A good cover letter complements your résumé and encourages the recipient to read everything you have presented. A great cover letter reveals your understanding of the employer's needs and hints of your professionalism and style. A magical cover letter does all of the above and more, propelling you "far 'above' the madding crowd."

Magical cover letters scream - ever so politely - that you have the intelligence, experience, and soft skills to be the answer to an employer's staffing problem. Marginal cover letters can also scream - unfortunately, their message to an employer is that of another "cookie-cutter candidate" with a canned letter or "another self-aggrandizing applicant" who hasn't once indicated his interest in my company's needs.

Segments of a Cover Letter

In the old days, there were three straightforward parts to a cover letter:

The Introduction - Typically a perfunctory statement that mentioned the position you were applying for and how you learned of it.

Example: "I am writing in response to your need for a Widget Processor, as advertised in the Sunday issue of The Times."

The Body - One or two paragraphs that summarized your experience and career goals.

Example: "I offer ten years of experience and skills in project management, client relations, and systems design. I am confident these skills would be of value to your organization."

A Final Paragraph - Often an invitation to review your résumé and request that the screener call if interested.

Example: "Thank you for reviewing the enclosed résumé. I look forward to hearing from you."

Today, those three parts have taken on new functions:

The Carrot - An introduction that is fresh, interesting, and relevant.

Example: "Delivering solid sales gains has been the norm throughout my career in sales. My commitment to you would be the same: expand sales in existing accounts, convert new accounts from competitors, and maximize sales of high-net products."

The Corroboration - Content that shows an intelligent understanding of the employer's needs and confirms your ability to fill those needs.

Example: "Qualifications I can bring to XYZ Company are outlined on the enclosed résumé. You will note that I have spent nearly a decade in the building materials industry. During that time, I have:

- Launched a new central California territory and captured more than $8 million in sales volume.
- Expanded a ready-mix business to gain a significant piece of the commercial building materials market (approx. 35%).
- Managed time, resources, and systems to maintain a healthy profit margin 6% above industry average.
- Hired, trained, and supervised an aggressive sales team who were well versed in competitive building materials.

What is not mentioned on the résumé is that I virtually grew up in the roofing business. My father owned Cal-Valley Roofing, so I had an early exposure to the industry and the people associated with it."

The Close - A confident finish that suggests a meeting or invites the reader to take further action.

Example: "Given my skills in relationship selling, familiarity with the product line, and understanding of your clients' needs, I could step into the position and be of immediate value."

Or,

"Your assistant mentioned an urgent need to fill the position. Business travel will take me out-of-state for the next week. If your calendar permits a meeting some time before Friday, the 27th, I would appreciate any accommodation you can provide. You can reach me by 24-hour pager, 888-449-7474."

Your mantra throughout the cover letter should be "value, value, value." Value means that you offer something of worth. To help you focus on value, ask yourself these questions: "What problems does the employer need solved? How can I prove I can help the employer? Is what I am saying relevant to this particular employer's concerns? Am I putting the employer's needs above my needs?"

Letters that are focused on employers' needs, instead of your wants, will always earn more attention, respect, and action.

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