You may have the greatest resume in the world, but it might not even be looked at without having a great cover letter. Cover letters spark interest in the employer. Your cover letter will be the first thing your prospective employer will see. It is the best chance that you have to put your personality, creativity, and experience right in front of the employer without even being present.
The cover letter has to be custom crafted for the exact employer that you are contacting. Go beyond merely identifying the specific job that you are applying for. Let the employer know that you have done some research into the company by highlighting some facts about the company that impress you the most. You must also show that you are a valuable asset to the “team” or organization and that you will fit smoothly into the work culture. Highlight your experience such as any transcription experience if you are looking into court reporting opportunities.
Cover letters have much to accomplish in very little space and time. You have approximately 15 to 20 seconds to catch the reviewer’s eye. If you fail, both your cover letter and resume will go straight into the “uninterested” pile. The best piece of advice is to get as much help as possible in learning how to craft the ultimate cover letter. You have two routes to go. You can either research how to put together a cover letter by looking at sample cover letters, or you can utilize a professional cover letter service (for a fee) to craft your cover letter for you.
If you decide to review sample cover letters on your own to guide you in writing your own cover letter, you can refer to free templates online, sample cover letters found online, or books devoted solely to the subject of writing great cover letters. Sample cover letters put you in the ballpark to begin your personal crafting of how you want to present yourself. You should incorporate the best of the best ideas you find while reviewing hundreds of sample cover letters. There should be no problem finding many examples of good cover letters for exactly the type of job that you are applying for. One note of caution, do NOT copy sentences and phrases out of sample cover letters. First, this is plagiarism. Second, you will not obtain the original and fresh perspective that you are trying to achieve to set yourself apart from other job seekers. Let sample cover letters be your inspiration. Do not become chained to any one example in a copy cat manner.
You may choose to go to a professional cover letter service. The advantages you will have utilizing this method is getting a cover letter that was written by a proven professional in the field. Professionals will give you what they know has worked in the past and looks great from a presentation standpoint. The downsides are the cost and loss of personalization. Plus, you must avoid using the same cover letter for different jobs.
