There are so many people in the job search market competing for interviews that in order to be noticed you must write a professional, eye-catching cover letter—one that convinces the hiring manager of the kind of person you are—someone eager to bring his or her time, talent, and trustworthiness to the company.

Stand Out From the Crowd

Show that you’re ready to assume responsibility, deliver excellent service, and do your job with energy and enthusiasm.

Example: “I am eager to join your team of financial planners. I promise to learn and listen, as well as offer my ideas for expanding the client base, increasing company profits, and most important, living up to your mission statement—Customers Come First. Period. May I come in for an interview to discuss the details and to find out more about what you’re looking for in the persons you hire?”

When a hiring manager reads a professional cover letter that is both concise and precise, he or she will certainly take a second look. In fact, such a letter will stand out from the crowd and result in a phone call for an interview in person.

It takes an extra effort to land more quality job interviews in these tough times. Your cover letter can serve as the “sales person” that presents a professional, compelling argument as to why YOU should be scheduled for the next interview.

Visit our friends at Amazing Cover Letters for your “instant” cover letter today. “In just 3½ minutes you will have an amazing cover letter guaranteed to cut through YOUR competition like a hot knife through butter!”

Image by ?ukasz Strachanowski via Flickr

A lot of job-seekers miss the opportunity to get past first base whenever it comes to getting the career of their dreams. Just what holds them back? A damaging attitude reflected in their cover letter to potential employers.

Negative Thoughts Lead to Negative Actions!

They may really feel bitter with regards to the way in which their past job ended, or exasperated toward a prior business colleague, or damaged by an experience with a employer.

Negativity, nonetheless, drains energy, shuts down healthy feelings, and keeps one stuck. Even if you never protest outright, a hiring manager will be able to pick up a negative disposition by reading between the lines.

Anyone can overcome this block by looking up, taking walks on the sunny side of the road, identifying nice things to express about yourself as well as others, and trusting that everything works out for the best—even when you are not able to yet see the end result.

Consequently, replace your negative thoughts with positive ones, even when you don’t feel like it. Then craft a cover letter that shines with possibility and ‘positivity’ and see how the very act itself could change your perspective.

Following are a few positive ways to frame your cover letter so a hiring manager may sit up and take notice—and then make contact with you for an interview that may possibly lead to the job you’ve been dreaming about.

Positively, Absolutely!

• Thank you for posting your opening for a position in management. This is the exact position I’m looking for and I would appreciate the opportunity to interview for it.
• Iv’e heard nothing but stimulating comments from two of your employees regarding the excellent working conditions at ABC Enterprises. It would be an honor to join your family of staff members.
• I am enthusiastic to meet with you in person to talk about what you’re looking for in an administration assistant. I feel I’m an excellent match for this position and would certainly like to interview for this opening.
• Based on my performance at my prior employment I can assure you that I will bring to this job- passion, experience, and excellence.

Think and Act positively. Employers respond to passion and positivity!

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Competing with boards are aggregators — certainly taking attention away from smaller, less established job boards are meta-search engines that congregate job openings from a multitude of sources; i.e. job boards, newspaper and classified listings, associations, social networks, content sites and company career sites.

But aggregators allow companies to post and sponsor job listings, which takes advertising dollars away from others. For example, Monster has seen continuous declines in revenue between 2008 and 2009, while CareerBuilder North America has seen its own losses.

Aggregators undoubtedly seem more in tune with jobseekers, and just may be leaving older, but not wiser, sites like Monster and CareerBuilder in the dust. Take SimplyHired, for example. A virtual newcomer, going beta in 2005, SimplyHired is no stranger to providing jobseekers with what they want and need, which probably accounts for the company’s continued revenue growth — while job boards struggle.

Some believe job boards have one fundamental flaw. While they focus too heavily on job delivery, sponsored ads, visual presentation, and resume collection, jobseekers are shifting to social platforms. Although job boards are using social media to promote their boards, they are missing that jobseekers need social networking functionality too as part of the job-search experience — not a separate entity, but an inclusive entity. Simply put, one way for job boards to compete is to embrace social media into their fold of offerings.

SimplyHired’s recent addition of LinkedIn into its offerings is certainly a feature that puts job-search on a new level. Take the following example for instance. Conducting a basic search for a Chief Executive Officer position within New York City returns a number of sponsored and organic jobs to peruse.

Jobseekers can now take their search one step further. Using SimplyHired’s new feature, Who Do I Know? on LinkedIn, a jobseeker can identify those within their LinkedIn network that coincide with current job openings.

After selecting Who Do I Know?, I quickly identify the name of the HR Director at Marsh in New York City for a Chief Marketing Officer position. For jobseekers, this information is very important and useful.

A small step forward to helping jobseekers, sure, but there is room to grow. My hope is job boards recognize the need for evolution, to avoid being outdated job-search technology in a next generation job-search world.

“Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.” Norman Vincent Peale “Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.” David McCullough

“Success depends on your backbone, not your wishbone.” Unknown Author

Each one provides good advice as well as inspiration. Consider including an appropriate quotation in your cover letter. It will pack a punch, give the hiring manager something fresh and motivating to read, and elevate you in his or her mind. Cover letters that offer more than simply a list of job skills, will rise to the top of the pile. Managers will notice such a person and want to call you in for an interview.

How to weave a great quotation into your letter.

Suppose you are applying for a position as a sales manager for a book publishing firm. You thank the hiring manager for the opportunity to introduce yourself, let him or her know where you found out about the opening and the good things you read or heard about the company, why you believe you’re a good fit for the position, and of course something about your previous employment. Add a sentence that asks the employer to look at your enclosed resume for further details. Next, start a new paragraph with a snappy, insightful quotation.

Example: “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.” (Albert Einstein)

Then add a sentence showing how you will do just that-set an example for the people you manage. Example: You can count on me to live these inspiring words. I know the importance of influencing people for good and that is what I want to be known for. I’d welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person so you can judge for yourself.

When it comes to cover letters, it is essential to make a strong, first impression. You can do that with a great quote from someone known and respected in the field you are aspiring to.

Imagine the results you’ll experience in your job search when your cover letter includes not only details about your abilities but also insight into who you are as a person? A prospective employer will actually be excited to meet you, to discuss the job, and to hand it over to you! Potential employees who show creativity and color in their communication are a gift to any company.

So, include a strong, inspirational quotation to your next cover letter and then get ready for the phone to ring!