Job hunting is a marketing project. You are marketing, "You," and the prospective employer is the, "Buyer." In any selling proposition you need to get the buyer's attention. How you craft this critical action in your resume cover letter will determine if you make it to the next step in the job search process; the job interview.

You probably never fully read the tabloids you see near the checkout counter at the supermarket but you've got to admit the headlines are really designed to get your attention. How about the headlines on the covers of popular magazines? They have the attention grabbing headline process honed to a fine science. They have to get this right as their continuing existence depends on getting writing headlines that grab your interest.

In writing your resume cover letter headline we are not suggesting you put up something like, "Internet inventor can save you millions!" First it's a lie you did not invent the internet and you are likely not going to be able to save anyone millions. So your headline should be something you can back up in your resume or in the job interview.

Your cover letter headline should either be the first sentence of the letter or a centered statement above the salutation. (You always address the letter to a specific person, never to "Dear Sir/Madam.")

Now let's get creative on writing your headline. Before we do another thing you should also avoid never start a cover letter with the bland opening like, "Enclosed is my resume for consideration for the Project Manager position listed in the 5/29/11 Post Dispatch." This is what almost everyone else is saying, and you definitely want to stand out from the crowd.

An effective headline in your cover letter should motivate the reader to read the balance of the letter and then move on to read your resume. You have very little time to get the employer's attention and the right headline will create curiosity for them to read further.

Great headlines include the following type of examples:

"My interest in structural engineering started at age 14 when I build a tree house. It's still being used in the back yard at my parent's home. Let me put my engineering passion to work as your new (job title)"

"Using initiative, I generated in the past year over $210,000 in tax savings for my employer. Can I show you how I can do the same for you as your (job title)?"

"My customer service and business skills were honed by building a lawn cutting service that financed all my college expenses. Let me show you how these and other skills will generate value as your (job title)"

"Jack is the finest event planner I've every come across. And I've been going to events for over 30 years and he is the best at what he does. We were sad when circumstances forced us out of this aspect of the business and we had to let him go. He has my highest recommendation." This approach is a bit out of the ordinary but by leading off with a strong endorsement and the name of CEO of your previous employer; you will make a strong first impression.

Be creative, show a number of proposed headlines to a friend and have them rank them in attention-getting power. Be sure to back up any claims in the balance of the cover letter.

Don't you think that a headline like one of the above will grab the reader's attention and definitely make you stand out from the competition?

John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers, resume and cover letter writing tips and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by effective job hunting and career planning after 50.