The job hunt is on- luckily the employment numbers are showing an increase, which means it may be time for you to put your feelers out for a new job. A GretaGuide reader wrote in asking about the best way to write a cover letter in this ultra competitive job market. Here are my tips:

1. Use a template that has a nice design and catches the eye. On Mac, I like the San Francisco template.

2. Be witty! So many cover letters are so formal and so BORING. Stand out by being the right balance of personable and smart.

3. Tell a story. If you can open your cover letter with a quirky story or one sentence about you that is kind of out of the ordinary that will gain your reader’s attention and keep it! My cover letter, for instance, starts with the fact that when I was eight years old I wore lipstick to bed- proving the point that I was destined for the fashion industry. ;)

4. Keep it to one page. Enough said.

5. Add a pop of color or ‘bold’ words that you want to stand out. Again, this will differentiate your cover letter from the 300 others that are run of the mill. Just be careful to use this in a couple of places and don’t overdo it.

6. Always, always wrap your cover letter up with your respect for the company you are applying to, and how you would be a simply wonderful addition.

Good luck job hunting and for any other GretaGuide readers who have questions- use the email widget in the sidebar to send me an email. I try to respond as quickly as my busy schedule allows. X