When writing your cover letter or application letter what you need to do above all is create impact and interest. You may be the most talented finance manager or account executive, market analyst or horticulturalist but if that talent doesn't flow through your cover letter then you might as well forget it.

This is not the time to be boring or submit a fact-laden covering letter that has no oomph! What you want is a sharply focused, punchy letter that leaps up and demands attention.

How do I do that?

Like this:

Crisp white paper with clear black print is the starting point. Ensure all the address details, both their's and your's are easy to spot and there are no errors or typos. Use a headline in bold to identify the position or job your cover letter refers to; along with this include the date and publication where you saw the advert. Address the letter formally.

Now the next part is the most important.

You have to catch their attention in such a way that they want to read on. (If they don't, you're out of the running anyway.)

Start by including the reader in your application. You do this by your first words which should be:

"Your advert..."

What this does is turn their thoughts to the content they produced and OWN.

Now extend this by adding how it interests you:

"Your advert really interests me..."

This shows you are interested in something they produced and own and starts to make you sound interesting.

Now you must say why you are interested:

"Your Advert really interests me because..." and continue with your reasons i.e. specific comments about their products and company reputation.

With this you have engaged the interest of whomever is reading your cover letter, so now is the time to start making your own case. Follow your comments about the employer's business with "...and I am confident that I have all of the skills and experience that you require."

Just the use of words like 'confident' is enough to grow the stature of your application.

With a maximum of five bullet points you can summarise what these skills and experience are, relating them closely to the demands of the advertisement. Finally close your covering letter by referring to any instructions such as enclosing a CV or Resume, stating location preferences or salary details and say that you are looking forward to MEETING them at the interview stage. Of course you haven't been asked yet to attend an interview, but you must assume you will be called. After all you are sure to be of interest and you know you have the skills they need, so why wouldn't they want to interview you?