The Purpose of an Attorney Cover Letter

Job Resume Cover Letter Samples Articles : The Purpose of an Attorney Cover Letter by Vanessa Vidal

An attorney cover letter serves two purposes: to cover the gaps left by the resume, and to make your case to a potential employer as to why you should be considered for the position.

A good legal cover letter should highlight strengths and skills you have that are specific to the position. It should also make an effective argument as to why your experience, skills, and other traits make you an ideal candidate for the position. Let's take a look at the basic elements that should be included in your attorney cover letter.

1. Formatting

The formatting of your legal cover letter should be identical to your resume. Both the legal resume and cover letter should be on neutral tone paper, either white or ivory. You should use a traditional black 12-point font, either Times, Arial, or Verdana. Finally, your attorney cover letter should not exceed one page.

2. Salutation

Your attorney cover letter should always be addressed to a specific individual, never "To Whom It May Concern." You should use the formal salutation of "Dear Ms. Doe" or "Dear Mr. Doe." If you don't have the details, call the company or law firm and obtain the name of the hiring manager or recruiting coordinator for the position. If those details are absolutely impossible to obtain, then use "Dear Sir/Madam." Again, this should only be used as a last resort.

3. Introduction

The key to a good attorney cover letter is to provide clear, concise, and persuasive arguments regarding your intentions for applying for the position, your interest in the employer and its particular industry or focus, and your skills, strengths, and personal traits that make you well suited for this particular job.

When starting your attorney cover letter introduction, be sure to provide a quantitative description. For instance, rather than writing, "My name is John Doe," briefly provide an indication of your level of experience. For example, "I am a 5th year corporate associate with Latham & Watkins in Dallas, Texas, and I am interested in being considered for your corporate associate position in Houston, Texas."

3. Body

You need to do some research and due diligence before writing your attorney cover letter. Remember, a well-informed applicant will come across as a serious and motivated candidate.

You need to highlight the particular attributes of the employer that attract you and inspire you to take up the job. It is not enough to tell a prospective employer that you are "an accomplished corporate lawyer interested in pursuing a position with Wilson Sonsini in Palo Alto, CA." Rather, you need to let the firm know that 'your extensive merger and acquisition experience representing mid-cap high-technology firms and start-ups with a focus on life sciences, (makes you) especially well-suited for Wilson's merger and acquisition practice group in Palo Alto, CA.'

4. Closing

When closing your legal cover letter, be sure to reiterate your interest in the position and your availability. If you plan on visiting the employer's city on a certain date, you should indicate this fact on your legal cover letter. Otherwise, let your potential employer know that you are available via phone or email, and that you are willing to travel if necessary. Finally, when using email, be sure to send the legal resume and cover letter as separate attachments, properly labeled "Jane Doe Resume," and "Jane Doe Cover Letter."

About the Author
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Source: Resume Cover Letter Samples, Job Cover Letter Templates, Resume Cover Letter Examples articles at goarticles.com

Why You Need To Find A Good Resume Cover Letter Template

Job Resume Cover Letter Articles : Why You Need To Find A Good Resume Cover Letter Template by Emmitt Streat

If you are on the hunt for the perfect job, you may think that attaching a cover letter to your resume might not be such a big deal. After all, you have all your information outlined in your resume, why bother with such an inconvenient formality as a resume cover letter? What you don't realize is that your prospective employer may get hundreds of applications in a day, and the hiring manager has to sort out through all these resumes to find the right person fit for the job. How would you fancy reading through hundreds of resumes in a day. Not a very appetizing thought, is it?

This is where the resume cover letter comes in. The hiring manager won't want to waste time sifting through the chaff just to get to the wheat. Having an exceptional introduction to your resume in the form of a cover letter will serve as something to call the hiring manager's attention to the meat of the matter.

A cover letter that is exceptionally well-written, as well as attention-grabbing, will alert the hiring manager to the fact that here is someone who is enthusiastic and pays enough attention to detail by not leaving anything to chance. The cover letter will be the beacon that leads straight to your resume, and having an outstanding one will help you stand out above the rest of the other job applicants.

A simple, run-of-the-mill cover letter will not work either, as there is a good chance that the other resumes will have cover letters of their own. You will need something that sends a powerful message as well as catches the interest of the hiring manager immediately. Not only should it be a list of all your accomplishments and qualifications; it should be a testament to your meticulous dedication, your focused discipline, and your unflagging eagerness. In short it should serve as a personal advertisement that promotes you as the right person for the job.

