Write Winning Cover Letters

"The biggest mistake I see is [candidates] don't think about how they relate to the organization," Decker says. "It's about the individual organization and not 'me, me, me.'"

Some successful candidates use bullets to list their skills. Others have highlighted specific projects or experiences they've had that relate to the company's position.

"If somebody gives me the right message in the cover letter, even if the resume is not perfect, I'll call them," says Parker. "The cover letter shows how well they would interview and present themselves 'face-to-face.'" An example:

I have watched your company grow since its launch in 2000 and have read several articles about the new software you released last year. As you can see from my resume, I have five years of experience working in sales at ABC Software, where I spearheaded a marketing campaign for a new software package released in 2005. Under my direction, my team was able to generate $1 million in sales within the first year of the product's release.

Vienna's Billy Peterson, currently seeking a job in business operations or finance, sometimes uses the second paragraph of his cover letters to highlight his MBA and his status as a certified management accountant. He's also brought attention to the fact that he's looking to relocate near a company to be closer to his adult children. "I note that I'm considering them for family reasons," says.

Can You Go Too Far?

Too much personalization, however, can be a mistake. As tempting as it may be to add personality to a cover letter, employers and recruiters say the tone of the letter should be serious.

"If it's too cutesy, [the applicant] might not be serious," says Tom Aichson, chief executive officer of Herndon, Va.-based National Corporate Housing, a growing temporary corporate housing firm. "We have a lot of fun people here, but that first impression ought to be, 'Here's who I am and this is what I can bring to the table.'"

Font and paper also matter with hard-copy resumes. Experts say Arial and Times New Roman are the fonts to use, along with paper that isn't too heavy or too thin. "The fancy thick paper might get attention," says Paul Villella, chief executive officer of Washington-area recruiting firm HireStrategy, "but it also causes you to ask, 'Why did they bother?' Your expectations rise so high."

Hiring experts say it's appropriate to end a cover letter with a message along the lines of "I look forward to hearing you" or, alternatively, a mention of a candidate's intent to follow up with the employer in a few days. "That shows a more aggressive interest in the opportunity than laying back and waiting for a phone call," Parker said.

Whichever is chosen, however, they agree that the latter strategy only works if the candidate intends to follow through. The follow-up, which can be done with a phone call or by e-mail, can be used not only to confirm receipt of the resume and cover letter but also to discuss the candidate's skills further, ask questions about the hiring process or address questions.