Cover letters should not be just another letter that introduces you, but something that should be written with a bit of flair so that it creates a curiosity about your true potential because a well-written cover letter can do more to advance your resume than you would ever have thought possible.

Let's start with the basic structure of a cover letter. First, keep in mind that it's basically a form of a business letter. So it needs to follow the rules of business correspondence.

The first step you'll want to take is to format the heading. If you're not familiar with this, don't worry. In this day of quicker than lightning emails, the formal business letter is becoming a lost art.

In the upper right hand corner of your word document, place your name and address. Leave the next four lines under this blank. Then place the date. The date goes on the left side of the page.

Leave the next four lines blank and type in the name of the contact person, the name and address of the company. This piece of information also is aligned to the left.

The first paragraph of your cover letter should be devoted to explaining why you're writing. You can easily do this in one to three sentences. Succinctly inform the reader of the position for which you're applying, then tell them how you discovered the opening. If you heard it from a friend, tell them. Better yet, tell them the name of the friend if you have the person's permission (and only if you have that person's express permission!)

The second and third paragraphs of the cover letter are reserved for a swift outline of your qualifications, cleverly written to align themselves nicely with the requirements for the position itself. Use the same caliber of words if possible, the same keywords, the same emphasis. And when you do this, be sure your enthusiasm shines through. Let's face it, if you can't show enthusiasm now, at the prospect of a better job with better pay, you're unlikely to develop it later in your career with this employer.

When you write these paragraphs, keep the John F. Kennedy quote in mind: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Again be as specific as possible when talking about the company for which you're applying. Show the reader that you went that extra couple of miles to research even a little about the firm. It's a sad fact that the majority of applicants probably did no research. This will put you light years ahead in getting that eight-second preview!

Finally, the closing paragraph is the equivalent of a "call to action" in the direct-marketing business. (And keep in mind, you are indeed in the process of marketing yourself!) The best call to action creates a sense of urgency in the reader. In this closing paragraph, make the reader as if he has the power to "buy" (otherwise called "hire") a terrific product (yes, that's you!), but make it very clear that it should be done now.