Many people believe that their resume is their first impression when applying for a job, and they spend many hours making sure it is sending the message that they want to convey about themselves. In reality, it is not just the resume that is the first impression, it is the combination of your cover letter and resume which makes up the first impression. Want to improve your cover letter? Keep reading for some tips.

Your cover letter should also be customized to the position you are applying for, and the company you are applying to. Your cover letter and resume together are your first opportunity to convince a potential employer that you are the perfect candidate for their opening. Your cover letter should reinforce the message you are sending in your resume, that you are the most qualified applicant.

The goal of your cover letter is to highlight your skills as they are most relevant to the job, and then to persuade them as to why you're right for the job. Think of it like a persuasive essay. The topic is you, and the goal is to persuade the reader that you're the best person for the job. What makes you so special? Why are you the best person for the job? What do you have to offer that someone else won't? These are all things that employers want to know. They want to know that they are getting the best of the best, and you need to prove that is you in any way that you can.

If you are applying for a specific position, you need to have a cover letter that specifies the exact information that is needed. The lead-in paragraph should be short and sweet, allowing you to reference the position and the fact that you are right for the job. Then, you need to follow with your skills and abilities, or the highlights of why you are the best, as you say that you are. Don't focus specifically on what you've done. Focus on what you've done and how it affects what you CAN do for the company in question. That's what they want to know: what you can do for them. They don't care if you can count to ten in Chinese if it isn't relevant, just what matters most to them.

To summarize, your cover letter should be a concise recap of the position you are interested in, the relevant training and experience you have that make you the best candidate for that position, and how this training and experience will benefit your potential new employer. If you want more helpful tips for the application process, or various business training, including Six Sigma training, check out Six Sigma Online at http://www.sixsigmaonline.org.