Free cover letter samples are the secret weapon that many savvy job-seekers use to help them give their resume an extra boost and steal a march on the competition. If you're getting ready to apply for a new position, you may have used resume examples for ideas in preparing your own application. But did you know that many professional resume writers also publish sample cover letters?

What's So Important About A Cover Letter?

First impressions count for a lot when you're competing for a vacancy that's attracted a lot of popular attention. When you've created a powerful resume, you'll want to ensure that it has the best chance of being noticed by your targeted employers. Your resume's job is to land you the interview -- but the purpose of the cover letter is to attract the right attention that gets your resume read in the first place!

Imagine for a moment what it must be like to be a HR staff member whose job is to screen a large batch of applications. You have to produce a long list of suitably qualified candidates out of whom interviewees will be selected. Not only will you have to deal quickly and efficiently with the sheer bulk of the paperwork -- you'll also probably be looking for applicants who match specific criteria.

An effective cover letter must therefore:

• address the criteria the employer sets to meet particular needs
• communicate this essential information quickly and persuasively

How To Use Cover Letter Samples

One of the biggest secrets to success in your job application is to put yourself in the employer's position. By considering the requirements of the hiring company, you'll have a much better idea of how to target your skills to their needs. Cover letter samples show you how focus on key information such as:

• why you are writing and what position you wish to apply for
• whether you've been referred by a friend or professional acquaintance known to the hirer
• the reasons you are a great fit for the job
• what aspects of your experience and skills best match the job criteria
• what you will do to follow up on your application

You can see these tactics in action in a good cover letter from almost any industry of profession, not just your own. The psychology of appealing to the needs of any prospective employer doesn't usually change.

Free cover letter samples allow you to 'pick the brains' of other successful writers to see how they make an employer's job easier by anticipating their needs and problems. They're a great way to discover the self-marketing secrets essential to your job hunting strategy.