Write a Winning Cover Letter in 15 Minutes

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing

Most job seekers know that to land an interview they need more than a strong resume. They need a well-written cover letter to go with it. That doesn't stop them from trying to brainstorm any excuse they can to avoid having to write one.

Yet, skipping this critical step in the job search is one of the worst faux pas a job seeker can make.

"Job seekers should never send a resume to someone without explaining why," says Michael Farr, author of The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book, Fourth Edition (JIST - 2008).