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Jobseekers frequently underestimate the importance of resume cover letters. A well-written cover letter may mean the difference between a serious perusal of someone's resume, and a glance before it enters the circular file.

Jobseekers commonly make the mistake of duplicating their resume when they write the cover letter-- although many of them just plain forget to write the cover letter to begin with! However, you need a cover letter that expands on and complements your resume.

Imagine that you're the one sitting at a desk with piles of resumes to look at. Pretty much all of them are printed on good white paper. They all boast of each applicant's skills and objectives.

Lots of them are accompanied by cover letters, some of them very long and rambling. That's got to be overwhelming! So, stand out from the crowd. The cover letter needs to get attention from the reader and give them plenty of good reasons for them to turn the page.

But how do you begin? Look for examples of resume cover letters posted on the internet. There are examples that cover several different jobs in dozens of different formats. You can find them all by using your favorite search engine.

Now, if someone that the company or interviewer knows well has referred you and also gave you permission to use their name in your cover letter, do it! You'll be using the power of networking referrals, which can go a long way in making sure that your resume gets serious consideration.

Next thing you need to do is study the job description. Write references to it and describe how your skills make you suited for the job. It might be tempting to just repeat everything you wrote in your resume, but consider that this is a great chance to go even further. Talk specifically about how your skills suit you for the job and how you'll benefit the company.

"What's in it for me?" Imagine that this is the very question that the interviewer is asking. The interview is more than likely thinking that exact thought when he or she is reading through a bunch of resume cover letters. If you answer well, the interview will be yours!

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