by Michael Vasquez

Created on: May 19, 2008

You have decided to look for a job. Now you are surfing the web looking for that dream job because you are miserable where you work now.

You spend countless hours on the job boards looking and searching, searching and looking. Out of the hundreds of jobs out there you are able to find 2 or 3 that make the cut. You spruce up you resume(half true/half exaggeration) and you upload it to a job board, you click on the job you want and hit send/apply. Then you see the worst screen of them all -UPLOAD/CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER- and you are thinking, huh? after all that work! What do you want from me? Blood? You then read your saving grace (OPTIONAL) and you hit send and you wait and wait and wait.

You start thinking about why you are not getting a call, you think "I'm qualified for this job", "I have the experience", two or three weeks go by and you get an e-mail, you are happy and excited, click open the e-mail and it's a Dear John. Then you start to doubt, is it me?

The answer is yes. It is you. I have been hiring for Fortune 100 companies for 15 years and I have yet to hire a candidate that submitted a resume without a cover letter. The reason? If you are too lazy to type up a couple of paragraphs on why you are a good fit for the job, you will more likely than not be too lazy to do the job.

I have included what a cover letter should look like, be sure you cater to the employer's specifications, better yet use the employer's job posting to create you cover letter.

- EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT CALL CENTERS CUSTOMER CARE SALES MANAGEMENT

More than 10 years of progressive inbound and outbound call center management, training and development, sales/account management and client services experience, culminating in executive-level profit & loss accountability, regarding the administration of call center and contact operations, implementation of effective systems, tools, procedures and the development of new business and human resources management.

Proven track record of enhancing company's operations and production records, as well as directing increased sales and profit growth through inbound and outbound teleservices campaign development.

Expertise in planning and implementing extensive business to business and business to consumer teleservice functions for major Fortune 500 and Fortune 200 corporations, as well as developing and implementing technical support systems to satisfy the needs of call center facilities. Extensive experience in human resources management, recruiting, training and employee development both management level and staff personnel.

Diversified background in directing and coordinating operations and personnel, including executive responsibility for company's profit & loss position.

I am confident you will find that my skill set and experience match those of your company's requirements.-

Like the example above, your cover letter should give the employer a glimpse of what they would get if they hire you and how much of a mistake they would make if they did not.

In essence a cover letter is your foot in the door...then, you need to do the rest.

Now...go back and write a cover letter!

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