[ID:0425]You simply must have an effective covering letter. It should demonstrate the clarity of your thoughts, and it must be a sterling sample of your writing abilities. Do not use humor, slang or any approach that does not reflect a serious professional attitude.

It is not unheard-of to spend four or five hours composing a good covering letter to achieve the payoff of an interview.

But before you send off your letter, try to make contact with your potential employer.

Call Your Potential Employer First

Telephone the company before mailing your resume. After all, we know only too well what is done with unsolicited mail. (RELATED ARTICLE: For a full discussion on how to phone employers, see Contacting Employers Directly.)

In the pre-resume phone call, you should do the following:

• Obtain the exact name and title of the recruitment officer for inclusion in your covering letter.
• Inquire about the employer's ideal profile so that these important characteristics...