With the downturn in the economy, many people are forced to return to the workforce at a time when they did not expect to have to. So you may find yourself applying for the retail receptionist position, but wondering what you can do to ensure you get the job.

For the position of retail greeter, cover letters are not always required; however, you must submit a cover letter for any position you are applying for, unless you are specifically told not to. The reason for this is that a cover letter gives your resume context. Interpret the resume for the reader and give them a reason to keep talking to you. Essentially, your resume describes the product you’re selling: you. The cover letter makes the sale. That is why it is so important.

If you’re applying for the retail receptionist job, it helps to know how to write a good cover letter. As a retail greeter, your personality will be very important, and making it shine through in your cover letter is key. By applying a few simple marketing tricks, you can greatly increase your ability to sell yourself and your skills before you even meet the interviewer.

One of those tricks is to use testimonials. Most people will say something like “I’m friendly and outgoing” in their cover letter. However, it is much more powerful if you can build on what someone else has said about you. For example, “My previous employer, Bill Richardson, said that I was the friendliest person he had ever met.” Make sure it is true and verifiable. The power of this is that you gain the credibility of an impartial third party.

Writing cover letters for a retail receptionist position is no different than writing for any other position; You just need to apply proven (and easy to learn!) sales techniques and you can dramatically improve your chances of landing that interview.