While the resume highlights what you have achieved, the cover letter shows who you are and why you are motivated to join an employer.

A targeted cover letter is your chance to step out from behind your resume and introduce yourself as a real person. It captures your motivation, experience, and potential. 

Note: The importance of cover letters has been a subject of debate for many years. Some hiring managers and recruiters read every cover letter; others skim or skip them. But among those who read them, especially when choosing between top candidates, a compelling cover letter can help you get the job. 

While many applicants skip the cover letter, writing one gives you a real edge. This is especially true in a crowded job market. It explains your ‘why’ - your motivation for the role. It also enables you to talk about career transitions, employment gaps, and transferable skills that might raise questions on your resume. 

Even if a cover letter is not a requirement, a thoughtful one demonstrates hard work and a professional attitude, all qualities that employers value. Therefore, written thoughtfully and impactfully, a cover letter is a powerful tool, not a formality. 

A strong cover letter is written for one role, at one company, at one moment in time. Reusing the same cover letter across applications (i.e., making it generic) weakens its effectiveness and, quite frankly, is a turn-off to employers.

Before you start writing a cover letter, read the job posting carefully. Like your resume, pay attention to specific responsibilities and requirements that correspond with your background and experience. As we suggested in the previous chapter on resumes, it isn’t necessary to meet every requirement in a job posting. If you believe you are a good fit, then use your cover letter to explain why. 

Identify company priorities. After reviewing the description of a job, select 2–3 key requirements or priorities that resonate with your experience. For each one, choose a brief story or re-worded impact statement (bullet point) from your experience, work, school projects, or volunteering that proves you can do what the employer needs.

Pick your stories wisely. Your cover letter is not a place to list your history in detail. It is a place to select the most relevant stories and explain why they matter for this role. Each reference to your past should clearly connect to a requirement or priority in the job posting, showing not just what you have done, but how it prepares you to succeed in this role.

Stand out immediately. It is important to write about why you align with the company’s mission. Refer to it in your cover letter’s introduction. This shows the employer that you are serious about this position, have done your research, and your values match the way they do business. You can find this information in the job posting (often but not always), on a company’s website, or on a company's LinkedIn page. 

Find the ‘who’. Whenever possible, search the company website and LinkedIn or reach out to referrals inside the company to find the hiring manager’s name. Sending your letter directly to a human being can make your cover letter more personal. Don’t stress if you can’t find a name. Depending on the nature of your industry, using “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Hiring Team” is fine. 

Identify something specific about the company that excites you. This will enable you to appeal to the employer on a deeper level and indicate your high interest in the position.

Header. Be sure to use the same name you use on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Include the job title and your contact information (email, telephone number, and LinkedIn URL).

First paragraph. Start strong in your opening paragraph. This is where you describe your alignment, the ‘why them'. The opening paragraph cites your connection on a couple of levels. First, you highlight the alignment between the company’s mission and priorities, and your own. Many applicants don’t clearly describe how their abilities and interests overlap with a company’s values. Second, standout candidates talk about cultural fit beyond describing skills and abilities.

If you have one, always mention a connection or referral from someone in the first paragraph. 

Second paragraph. Next, match your skills with the position. This is the ‘why you’ paragraph. Share your most suitable qualifications and accomplishments. Bring your impact statements (proud moments) to life by describing how you used your strengths and abilities in the past. If possible, include measurable results. 

Third paragraph (optional). This paragraph provides context. This is where you have the opportunity to briefly address career transitions, gaps, or other challenges. You can also use this paragraph to share another proud moment from your career, education, or volunteer role that demonstrates an important relevant skill or accomplishment with a focus on results and relevance. 

Final paragraph. The closing paragraph cites the next steps. It is a 'call to action'. Summarize why you are a top candidate by highlighting your most impressive relevant qualifications. This leaves a lasting impression and reinforces what makes you the best candidate. Equally important, be clear that you would like to schedule an interview. And don’t forget to express your enthusiasm for the position one more time.

Skipping the cover letter. A cover letter is a must if you are given the option to include one. It could be the defining step in getting screened for an interview or receiving an offer.

Sending a generic cover letter. Target each cover letter to the specific job.

Repeating information on your resume word-for-word. Don't copy-paste your bullet points into your cover letter. Use this space to tell the story behind the bullet points. Remember, the purpose of your cover letter is to showcase personality and cultural fit beyond the structured format of a resume.

Avoid AI-sounding language. People who read cover letters are getting better and better at identifying candidates who are not writing in their own voice. Be professional, but don’t hide your personality.

Not proofreading your cover letter. Lay the cover letter down and come back to read it hours later, or better yet, have someone else read it. Don't neglect to run it through an AI writing assistant like Grammarly or Gemini to detect grammatical errors and spelling. 

Putting a cover letter in the same document (PDF) as your resume, unless asked to do so. Keep your resume and cover letter as separate files so they don't confuse the ATS software.

Mentioning salary or benefits too early. Keep the cover letter focused on your workplace value. If possible, save the salary and benefits talk for the offer.

Take the ‘how’ (your strengths) and the ‘impact’ (your results) from your brand statement and align them with the company’s mission. This will change a generic introduction into a purposeful one and show you aren't just looking for a job, but this specific role.

Reach into the START stories (your story bank) you created in the Plan stage. Select one story that specifically addresses a priority Issue found in the job description. Instead of saying "I am a leader.", tell a three-sentence story (condensed START story) about a time you led a team through a challenge. This makes your value memorable and concrete.

Go beyond the technical requirements of the job description. Use the cover letter to mirror the ‘tone’ of the company. If their website is formal and traditional, use that language. If it’s a startup that uses words like ‘disrupt’ or ‘scrappy’, mirror those values in your cover letter’s introduction. This proves you are in sync with the company’s culture, not just the paycheck.

Your cover letter tells the employer: “I know what you need, and here is exactly how I can help.” Whether you are looking for a new challenge, explaining a career change or gap in your work history, or voicing excitement about a first job, the cover letter is your space to connect the dots for the recruiter and hiring manager. Keep your letter focused on the employer’s needs, and send it out knowing you have put your best foot forward.

Writing a cover letter is also excellent preparation for a future interview. By choosing your most relevant achievements and aligning them with the job’s priorities, you are building the confidence you need to talk about your value later. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Concentrate on making it honest. Trust your own voice, keep your stories brief, and remember that you are not just an applicant. You are a person with a valuable story to tell.