A cover letter is crucial because it’s first thing hiring manager sees. And you only have seconds to grab his or her attention. So, you have to make sure cover letter stands out from dozens--or maybe even hundreds--of others that cross hiring manager’s desk each week.

You might ask, why bother at all with a cover letter? If I only have a few seconds to grab a recruiter’s attention, why not do it with a resume? The answer is, that even best resume is a rather dry listing of accomplishments and abilities. By definition, it’s a summary.

But with a cover letter, you have an opportunity to let a little bit of your personality shine through and to talk directly to hiring manager. Plus, it’s your chance to show off a little of what you know about company and to tell why you’re interested in job.

Use steps we’ve outlined here and you’ll be well on your way to a dynamite cover letter.

Tip #1: MAKE A CONNECTION There are 3 basic parts to making a connection:

1. Draft a strong opening paragraph. 2. Show your personality. 3. Research and target your audience.

* Draft a Strong Opening Paragraph.

You must capture hiring manager’s interest immediately. The best way to do this is with a dynamic opening sentence and paragraph. Be sure to refer to position you’re vying for, and state why you are qualified for job.

Remember to frame your statements in terms of how you can benefit company, not other way around.

If you can, mention name of someone hiring manager knows and respects. For example, you could say, "Joe Smith recommended that I contact you about your opening for a shift manager." Or, "My associate, Janet Brown, told me such wonderful things about Jones Company that I couldn’t wait to send you my resume."

Rhetorical questions that make hiring manager think can also work well. This should be a question that can lead into some way that you can benefit company. For example, "Are you struggling with rising costs of [fill in blank]? I can cut your costs by 30%. Here’s how..."

Beginning with a quote is another good way to grab reader’s attention. Although you must choose your quote wisely. And then you have to make sure you transition into rest of your letter gracefully.

I've heard it said that average American changes careers at least once in his or her life. Long gone are days of working for same company from time you graduate high school or college until that magical retirement day.

You sure won't find that kind of loyalty from companies to their workers these days, and it's rare to find that kind of loyalty from average worker as well. What with companies merging, downsizing, and moving their operations offshore, you'd be wise to plan for a career change somewhere along line in your life.

Of course, losing one job doesn't automatically mean that you can never find another job in same industry or career path. Hopefully, you will. But what if you can't find another job? Or what if you don't really want to? Maybe you're bored with what you've been doing, or you've gone as far as you can in that career and you're ready for new challenges?

Is it really possible to switch to a new career midstream in your working life?

The answer is a resounding yes! But you have to know how to go about it. It takes a bit of planning, thorough self- assessment, and perhaps additional training.

When I tired of grind in health administration as a nurse, I spent about 2 years trying to figure out what else I could do. Luckily, I was able to parlay a love and talent for writing into a new career as a health writer. I did have to prove my ability to write--even though much of my job responsibility in my previous healthcare administration job did involve writing. I was fortunate enough to be able to use networking and some lucky breaks to get into career I wanted with a minimum of effort.