Batter Up!: Homerun-Hitting Cover Letters

There are basically two things aside from your resume that you need to put in writing during the course of interviewing with your dream company, your cover letter and thank-you letter. The cover letter in my estimation--and judging from some of the ones I have read--is the far more difficult of the two, to write. While a thank-you letter is pretty much self-explanatory, the essence of the title "cover letter" implies a document that is both complex and brief. The expectation is that you will highlight your strengths and motivation for this position in a nutshell--not an easy request. I think most of us would agree that this combination is a challenge in any format, much less one that represents us to prospective employers. No pressure!

Keeping in mind that the cover letter is the window into you and your resume, I want you to give it a good deal of thought. We have all seen the basic brief "format" cover letter, which adds absolutely no value to your cause. What you will need to do to avoid this pitfall is personalize your cover letter for each position and company. Sounds like a lot of work, right? Well it is, but competition is steep, and a little work on the front end can not only help you secure an interview with an employer who feels confident in your written communication skills, but it also allows some insight into you as an individual.