An amazing new way to get companies to hire you for the job you want

One secret which is in use all over the world and which our Nigerian job seekers neglect is the use of cover letters.

A cover letter is a letter that you send to accompany your CV when you apply for job, whether advertised or when you are sending an unsolicited application. Do not over look this tool as it can be a great asset in your job hunt.

Since the cover letter is what most hiring managers and HR people read first, yours should make the most impact in the shortest time.

The truth is that you have less than 10 seconds in which to make your reader want to put down your cover letter, pick up the phone and call you for a job interview.

Here’s how to your own job cover letter in as little as 10 seconds.

You have just a few short moments to make an impact with your cover letter and resume.

1. Limit yourself to five or six paragraphs. The cover letters I write every day for clients are rarely longer than five paragraphs. That's an introductory paragraph, three bullet points to prove your skills and elicit curiosity, and a strong closing paragraph. A cover letter with this concise format is easy to scan and shows respect for the reader's limited time. If you need more room, fine, but never exceed one page.

2. Start smoothly. Your first sentence is most important. Use it to give the reader context for the rest of your letter. For example, it can be very effective to simply say: "I'm applying for the position of Sales Rep, as advertised in the Wall Street Journal." If you heard about the opening from a friend, drop his name in that first sentence: "Fela Yar'Adua suggested I contact you about the position of Design Engineer."

3. Drop crumbs. I like to include a "teaser" paragraph in every cover letter that says, more or less, "Here's why you'd be crazy not to call me." Try something like this:

"I've developed methods, which I can share with you, that have produced a 15% gain in market share for my current employer over the past 11 months, for $2.3 million in new revenue."

What's special about you? What can you do? Everyone is unique and valuable in some way. Make sure this comes through in your cover letter!

4. Finish strong. Finish your cover letter with emphasis on how you can help your prospective employer. And, if possible, include a time when you'll call to discuss their needs. Here's an example closing paragraph:

"Now I would like to bring these skills to work for you. I look forward to speaking with you soon about the results you can expect from me, and will call your office next Tuesday at 10:00 to answer any questions you may have."

An Overview

· A cover letter is sent with your CV. It can make the difference between being successful in your job search or not.

· Cover letters are generally not read during the first candidate selection, but usually they will be read when the candidates have been short listed. Do not waste such an opportunity.

· Always include a cover letter even if the job ad does not specify that one is needed. Occasionally, job ads also specify a hand written cover letter.

· Your cover letter should not be a copy of your CV. Specify some of your cover letter achievements and be sure you know how to handle Cover Letter weakness. (Uncertain as to what you're trying to say here).

· A cover letter is a way of showing your writing and reporting skills.

· Your cover letter should be customized per employer. However, if you are sending a lot of CVs, this task could prove impossible. Try instead to have a cover letter per industry or per area.

· Do not mention salary in your cover letter. If the job ad requests your expected salary then mention a range rather than a specific amount. For example =N=10k - =N=15k rather than 12k.

Best of luck to you! Success is yours