Pam combed the pages of the newspaper and she spent hours
on the Internet checking out potential jobs. She also read articles about how
to write a stellar cover letter that would rise to the top of the slush pile on
a hiring manager's desk.
But what difference did all this make? "Not
much," claims Pam, a 28-year-old college grad who wanted to work in the
accounting industry as a credit manager. "I knew I had to do something
drastic," she said, "something no one else does. I looked for a way
to stand out in a crowd."
If only she could create a job search cover letter that
was unlike any other—totally different from the typical templates she found in
books and online. A letter that would inspire a hiring manager to pay attention
to her letter in a way that stopped
him and made him want to meet her in person for an interview.
Then one morning as Pam scanned the daily newspaper while
sipping her coffee a headline caught her attention. TEEN STUDENT STARTS OWN
BUSINESS AND MAKES A MINT. "I didn't have time to read the entire article
right then," she said, "but I definitely wanted to find out more. The
headline stayed with me all morning. I knew I'd return to it."
An A-Ha Moment
Later that day Pam finished reading the article and
suddenly had an a-ha moment, realizing she could apply the headline principle to her cover letter. What if she created a
headline at the top of her letter to grab a hiring manager's attention before
he could put it down. It was worth a try. Here is what Pam came up with and how
it can work for you too:
·
Create a smashing two-line headline. (Study
newspaper headlines for examples of powerful words.)
·
Type the headline in boldface print.
·
Place the phrase just above the greeting (Dear
Ms. Doe) in your cover letter.
·
Center it on the page.
Here is the winning cover letter that packed Pam's basic
message into a few words and was easy to notice and read.
Looking for a CREDIT MANAGER?
Search no more. I'm ready. I'm set. Just waiting to GO!
How could any hiring manager turn his back on such a
creative headline? None could! Pam's creativity alone stopped several hiring
managers on the spot, compelling them to invite her in for an interview. One
led to a job offer she couldn't turn down. It met all of her criteria.
Now it is time for you to create your own fabulous headline
that will lead you to the job interview of your dreams and the words you long
to hear, "You're hired."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jimmy Sweeney
Amazing Cover Letter Creator