAMPLE) If I may, let me call your office on Tuesday afternoon to see if you could schedule some time to talk with me. I look forward to meeting you.

15. A WELL WRITTEN COVER LETTER WILL... MAGNIFY YOUR CHANCES AT GETTING AN INTERVIEW!!!