Resources

What's It For?

Your cover letter should:

• Get the reader's attention in one sentence or less.
• Introduce you in a way that's short, sweet, and to the point.
• Show off your professionalism and attention to detail.
• Tell the reader something your resume doesn't cover.

It sounds like a lot to ask of one letter -- especially if you're fighting to keep it to a single page. Keep these goals in mind for a cover letter that highlights your best skills and talents.

Cover the Basics

In one sentence or less at the opening of your letter:

• Mention your name.
• Identify the position you're applying for.
• Note where you learned about it.
• If you have a professional connection to the company or any staff member, state it.

Make sure your contact information is correct, placed at the top of the letter, and easy to read. A typo in your telephone number or email address could spell disaster for your application. If the hiring manager can't contact you, you can't accept an interview offer!

Grab Attention (in a good way)

What's your number-one selling point -- the single achievement that makes you the ideal candidate for this job? Name it. Include specifics whenever possible: the percentage by which business increased, the number of years you've been voted Best in Your Field, etc. Your goal is to pique your reader's interest, so they turn to your resume for more.

Here are just a few examples of attention-grabbing first lines:

• "I doubled the size of my last employer's business over the past three years."
• "I won the Top Chef Award two years in a row."
• "I was voted Best Front Desk Staff Member by my company five times in six years."

Answer, "What's In It for Me?"

Your cover letter introduces you, talks about your accomplishments, and encourages the hiring manager to read your resume. It's all about you, right? Trick question! Your cover letter is about the company, not you.

When the hiring manager reads your cover letter, they want the answer to one question: "What's in it for me?" In other words, why should the hiring manager -- and the company -- bring you on board?

To answer this question:
Double-check the job description. Think of it as the company's "wish list" for the position. "Gift" your discussion of your skills in your cover letter accordingly.

Learn more about the company. Check out its website, read its latest public reports, connect with company employees on LinkedIn. This will tell you about the company as a whole, including its "personality" -- and open up chances for you to show how your own personality matches up.

Highlight your accomplishments. Lead with the strongest achievement you have, but don't stop there. Quantify your "wins." Doing so tells the hiring manager, "Hey, I've done great things for other companies -- I can do them for you, too!"

Tell a Story

If listing your accomplishments starts to sound too much like rehashing your resume -- or worse, if listing the reasons you want to work for the company starts to sound like fawning -- try a different approach. A genuine, heartfelt story is more memorable than a list of facts. Check out these examples:

• "If I could help just one person find the apartment of their dreams, I'd feel like my own recent horrors trying to rent in our downtown area would all be worth it. So when I saw a customer service position open at Rental Pals, I knew I couldn't imagine a more fulfilling job."
• "Having grown up with annual passes to the Downtown Museum of Art, I know firsthand how your staff has earned their reputation as one of the most gracious, helpful, and knowledgeable teams in the modern art world. For twenty years, I've been impressed as a visitor; now, with my art history degree in hand, I want to educate museum-goers and inspire their love of modern art in the same way your team has done for me."
• "When I visited Rosita's Restaurant last month, I didn't want to leave. So I decided I shouldn't -- and I immediately logged onto your website to see your current job openings."

A brief but compelling cover letter can help your application rise to the top of the pile -- and land you an interview with the company of your dreams.