In today's tight job market, every candidate looks for an edge over the competition. According to a recent survey by OfficeTeam, one of the sharpest edges can come from an old favorite -- the cover letter.

The OfficeTeam poll showed that 86 percent of executives found that a formal cover letter was a valuable tool in evaluating a job candidate. 23 Percent of those executives stated that a cover letter was "very valuable" in their evaluation process.

Candidates should look at a cover letter as a marketing letter. It is the packaging for the resume, designed to attract attention. In an economy where hiring managers get hundreds of resumes for a job opening, a well-designed cover letter can make the difference between a resume that gets attention or one that gets deep-sixed.

There is so much emphasis today placed on good communication that a great cover letter is an opportunity that should not be missed. It is an opportunity to show that a job candidate is eloquent, intelligent, and organized. Putting a resume together is hard enough as it is, and sometimes it is hard to get a foot in the door no matter how qualified the candidate is.

A resume is the last thing that gets read. The key when applying for a job is to get to the point. A quality cover letter, if it is succinct and to the point, can go a long way to getting that foot in the door.

A cover letter should demonstrate to the hiring manager that the candidate has read the job ad carefully and is truly interested in that particular job. Many hiring managers will not even look at a resume that does not come with a cover letter.

The cover letter should -

- be short and to the point. The letter should clearly link experience to the role being advertised.

- be no more than three or four paragraphs long.

- be positive and upbeat. The goal is to make the hiring manager interested in reading the resume.

On the other hand, the cover letter should not -

- be a summary or a repeat of your resume.

- be a uniform letter sent with all job applications.

According to the Office Team survey, generalized cover letters were not well received. Cover letters need to be specific to the job in which it was applied.

The offered the following seven tips to help job candidates develop strong cover letters.

Name names. Address the letter to the specific hiring manager rather than a generalized introduction.

Do the homework. The candidate should research the company online and demonstrate that their knowledge and skills fit the job and benefit the organization.

Solve any mysteries. If there are long employment gaps, the candidate needs to explain those gaps. mention any professional development of volunteer activities that were done during the gap.

Leave something for the resume. Limit the cover letter to one page, preferably a few paragraphs.

Make a plan. The candidate should demonstrate excitement for the position and conclude with a specific follow-up statement.

Proofread. Scrutinize the cover letter for grammatical and spelling errors.

Be a savvy submitter. When applying through online job boards, candidates should always choose the option to add a cover letter. If applying by email, paste the cover letter within the body of the message.