In employers eyes, a job hunters resume is worth 30 points and the cover letter is worth 20 points. So writing good cover letters is almost as important as writing resumes.

　　When you prepare to write a cover or application letter, you could refer to the following checklist.

　　I. Attention(Opening Paragraph)

　　A. Capture the readers attention in a businesslike way. Choose an option:

　　1. Summary opening. Present your strongest, most relevant qualifications, with an explanation of how they can benefit the organization.

　　2. Name opening. Mention the name of a person who is well known to the reader and who has suggested that you apply for the job.

　　3. Source opening. When responding to a job ad, identify the publication in which the ad appeared, and briefly1 describe how you meet each requirement stated in the ad.

　　4. Question opening. Pose an attention-getting question that shows you understand an organizations problem, need, or goal and have a genuine desire to help solve or meet it.

　　5. News opening. Cite a publicized organizational achievement, contemplated2 change, or new procedure or product; then link it to your desire to work for the organization.

　　6. Personalized opening. Present one of your relevant interests, mention previous experience with the organization, or cite your present position or status as a means of leading up to a discussion of why you want to work for the organization.

　　7. Creative opening. Demonstrate your flair3 and imagination with colorful phrasing, especially if the job requires these qualities.

　　B. State that you are applying for a job, and identify the position or type of work you seek.

　　II. Interest and Desire or Evidence of Qualifications (next several paragraphs )

　　Present your key qualifications for the job, highlighting what is on your resume: job-related education and training; relevant work experience and related activities, interests, and qualities.

　　A. Adopt a mature and businesslike tone.

　　1. Eliminate boasting and exaggeration.

　　2. Back up your claims of ability by citing specific achievements in educational and work settings or in outside activities.

　　3. Demonstrate a knowledge of the organization and desire to join it by citing its operations or trends in the industry.

　　B. Link your education, experience, and personal qualities to the job requirements.

　　1. Relate aspects of your training or work experience to those of the target position.

　　2. Outline your educational preparation for the job.

　　3. Provide proof that you can learn quickly, are a hard worker, can handle responsibility, and / or get along well with others.

　　4. Present ample evidence of the personal qualities and the work attitudes that are desirable for job performance.

　　III. Action(closing paragraph)

　　1. Request an interview at the readers convenience.

　　2. State your phone number(with area code)and the best time to reach you, to make the interview request easy to comply with8), or mention a time when you will be calling to set up an interview.

　　3. Express appreciation4 for an opportunity to have an interview.

　　4. Repeat your strongest qualification, to help reinforce the claim that you have something to offer the organization.

　　扩展：面试容易忽略的细节

　　找工作的人常为面试烦扰。过于紧张会让您忽略到一些细节问题，而这些细节问题有可能非常重要。

　　Looking for jobs is a painful thing, but nearly every one must do it at least once a lifetime. Anyway, there are some points a person must remember to succeed in having an interview.

　　To begin with, it is not a good idea to be late. People dont think very highly1 of the one who arrives twenty minutes late, or explaining that he couldnt find the street and that his watch was slow. The wise one studies the place the day before, or make sure that he can find the street, the building, the right floor, and the office; at the same time, he looks around to examine what the employees are wearing and how they work. Next day he arrives early. It does not matter if someone recognizes him and mentions his first visit to her boss. On the contrary, the eager fellow can only be regarded as smart, thoughtful2, and well organized - three points in his favor before he has said a word.

　　Then, appearance. It is most important for one to be dressed properly and to look alive- pleasant, interested. It is also very important to look at people in the eyes because this eye contact can strongly suggest that one is honest and open-minded. A few other points are regularly mentioned by the gum3 or smoke during an interview; they should not sit down before being invited to do so. It is even worse to examine the objects on the desk while the manager is answering the telephone, to listen to the conversation - and perhaps offer a comment afterwards. This is definitely4 not the time to joke, or to interrupt the interviewer in mid-sentence.