It’s imperative for the serious job hunter to learn how to write a strong cover letter . The cover letter is your first point of contact, setting the tone for what employers should expect from you.

1. Edit the Cover Letter to the Job Specifications

Try not to send the same cover letter every time you apply for a job. Generic cover letters are boring and they do not show exactly why you are a good candidate for the post. Your cover letter should always focus on the professional skills and qualities that are applicable, and put aside everything that is not.

Resist the urge to use the cover letter as an autobiography. This isn’t the place to explain why you were fired from you last job or why there is 3 years missing from your resume. Instead focus on what skills and experience you bring to the organization you are applying to.

2. Focus on the Opening Paragraph

Employers review countless resumes so they have to make quick decisions. If your first paragraph is weak the potential employer may not bother reading the rest and may even discard your resume.

Try to avoid clichés such as “goal oriented”, “motivated”, “self starter” as reviewers hear these same phrases over and over. Instead your opening paragraph should focus on accomplishing the following goals:

· Let the employer know the purpose of the letter. An employer must know that you are applying for a job in the first sentence
· Explain why you are the best candidate for the job

3. Tell the Employer what you Bring to the Table

Employers want to know what you can do to make their businesses more profitable. They do not want to hear about how the company can help you acquire professional skills or experience. This means demonstrating how the skills and experience you have will make you an asset to their company.

4. Use Dynamic Language and Formatting

Use bold, bullets, underlining and white space to highlight your skills and qualifications drawing the readers eye to the points you want them to focus on. Don’t feel you have to fill every white space on the page - while this might enable you to include more information, it results in the reader not knowing where to look and what you feel is most important.