Great Resumes Arrive With Even Greater Cover Letters

You’ve written a great resume. But what about the cover letter?

In my post 9 Highly Effective Habits of Great Technical Resume Writers I shared the approach of the best resume writers in order to create the most effective resume. I also tested automatic ‘resume builders’ to see if they can be used to create great resumes, and my conclusion was that they provide a solid base to work from. Once you’ve created your masterpiece, then it needs to be read by potential employers or recruitment agencies, or you have wasted all that creative energy!

So how should you approach writing a cover letter? Well I found this clip on YouTube which does an excellent job of showing you how:

What else can you do?

I think there are a few other tricks to employ to make sure your cover letter is read:

1. Hand-write your envelope . The video suggests that you don’t hand-write the letter itself, and I think that’s wise. But hand-write your envelope . Research suggests that hand-written envelopes are typically opened first.
2. Use a distinctive envelope . Use an envelope that is a bit unusual, e.g. made from colored paper. Don’t go overboard – fluorescent is a bit over the top.
3. Use priority mail . Spending a bit more on the mail shows that you’re keen – don’t scrimp here!
4. Include examples of past work . Add samples of your previous work if you can but keep it brief.
5. Hand-deliver the envelope, if you can. Not only does this show great willing on your part, but it is an opportunity to see the environment of your potential employer. Make sure you write ‘Hand Delivered ‘ on the envelope too.

Still, you may want to put yourself in the top 1% of cover letters. Where the same jobs are now applied for by 1,000s of applicants you need every advantage. Sometimes, you just have to fill a vacancy you really want! If a job you’re going for isn’t worth losing, then I thoroughly recommend the eBook ‘Amazing Cover Letters ‘ by Jimmy P. Sweeney who has helped nearly 20,000 people in 25 countries to fulfill their dream and land their most desirable job. His eBook’s core value comes from demonstrating how you can build very high-impact covering letters that grab attention and stand out from the other 99% of applicants.

I’m not keen on the ‘animated head’ on his site (why a personal mugshot wouldn’t have been a better choice is beyond me!) but Jimmy’s product gives you the edge by knowing what buttons to press. For example, when I tested Amazing Cover Letters I noticed how I changed my writing style to spin the content of my resume into succinct points of interest in the cover letter, so I was effectively leveraging my resume in order to attract attention towards it. What I like about this product is that it tells you what to look for, how to leverage it, gives you the methods to write it and then how to bring it all together. And the whole thing is pretty much taken care of for you – perfect for busy people!

Like many of these kind of products, it comes with some neat bonuses. For example, there are letter templates for acceptance letters and thank you letters. You also get another great eBook which discusses interview techniques and how to perform at an interview, and is full of tips for the ‘big day’. You’ll also find a bonus eBook on salary negotiation techniques – a nice follow up lesson for when you are offered the job!

So Amazing Cover Letters gets the big thumbs up from me, and at only $39.95 I’m sure you will say the same. Just in case it doesn’t work for you then there is the 100% money-back guarantee so it’s a risk-free opportunity for you.

Don’t believe me still? Well the first 20 people who buy Amazing Cover Letters using this link will recieve a FREE Resume and Cover Letter personal review from me . The prize is a review of your resume and cover letter, and I will give you personal feedback on each, offering you my thoughts on where they work great or maybe not so great. All you need to do is:

• Buy Amazing Cover Letters using the Link above
• Forward your email receipt to the email address found on my About page
• Wait for my response – I’ll confirm that you’re one of the 20 Lucky Prize Winners!