Take Your Career to the Next Level with a Persuasive Cover Letter

Just like a well-honed resumé, an effective cover letter can help you land the interview you need to take the next step in your career. It not only informs the person reviewing perhaps hundreds of resumés and letters which job you're interested in, it also provides a valuable opportunity to showcase your writing skills and present important reasons why you should be considered above all other candidates.

To help you create a persuasive cover letter, review the suggestions below.Valuable cover letter tips are also available from your career services advisor and at www.resume-resource.com/covers.html.

Get to the Point

In addition to customizing your letter to the specific job for which you're applying, keep the letter to one page and no more than three or four short paragraphs:

• Paragraph 1: Express interest in both the company and the specific job for which you're applying.
• Paragraph 2: In two or three sentences, describe the single most important skill you bring to the job (i.e., why you're uniquely qualified for the position).
• Paragraph 3: In two or three sentences, describe the second most important skill you bring to the job.
• Paragraph 4: Invite the reader to contact you and thank him or her for considering your resumé.