Why are cover letters so important? They provide the prospective employer with a brief review of your skills and abilities in the form of a letter. These types of letters are written much differently than resumes and can have a potent impact on your future employer. The best news is that writing one it isn't that difficult. An excellent teacher is always going to be in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for teachers through 2014 will grow somewhere between 9 and 17% per year. "Experts predict that over the next ten years the nation will need 2.2 to 2.4 million teachers. That means there will be 150,000 to 250,000 openings for teachers in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. The needs are greatest in urban and rural communities and in curricular areas such as special education, mathematics, science, bilingual education, and English as a second language." This information comes from recruitingteachers.org, a non-profit organization based in Belmont, MS. What does that mean? It means there will be continued growth in the field of education. If you are a good teacher, you should not encounter problems in finding a great job in a location that you desire. What about that amazing teaching position at that awesome new school that you have your eye on, though? Do you think the competition for that position will be greater? Of course it will. The great paying jobs always demand the best and the brightest people. That is why your credentials and qualifications will have to be presented in the most incredible way if you are to get the job of your dreams. One aspect of making a great impression on a prospective employer is to create a fantastic picture of who you are - with words. Let your cover letter show the school administrators just how remarkable you are. The cover letter has one goal. That is to get the employer excited about the resume. It is a marketing tool, just like the resume is. Sell yourself in a compelling and exciting way. What makes the best impression on employers? The wise use of accomplishments with anecdotes will win over a principal or school administrator much faster than simply stating what you did and where you worked. Let your best qualities reach the employer through carefully written examples and stories. Don't just state what you are capable of, show what you have done in the past with vibrant language that attracts and invites the employer to want to know more. You are a part of a significant sector of the labor market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and secondary school teachers, except special education, held about 3.8 million jobs in 2004. Of the teachers in those jobs, about 1.5 million are elementary school teachers, 1.1 million are secondary school teachers, 628,000 are middle school teachers, 431,000 are preschool teachers, and 171,000 are kindergarten teachers." You have to be your very best to get the great jobs. What skills and abilities do you have that you can offer the employer and how can you do so in a way that makes the employer want to pick up the phone and call you for an interview? Let your cover letter generate interest in your resume, then let your resume hold the employer's attention so that you are invited in for a face to face meeting. The cover letter builds on the resume and leads the employer toward it. Make it glow. While it may not persuade an employer to grant you an interview by itself, it is a vital part of the whole package that sells an employer on YOU. For more information about cover letters, please follow this link to: Cover Letter Guideline |
