Job search tip number 1: Make your cover letter count! While you may spend days perfecting your resume, remember it's the cover letter that gets read first, and it has the potential to put you either over the top or in the discard pile. Don't sell yourself short with a hurried, generic letter that makes your resume do the brunt of the work of impressing your future employer. Follow the advice in the PLA's revised Guide to Basic Cover Letter Writing to devise a document that skillfully complements your resume and, in the space of 8-1/2 x 11 inches, establishes you as a must-see interviewee.Whether you're changing careers, re-entering the job market, or looking for your first job, this comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide will show you how to: create a cover letter that highlights the experience and training that make you the ideal job candidate; draw from dozens of sample letters for all types of positions to construct a template that works for your needs; showcase your style and personality in a way the strict format of a resume doesn't allow for; grab the reader at first glance with professional quality proofreading, formatting, and printing; keep your name on the short hiring list with polished post-interview follow-up correspondence; take advantage of technology with electronic submissions and online job search strategies. In today's competitive job market, the importance of a clear, concise, carefully crafted cover letter is more important than ever before. Get it right and get the job with the help of The Guide to Basic Cover Letter Writing.