There’s an old joke about the after dinner speaker who stepped up to the microphone and said, “Before I start speaking, I’d like to say something.” This is what the cover letter you include with your resume does…the hiring personnel who will read your cover letter first.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make that cover letter really stand out! Pay as much attention to detail as possible by using the name of the company to which you are applying in the body of your cover letter. This will mean writing a new cover letter each time you send out your resume, but so what? If you aren’t willing to put forth that much effort, why even bother applying?

The point here is that to many employers, your cover letter is as important as your resume. It reflects your work habits, and the time and care you are willing to put in to speak to them about yourself and about their company.

So just because you have a standard resume, don’t fall into the trap of sending out a standard cover letter. Make each one individual and target it to the company and person who will be receiving and reading your resume!

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