Many people have the wrong idea when it comes to writing a cover letter for a resume. They think that it shouldn't say much beyond: my resume is enclosed and maybe please contact me for a interview.
In today's economy, when ever dollar counts and companies have the pick of the lot when it comes to hiring, employers are looking for employees who can get help them to stand out and to get results. To do that you have to make yourself stand out,
How do you make yourself stand out
You do that by creating your own personal brand and marketing yourself as someone who can add value to the company.
The cover letter is where it starts. Why? Because the cover letter is where:
you first communicate with the potenetial employer.
you tell the employer that you are seeking an interview. In order to get that you have to give him a reason.
you market your brand by showing how your skills can benefit the company
you give specific examples of results you achieved by using those specific skills.
you demonstrate your persuasive writing skills
Some people avoid preparing a well crafted cover letter because they think they ought to reserve identifying their skills and accomplishments for the resume. This is another mistake.
While the cover letter ought not to rehash the resume, it must be complementary. You continue to showcase your personal brand in the same vein in the resume where you will provide more details about the companies you worked for and/or products you developed but you start out by establishing your objectives, highlighting your qualifications and schools attended. It is a complementary, similarly targeted document to which the cover letter is attached but they are both important.
Get Help to Write Cover Letters
Think of it this way. If you have an opportunity to sell yourself to the job recruiter why not take advantage of the extra page afforded by the cover letter. Use it and use it well.
If you still have problems there are cover letter generators online designed to craft a personalized, targeted cover letter. Review them and use them to help you stand out and get that job interview.