How to Write a Great Cover Letter.
GAH… you have to write a cover letter. Where do you start?
We’ve compiled a few key points and examples here to make it easier to write great cover letters.
See the Forest. Not the Trees.
Typical cover letter questions I often get are, “Should my cover letter be 3 or 4 paragraphs?” and “Who should I address it to?” and “How many examples or work experiences should I speak to?”
The answer? It depends. Focus on the big picture goals for the cover letter and whether you achieve those rather than those specifics.
Your main goals for your cover letter are to:
Convey you have the specific experiences, skills, strengths they’re looking for
Convey a genuine reason why this role and this company are the right fit
Pique their interest enough (along with your resume) to get an interview
And, depending on the role (like a senior leadership position), you may want to demonstrate that you have a vision for the work, and share what your strategic priorities might be.
Strategize and Sketch Out Before you Start Writing
It can be tempting to just pull up a previous cover letter and start to tweak some sentences. You might do that if the type of role and organization you’re applying for is very similar to a previous application. But if you’re trying to stand out with a non-generic, recycled letter you’ll want to take a few minutes to sketch out the main points, accomplishments and skills you want to highlight before you start writing.
For example, a recent client was applying to a position with the World Wildlife Fund. He had actually been selected as a rising leader for the WWF many years ago and had partnered with them in his recent role in another nonprofit. He started by sketching out these connections he wanted to make specific to this role and organization.
The 3 Parts of your Cover Letter
In general, you’ll have three pieces in your cover letter:
The intro and hook
Your top accomplishments, relevant skills and experiences that connect
Explaining why them and why now
With the client above, he knew sharing his longtime connection to WWF would be eye-catching, so he started by sharing that right up front. Why waste time on meaningless sentences in the first paragraph like, “Given my x and y experience, and my interest in a and b, I am excited about this role,” when you can get to the meat and hook them right away?
Show Don’t Tell
One of the things I see people struggle with the most when making a pivot of role or industry, or both is how to convey their transferable experience and convey their genuine interest.
Recently, another client was applying for a role with REI (the adventure store we all love to browse). Her first draft of her cover letter ended with this sentence:
“I share a passion for stewardship and a love of the outdoors with REI. I am also fascinated by sustainable business and the difference you can make by serving your members rather than shareholders.”
Sure, this is tailored. She lets the company know that she understands who they are and she’s excited. But we wondered if there was a way to show her commitment to sustainability or the environment in a more powerful way that would set her apart from all the other candidates who also claim the same commitment. Here was her second draft:
"Throughout my career I have been drawn to sustainable businesses - from the first company I worked for which had an organic farm and onsite recycling, to my family’s business which gets 95% of materials from renewable resources and pays some of the highest entry-level wages in the industry. I would love to continue my commitment to sustainable business practices at REI."
This second version shows rather than just tells the reader about their commitment. Whenever possible, you want to show and not just tell.
Connect the Dots for Them
Another recent strong real-world example is from a woman who spent the first part of her career in international education and has pivoted to become a certified public accountant (CPA). These feel like quite different types of work, right?
This was her beautifully written explanation of how the two fields connect and why she makes a great CPA:
“Someone once told me that teachers make the best accountants because they can explain the numbers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve explained the difference between a balance sheet and a P&L. Accounting shares many similarities with teaching Japanese. The years I spent paying attention to details by reading and writing 2,000 Japanese kanji characters, takes my accuracy and attention to detail to a higher level than other CPAs when it comes to financial statements, recording entries, and numbers in general.
Additionally, my international teaching experience has made me a better CPA. Teaching abroad, it’s critical to connect with and build relationships with people from different backgrounds and nationalities. This has helped me be more effective working with cross functional teams and departments.”
Not only does she draw the connection beautifully in writing, but it also serves as part of her answer for the common ‘Tell me about yourself’ interview question.
If you can draw connections with your past work and paint a picture for the reader in a way that feels human and genuine, your cover letter will stand out.
What to Avoid
We’ve all heard that recruiters review a resume or cover letter for just a few seconds before deciding to keep reading. The words you use are precious - choose wisely.
Here are a few things to avoid:
Starting your cover letter with the outdated opening of ‘Dear sir or madam’
Sentences that will make someone roll their eyes and tell us nothing like, “I am the perfect candidate for this position.’ Or ‘This is the perfect job for me.’ Show them you’re the perfect fit, don’t tell them.
Stating the obvious like “I would love the opportunity to discuss my qualifications for this role with you and can be reached at xxx.’ They know you’re interested, and the heading on your cover letter will contain your contact info; no need to repeat it. Additionally, sentences like, ‘I can provide references upon request.’ Again, they know that.
Don’t Blow it on the Easy Stuff.
Lastly, it goes without saying, right?
Make sure your font size and style the same and that you are consistent in the number of spaces in between sentences (one is more modern, two is a little old fashioned, but still fine – just be consistent).
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. ‘Nuff said.