Get Your Job Faster -good Cover letters

Besides an effective resume, the most important thing you should consider when applying for a job is a cover letter. The cover letter is the first contact you will make in the company and this is where the person in charge of hiring or the human resource department will consider inviting you for an interview.

A cover letter is an important marketing tool where you will highlight your qualifications as a potential employee of the particular company you applied to. This is the first thing your employer will read before he or she even considers reading your resume. If your cover letter didn't impress the person in charge in human resources, don't expect him or her to even bother looking at your resume.

Writing a cover letter is perhaps the trickiest letter you will have to write as a job seeker. In the cover letter's body, you should first mention the most important items and support them with facts. Try putting yourself in the reader's position. This way you will have a better understanding on what the reader needs in a cover letter.

After determining the needs, you have to mention your background training, work experience as well as your career highlights and other things that will catch the attention of the person reading it. You should put in data that is useful for your desired position in order to impress your potential employer.

Always remember that you will be the one who will be responsible for whether the employer will invite you for an interview. Making a good cover letter will definitely catch your potential employer's attention.

You should know that companies receive hundreds of letters from your fellow jobseekers. Because of this, you should never expect your potential employer to read a badly written cover letter just to figure out what you can do for their company.

Here are the things you should consider when writing a cover letter:

- Research companies you are interested in applying to
- Highlight one or two accomplishments
- Be polite, formal and respectful
- Use action verbs and active voice

These are the things you should remember in order to write an effective cover letter. By following this, you will surely have a much greater chance of getting that job you have always wanted.


Look forward to more tips...

----Olalekan

tks 4 the good job.

Here is the continuation
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When applying for a job a cover letter should be sent or posted with your resume. If you are not sure what to write, review these cover letter samples.

Your cover letter should be specific to the position you are applying for, relating your skills and experience to those noted in the job posting. Your cover letter is your first (and best) chance to make a good impression!

An effective cover letter should explain the reasons for your interest in the organization and in the job you are applying for. Take the time to review cover letter examples, then make sure that your letter explains how your skills relate to the criteria listed in the job posting.

Here is a good sample of a cover letter

Employer Contact Information

Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Date

Dear Mr./Ms. LastName,

I am writing to apply for the position of Media Relations Manager. ABCD is a fast-moving global institution and an outstanding communications pioneer, now poised to guide the direction of print journalism.

As a recent graduate of the State University with significant experience in finance, administration and media, I bring the energy and commitment to excellence necessary to thrive in ABCD's innovative environment.

As the current Media Relations Coordinator of the XYZ company, I am a practiced business liaison and an able administrator. These strengths, combined with deep and varied employment and internship experience as a journalist and media consultant with FGH and LMD, prepare me to make a strong and immediate impact at ABCD.

I am excited about the opportunity to join the ABCD team as it moves to the center of the print media conversation. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,


Your Signature

Your Typed Name


--Join me later for more Job tips
--Olalekan

I just made use of the sample above to apply for a job yesterday, I found it interesting to use.

Check these two links to get samples of any type of cover letter you want to write. You can just choose which one fits your career more


http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverl...er_Letters.htm

http://www.bestcoverletters.com/

Take time to read this carefully and think over it..

First, don't panic. When you're faced with the prospect of a job search, you'll need to act deliberately -- not just fast.

Ramping up to land a new job quickly after a service or graduation takes thoughtful planning despite the urgency of the task. The trick to a successful transition is not to panic. You don't want to hit the market in a chaotic fashion.

Take stock of your finances. Identify and prioritize your bills, debt and commitments. An immediate need for cash flow may require you to take a temporary job. It can give you a sense of productivity and give you some good experience.

Create a planned job search strategy. Despite the need to mobilize a quick job search, you need to think it through. Take some time to step back and create a thoughtful and measured approach to your job hunt. Be specific about the position you want and target the companies where you want to work.

Determine your market worth. Conduct research with several executive recruiters, career coaches and others in similar positions to the one you're seeking to determine what salary and benefits you can request. Make a checklist of your skills and identify those that are transferable to other industries that are in a growth mode.

Practice your pitch. No matter how quickly you need to land a job, make sure you take some time to process your emotional reaction to job need. You don't want to jump in immediately especially these days when a lot of people are trying to take advantage of others. Practice your pitch until you're comfortable with it. Try it on friends, family, or a colleague or mentor.

Polish and post your resume. A resume is your window and calling card to the world of work. Make sure it highlights the position you want, your key accomplishments and measurable results of those accomplishments. Post your resume on the Internet at general and industry specific job boards, as well as, social networking sites like LinkedIn. Make sure it gets in the hands of executive recruiters as well. You don't want to leave any stone unturned.

Network, network, network. Make a list of contacts from your friends, family, colleges, former companies, charities and volunteer organizations. Reach out and tell them what kind of position you would like. Find a contact who can introduce you to a decision maker at companies where you want to work.


All the best in your hunt

@ olamylekan - good tips all round and well done.

My impression (and I may be wrong) is that some jobseekers thinks simply having a university degree should guarantee them a job. Wrong!

Also I cannot understand why some people say they are fresh graduates and why are companies asking for 4 or 5 years experience?

Your 1 year NYSC is a work experience that you can build your 'technical' and 'soft skills' around to package your 'covering letter' and CV to let you get invited for that interview. 'Flexible, dependable, hard-working, customer-focussed, reliable and team-playing.' You can also use any vacation job you did during your university years as part of work experience.

If your CV and covering letter gets you invited for an interview - the next stage is not running to your pastor/Imam/Babalawo for that lucky black soap or holy water O!

There are more people chasing fewer jobs - so the competition is fierce!

The next stage is to prepare for the interview proper. How will you answer a question 'What is your understanding of team-spirit and how does it impact on delivery of collective objective?' Tell me, that morning before the interview you don bath your black soap, apply the perfume your Babalawo gave you - and you are asked the above or similar question you are not prepared for - Boy! oh Boy!

Then some clever clog who has done his homework came to the same interview answer all the questions and got the job. You will say na 'Man know Man' or you will put the blame down that old woman next door!!!!

Good luck.