Before beginning to compose your killer cover letter, you'll need to do your research. It always helps to be prepared in the best way possible without leaving anything to chance. Look through the thousands of cover letter samples online to find the best resume cover letter template to suit the job you are applying for, as well as the kind of impression you want to make. A good resume cover letter template will have quality structure and format, as well as unique sentence phrasing that will differentiate it from the generic cover letters that you usually find over the Internet.

As soon as you've found one, get to work crafting your own cover letter based on the resume cover letter template you've chosen. You'll need to check and re-check your grammar, spelling and sentence structure to ensure that you have everything down pat. A meticulous and error-free cover letter will get that hiring manager's attention without fail.

About the Author
Emmitt Streat is a writer born and raised in India. He is an online reviewer of quality niche websites. English is his second language. For tips on resume cover letter template, please visit the cover letter template website.

Source: Resume Cover Letter, Job Cover Letter Samples, Cover Letter Templates, Resume Cover Letter Examples articles at goarticles.com

Top Five Tips To Get A Job Next Week

Resume Cover Letter Articles : Top Five Tips To Get A Job Next Week by Bob Stanley

1. Cover Letter: You MUST have one. It must be professionally written and reinforce your experience and value proposition to the hiring company. It needs to be to the point and precise. In today's market your cover letter is what will either get your resume additional consideration or the fast track to the "Do Not Call" list. The cover letter is you being able to speak to the potential employer and tell them why they should hire you versus your competition. Not having a cover letter or a less than perfect cover letter will put you at a distinct disadvantage in today's job market. Get a cover letter professional written from a resume writer; it will be the best investment you make in your job search.

2. Resume: Is you resume up to date, is it correctly and consistently formatted, does it have key points? Most of all is the spelling correct and the punctuation? Are you reviewing your own resume? If so, have a friend or family member conduct a "Resume Stress Test" for errors and areas for improvement. Ideally, have a professional resume writer create for you a resume from your career experience. With the vast amount of resumes being submitted for open positions, yours has to be outstanding! Get professional help from a resume writer. Every recruiter will only give about 10 seconds to scan your resume; do your key points stand out, does it call attention to the main points of what you can do for the company? Does it have the proper structure to keep the attention of the recruiter?

3. Preparation: The first step as in anything is to be prepared, just like preparing for an exam. Also consider the following questions to focus your preparation. What job are you looking for? Do you know where to search and find the job that you want? Once you decided the direction you are going, have you studied the companies that lead in that industry? Don't do just a Google search; you need to be well prepared and ready. For example, if it's a retail company, visit a few of their stores, observe the customers, and even strike up a few conversations. Talk to existing employees--ask them what it's like working there. Become familiar with the history of the company. Who started it? Where? Who runs it now? Be creative, and do whatever you believe the other candidates don't have the guts to do.

4. Network: Companies tend nowadays to rely heavily on employee referrals. Make a list of all of your friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Call each one and ask them if they know of any openings that they could recommend you for. Be prepared to send them an expertly prepared resume. Don't be too humble, tell them what you are looking for, but let them know that you're flexible and that if they have any suggestions, you're open to them. A referral name can often open the door and allow you to step in and get a job before it is advertised.

5. Prepare for the Interview: You need to be ready to give solid answers to interviewer questions when asked. Candidates should begin interview preparation well before an interview is scheduled--just take a list of 20 common interview questions and start preparing responses. Then practice with a friend--you as the candidate and them as the interviewer. Record your mock interview and improve your responses. Don't wait to start this preparation! Job seekers can complete interview preparation within 2-weeks for those 20 basic interview questions. Now with interview preparation complete, the candidate should be confident and be able to control an interview. Continue with general interview preparation until a real interview is scheduled then just focus preparation on the specific job opportunity and company.

Follow these five steps and you'll accelerate your job search. You'll quickly find work--even in the worst economy in the last 25 years.

About the Author
Bob Stanley from Best Price Resume, a leading nationwide provider of resume services, is an account executive who helps clients accelerate their job search with expertly designed and written cover letters and resumes. His specialty is getting unemployed candidates interviews immediately.

Source: Resume Cover Letter articles at goarticles.com