To be the successful job candidate in any field, it helps to tailor your cover letter to the specific job opening. View our sample cover letter for a sales professional here.

Found the perfect job through an ad? Before you whisk off your resume and cover letter, study the ad and determine how your qualifications match the employer's requirements. Armed with this information, you can craft a cover letter positioning yourself as the ideal candidate. For example, look at this sample job ad: Outside Sales Rep Our client, a fast-growing, Staten Island, ...

Professional writers often worry that their work is unnecessary. After all, can't anyone with even a basic education write? The answer: no, they can't. Even college graduates don't seem to be learning composition basics. Of course not everyone is going to be the next Mark Twain, but career success does depend on not looking stupid. Sure, some clients, coworkers, or resume ...

Do you enjoy writing resume cover letters about as much as you relish root canals? Dread isn't uncommon when it comes to resume cover letters. "It's an area where job-seekers could do the most to improve, because it does require a certain amount of heavy lifting," said Anna Ivey, a career counselor based in the Boston area. "Most people just write ...

By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert Your cover letter is the first thing employers see when they open your materials. Avoid these 10 mistakes, and make your first impression a good and lasting one. Mistake #1: Don't Overuse "I" Your cover letter is not your autobiography. The focus should be on how you meet an employer's needs, not on your life ...

Kim Isaacs | Monster Resume Expert Feeling overwhelmed by the cover letter feedback you've received? Not sure where to begin to make improvements? If you’ve had a cover letter critique and are now faced with harsh criticism, here's help from career professionals on what to do next. Get Started!

When changing fields, especially early on in your career, it's important to outline your value proposition to a potential employer. View our early career change cover letter sample here December 1, 2007 Mr. Quincy Simpson HR Manager XYZ Corporation 1800 Broadway New York, NY 11111 Dear Mr. Simpson: If you are searching for a pharmaceutical sales representative with the ability to ...

Job seekers often spend countless hours developing their resumes and then treat their cover letters as an afterthought. This can be a critical mistake; the cover letter can help your resume get noticed. Think of the cover letter as your resume's cheerleading section. To make the best impression, follow these etiquette rules: Say No to the Cover Letter Cop-Out The ...

The resume was impressive. The formatting was impeccable, the content was excellent, and he did a great job of focusing on accomplishments instead of job duties. If I were an employer, I would have been impressed. Then I looked at his cover letter and imagined the employer tossing that perfect resume into the trash bin. Many people looking for jobs destroy ...

Is the pressure of writing a killer cover letter getting to you? Never know what to include? Having issues coming up with that snappy opening line? Cover letters are the first thing that most employers look at, yet they can be the most frustrating part of the job search process. To help you build the perfect cover letter, MediaBuzz has put ...

Professional writers often worry that their work is unnecessary. After all, can't anyone with even a basic education write? The answer: no, they can't. Even college graduates don't seem to be learning composition basics. Of course not everyone is going to be the next Mark Twain, but career success does depend on not looking stupid. Sure, some clients, coworkers, or resume ...

It's a catch-22: You want a job to gain experience, but you can't find a job because previous experience is required. Don't be discouraged. You can still put your best foot forward and have a shot at the job. Follow these steps to create a winning resume: h4. Select the Right Format The two most effective resume formats for entry-level workers ...

In today's economy, you need to carefully present your experience to avoid being seen as unstable. Start by evaluating your situation and determining how bad it really is. If you are panicking about two months of unemployment back in 1984, your job search will probably not be affected. However, if you are dealing with recent periods of unemployment extending for months ...

Are your fellow job seekers leaving you in the dust, nabbing the great jobs because they have educational credentials that you lack? Follow these tips to put your best foot forward on your resume and compete with others who have more impressive educational backgrounds. h4. Emphasize Your Strongest Credentials Think about why an employer should hire you out of all the ...

You need a job but aren't sure of your career direction right now, or maybe this tough job market has left you willing to consider just about any position. Remember that while it's great to have an open mind regarding your objective, an unclear objective can pose a problem when developing your resume. The most effective resumes are targeted to a ...

In a competitive job market, it's hard enough for job seekers on a steady career path to get their resumes noticed. If you are pursuing a new direction, it's all that much more difficult to convince hiring managers to take a chance on you. A common mistake career changers make is to use the same resumes that worked in their previous ...

In a competitive job market, it's hard enough for job seekers on a steady career path to get their resumes noticed. If you are pursuing a new direction, it's all that much more difficult to convince hiring managers to take a chance on you. A common mistake career changers make is to use the same resumes that worked in their previous ...

Individuals with criminal histories face numerous obstacles when seeking employment, so it's important they make the one document that can open doors - the resume - as effective as possible. Follow these tips to ensure your resume is ready to go: h4. Don't Reference Your Criminal Background The purpose of a resume is to help you secure a job interview. For ...

You've spent four years or more building your knowledge and perhaps even earned a high GPA. So why aren't employers clamoring for your services? The problem you and other new graduates face is that hiring managers are more interested in what you can do for them than what you did in school. So use your resume to convince employers that your ...

Your employer just let you go. You need to find another job, but how should you handle your termination on your resume? The days when you signed on with a company and stayed with it until retirement are gone. In today's climate, employers are much more understanding when they see a less-than-perfect work chronology. Follow these tips regarding losing your job ...