Cover Letter Magic

Title: Cover Letter Magic: Trade Secrets of Professional Resume Writers
Author(s) Wendy S. Enelow and Louise Kursmark
Publisher: JIST Works; 3 edition (December 2006)
ISBN-10: 1593573642
ISBN-13: 978-1593573645
My Rating - 5 out of 5

Having a great resume is important but so is having the proper cover letter to present it. After all, you only get one chance at your first impression and the cover letter very often determines whether or not a potential employer will go beyond it to consider the resume itself. Therefore, Wendy S. Enelow and Louise Kursmark have put together this third edition of Cover Letter Magic to help you apply for the job you want with total confidence. So let’s see what they have to offer.

A brief overview reveals that within the seventeen chapters and four appendixes, we are introduced to the ten types of cover letters, the six steps to the perfect cover letter, thank-you, follow-up and job search letters and winning resume strategies. Not to be overlooked are the recommended job search and career web site listings. If you have not yet written your resume, the authors of this book recommend its companion Resume Magic by Susan Britton Whitcomb which I will be reviewing as well.

Cover letters are unique in the sense that unlike your resume which stays the same every time you send it off, your cover letters should change each time. This is because in each instance you are writing to a different person. So of course you would want to tailor it to that particular person and situation for which you are contacting them. You want your letter to introduce you as the best candidate for the job, so don’t sell yourself short by sending a generic or shoddy cover letter. Make the introduction as important as the resume itself. Keep it brief but hard-hitting so as to catch the attention of the employer and keep him/her reading beyond it.

This book will guide you through the necessary steps in developing your strategy and selling points. This will make the letter writing easier for you when you’re ready to do so. When you do get to the writing stage, there are over 100 cover letters that were written by many different professionals and actually used in a job search campaign for you to peruse.

The purpose of your cover letter is to introduce, as we have said earlier, but it also should highlight your most notable qualifications, experiences, etc., identify the value that you can bring to the company you wish to work for, captivate your reader’s interest in you and your resume, and lastly, motivate the reader to action … Ultimately making the call which offers you the opportunity to be interviewed.

Presentation is everything, they say, so our two authors cover that topic too. Formatting and design considerations are discussed. The results? A professional cover letter to enhance your resume with a clear cut message for your prospective employer.

Included also is the index of contributors with all their contact information. Nearly all of them have earned one or more professional credentials, so you can take stock in what they have to offer you in the way of advice. The first two appendixes have been found to be extremely helpful, as they consist of Using Keywords to Win in Your Job Search and Action Verbs for Cover Letters.

This definitely a book all writers should have on their desk for quick and easy reference.