COVER LETTER WRITING TIPS
Our cover letter book uses graphing techniques as illustrated on the home page of this site. As with a resume, controlling your image is also critical to cover letter success. Just like resumes, employers may also spend only a few seconds glancing at your cover letter before deciding to review it further or filing it.

Keeping these two concepts in mind let's review the following set of before and after cover letter examples that Denise wanted to use to apply for a Contract Administration position at $36,000. The position required supervision of contract administration staff, purchasing, vendor coordination and computer skills.

Denise had been in the banking industry for many years and had gained extensive experience in that field. Her last salary had already been in the $36,000 range. Take a look at the section from Denise's before cover letter below. What salary range do you think it presents her as being qualified for?
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2nd and 3rd Paragraphs from Before Cover Letter:

My office skills include completing a Certificate Program in Office Automation with high proficiency in the operation of computer software.

In my last position as a Loan Documentation Specialist, I gained 13 years of banking experience which is transferable to many business environments. I have been bonded and can mange large volumes of cash including wire transfers.
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Many people say the cover letter example above doesn't present Denise's skills strongly enough and creates an image of her being qualified for positions in the $24,000 salary range.

Now take a moment and review the body of Denise's after cover letter. What salary range do you think the after letter presents her at?
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2nd, 3rd and 4th Paragraphs from After Cover Letter:

Contract Administration - Vendor Coordination - Purchasing
As a Loan Documentation Specialist for US Bank, I oversaw contract administration and the development of a database which tracked 3,600 annual transactions. I also coordinated with vendors to purchase and install $100,000 of computer equipment, software and supplies.

Training and Supervision of Contract / Documentation Staff
As workloads at the bank increased on a seasonal basis, I was responsible for hiring and training a pool of staff who assisted in processing and documenting loan contracts.

Project Management / Computerized Applications
Managing computer projects has required strong problem solving skills to coordinate and meet the needs of up to 5 internal departments processing contracts and loan documentation. My experience with computer applications include MS Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint and Publisher.
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Many people say the after letter elevates Denise's image significantly and positions her in the $36,000 salary range -- and possibly more depending on the positions she applies for and the job market where she is seeking employment.As Denise's example illustrates, teaching you how to understand, control and elevate the image you present in your letters makes the cover letter booklet far different from other cover letter books you'll read.

Here are success stories from two job seekers who used the cover letter booklet. They speak of the value you'll gain from this booklet. As with all testimonials, please keep in mind that your results will vary and depend on your skills, the wage and labor market conditions where you are seeking employment.

"Having followed your resume tips and cover letter formats, I have now landed the job that was at the top of my target list--in addition to having to turn several other respectable offers away! Thank you so much, once again. Now I must make a dozen phone calls to disappoint people who want me." Roger Dewsbury, Software Engineer

"I hadn't been getting responses, then rewrote my cover letter following the system presented in the cover letter book which includes using skill based paragraph headings and I immediately got a hit. I did another letter highlighting in bold, key words that I had picked out of the ad and got a hit with that also. Now I'm rewriting my resume. This system really works!" Mark W. Rosenquist, MSBA

The cover letter book explains why most letters miss the mark,--don't grab an employer's attention--and don't generate interviews. It takes you step by step through the analysis of three different sets of before and after letters written for jobs ranging from $20,000 to $80,000+. The cover letter examples in this booklet are excellent.

This book also teaches you how to analyze ads in order to identify the key skills and experience employers look for when filling the jobs you want. Armed with this information you're then shown how to pull out keywords from ads to create powerful keyword paragraph headings for your letters!

Each section of the cover letter is described--from the opening paragraph--to the closing paragraph. Examples are included to show you how to write: a strong opening paragraph, the body of your letter which is the most important in selling your top qualifications, and the closing paragraph. You'll also be guided in the use of innovative strategies that get instant attention in a professional and eye catching way.

The importance of follow up, targeting key decision makers and writing letters for employers who haven't advertised are also discussed.

Graphing is used to show how headings and statements in your letter will affect your image - making it go up or down in relation to the job and salary you want. A cover letter worksheet and cover letter critique list is also included to be sure that your letter is the best it can be.