Cover letter

Your cover letter should be more than just wrapping paper for your résumé. It is an opportunity to attract a hiring managers' interest and provide them with a sense of your overall suitability and personality. Ensure primary decision-makers receive your documents by addressing them directly.

In the first sentence, explain how you learned of the position, whether it was through a mutual acquaintance, an industry publication or an ad. This information tells the hiring manager how well you know the firm and position. This alone can prompt the recipient to keep reading.

Next, draw the hiring manager's attention to your résumé by mentioning two or three qualities that distinguish you from other candidates. Specify why you're the ideal candidate for the position, and then customize your letter to prove your point. Cover letters must provide tailored information beyond what's in your résumé. Summarize the qualifications and expertise that are most likely to interest the employer. Paint a picture of how hiring you will help the company.

Your letter must be job and company-specific. If you demonstrate an understanding of the company's current issues, such as a shift in strategy or expansion into new markets, you'll greatly enhance your prospects.

Most cover letters fail in this regard. Too often candidates focus on what they're looking for (career advancement, geography...) and not on how their skills, expertise and past accomplishments can benefit the employer. In job-hunting, as in all forms of sales, focus on your customer.

In closing the document, ask for the opportunity to discuss the available opening and indicate when you'll follow up.