Never underestimate the power of a well-written cover letter. A resume and transcript can never accurately show prospective employers your personality or passion for the job. Recommendation letters can never completely outline how you'll behave when faced with problems. A well-written cover letter can be your passport to a new job: it is your chance to show employers that you are more than just good grades and wide experience. You are an exciting person who can contribute a lot to a company.

In general, there are five main elements of a great cover letter. First, it should be personal. Never address your cover letter to anyone who might be concerned to read it, and never send a cover letter to a company without knowing exactly what the company is like and what the job entails. Before the company gives you any special treatment, you should treat that company with favor and exclusivity as well. If you are making a shotgun application to hundreds of companies with the same cover letter, chances are, your prospective employers will want to point a shotgun at you and order you to get out.

Second, a great cover letter is brief. Prospective employers have many other things to do besides search for a new employee. There are reports to be written, cases to be solved, bills to be paid, and documents to be filed. Your cover letter has to stand out not only in the midst of the other letters from job applicants, but amidst the clutter of the typical workplace. Make your letter easy to read, with all the important information present in just a few paragraphs of text.

Third, don't sell yourself short. State your achievements and outline your experience, but always remember two things as you do so: write about these very briefly, and align them with the goals of the company. You may be the best nurse, doctor, writer, or financial analyst in the world, but if the company does not need your skills or specialties, then you might not be hired at all.

What should you stress in your letter? If you are applying for a position in customer service, you need to show your people skills. If you are applying to be a nurse, you need to stress how passionate and caring you are, even with a job that can demand long hours and a lot of stress. If you are applying to be a teacher, show your communication skills. If you are a journalist, show off your writing skills and talk about past work that has already been published or peer-reviewed.

There are still many other careers that can be discussed, but suffice it to say that you need to know what your strengths are, and you should highlight them in your letter. Avoid using an overblown tone, however, as you can annoy prospective employers. Sometimes, if you sound too good to be true, you can be ignored.

Fourth, write your letter in an active voice that seeks to secure you the next step in employment: the job interview. Provide all the relevant, important contact information, and make sure that your telephone numbers and email addresses work. State that you are free to be interviewed: don't be mousy about your expectations, and don't be afraid to tell the prospective employer that you are ready to talk to them. As long as you are tactful and polite, your letter will appear professional, not desperate.

Fifth, a great cover letter should be well-formatted and neat. Print your letter out on high quality paper with high quality ink, and sign it personally. You have just given the last personal touch to a cover letter, and you are ready to send it. Moreover, you have just secured yourself a job interview, so it's time to prepare for the next step!