Is there a cover letter secret that can guarantee you will get interviews whenever you use it? I know of one magical key you can incorporate into your cover letter that can increase your chances of getting interviews by 50%. Would you like me to share it? Of course you would! So here you go:



ASKING FOR THE INTERVIEW



Seems like asking for the interview would be common sense, but how many job seekers actually ask for the interview in their cover letters? It isn’t rude, forward, or overly direct! It’s simply asking for what you want—which in this case happens to be an interview.



There are several ways that you can do this, and below I’ll include some examples that you can revise to include in your own cover letter. The important key to remember is to ask for the interview—and the best place to do so is in your closing paragraph at the bottom of the cover letter.



Close your cover letter by sharing your interest and excitement about the position, and then ask to meet the interviewer in person. Go a step further by providing a number where they can reach you directly, and even your e-mail address.



By simply ASKING for the interview, you’ve already doubled the chances that you’ll get a call for one. If you follow up with the interviewer within a week to two weeks after submitting your documents you’ll increase your likelihood of an interview by another substantial percentage.



Here are a few examples of the various ways you can ask for the interview:



I’m excited about the Marketing Director position with ABC Inc. and would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you further in person regarding my qualifications and the value I can add to your team. Please call me at 555.555.5555 to schedule a personal interview at your convenience.



The Marketing Director position is a perfect fit for my background. I would love the opportunity to meet in person to discuss further how my experience and expertise can add value to ABC’s team. Please call me at 555.555.5555 to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience.



I’m very interested in the Marketing Director role with ABC, Inc. I believe my 10+ years of Marketing experience with XYZ makes me the perfect candidate for this position. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet in person to discuss how I can make a positive impact on your bottom line. Please call me at 555.555.5555 or e-mail me at MarketingDirectorStar@email.com to schedule an interview. I will follow up in one week to confirm your receipt of my resume and to discuss a time and date for the interview.



My ability to rapidly deliver bottom-line results of 25%+ only adds to the value I can offer ABC, Inc. I would like to discuss these results and the many others I can offer you in a personal interview. I will follow up with a call on Tuesday to discuss a time and date we can meet to further discuss the value I can bring to ABC, Inc.



Double your chances for the interview by ASKING for it and then be sure to follow up with the person if you’ve stated you will do so in your cover letter. It couldn’t hurt to follow up anyway one or two weeks after submitting it to ensure receipt.