A dazzling cover will get your resume read – plain and simple. What do I mean by dazzling? I'm not talking about a clean, professional format – although that is definitely a component of a good cover letter. I'm also talking about a confident, intelligent cover letter that hooks your reader, shows your professionalism, and stops your reader dead in their tracks to finish it.

Your cover letter should be properly formatted and the first paragraph should explain the advertisement that you are responding to. Immediately following this information, you should begin to tell the employer who you are and why you are qualified to apply for the job. However, be careful with the language you use in your cover letter - starting every sentence with “I” is a huge turn-off for those who make the hiring decision. A cover letter should be focused on “you” - with “you” being the business you are offering yourself to. Discuss your qualifications, your goals, and your professional attributes and how they apply to the company you want to join as a valuable team member.

The second paragraph is where you should prepare to shine. Show the employer why they need you because you're a super-whiz ready to do anything to get the job done. You love the job so much you dream of it in your sleep. You've read a hundred articles of the company since you were 12. Describe your strengths, passions, and collective experience in your career. You can describe why you entered the field and your major accomplishments at each place you have worked, any awards you have received, your favorite project, or all of the above. Try to keep your sentence concise but make sure you truly convey your passion. If you do any pro bono work or volunteer work in your field, mention this – in addition to any other related side-projects that are not listed on your resume. Don't re-state your resume or go over the information that is in your resume in your cover letter. Your cover letter sells your resume - so highlight certain areas of your resume but do so in the context of your career goals and how your qualifications and passion benefit the company.

In your final paragraph, tell the employer what your interview availability is, and when you would like to meet with her. DO NOT ask the employer to call you at their convenience. Confident professionals are eager to be called, and confident that they WILL be - you don't want them to call you back whenever they feel like it. Give them a date you will follow up if you haven't heard from them – and then do follow up.

It's important to remember that a cover letter is just the first page of your story that's intended get the employer to read your resume. You've got to write the bang-up resume. You've got to ace the interview. Practice writing, speaking, and thinking with confidence throughout your job search process, and you'll not just get the job you need, but the career you want.