Your cover letter should be 1page Max (longer than traditional because of space to explain skill transfer and examples.
The letter should help the hiring manager answer these questions clearly and concisely though highlighting your skills and experience from your CV. In doing so you should explain why you are a perfect fit for the role.
Are you enthusiastic about working at their company?
Are you suitable for the specific job you're applying for?
Eg what examples do you have from past experience and Makers that link to the senarios on the job description
The first paragraph is about showing passion for software development and the company.
Use the company website and values to help. Explain how the ethos matches your values/personality and experience that you have and demonstrate understanding of the product.
Questions:
Why do you love the company and the product?
Why do you care about the user of the product?
What inspires when it comes to the company mission?
When giving examples from Tech and non tech experience consider follow the questions below.
Questions to ask yourself at the end of each paragraph:
Have I linked a skill from the job description to example from my personal experience?
Have I then linked skill and example to point from the job description or company value?
Have I used the above to explain why I would be a good fit for this role?
Have linked back the JD using their language?
Your final paragraph should summarise what you have already told them and one thing that you want them to remember most.
Use this part reinforce why you want the role and end with what you can bring to the table to the benefit of the company, and what you are looking forward to/are excited about.
Time to Put This all together!
Job Description from a site
‘We are a company that prides itself on understanding others and harnessing that understanding to innovate our product at the highest level. We are looking for someone who has high levels of emotional intelligence’ (again relating to the ethos).
Intro
‘I have a deep rooted passion (enthusiasm) for my own self development as a software developer and greatly appreciate the emphasis that your company places on it in relation to understanding others (ethos and value match/vocab), when working in a team environment to develop its staff.
Link to skills
Part of my development has focused on emotional intelligence (soft skill). In the past this has been vital (emotive language to my success in teams(softskills) whilst working in a fast agile manner in relation to our code(hardskill). Using my emotional intelligence I have adapted my behavioural approach(action) to take into the account the feelings of others (link to understanding others) I was working with in times of stress(result). This consideration meant that any potential conflict was avoided ensuring that an optimal working environment was maintained (benefit).
This is a part of my skill set that I feel would also benefit (company name) when working with other devs and during any client facing interactions, when also utilising my interpersonal skills(Soft skill). I am excited about(enthusiasm/ what you will enjoy) the prospect of learning more about this in a new and challenging environment(willingness to learn).
(The above paragraph links why specifically you will be good at the job and enthusiastic about it) Continue in this fashion…
Final paragraph
I would relish the opportunity to work of your company as part of your dev team working on your exciting (reference project from research on the company), due to my interest in(mention area of interest) as a means to both enhance my own technical experience of (what it is that you would like to gain from working for then). Most of all I look forward to bringing my skills/knowledge in (insert skill) to the role to help accelerate the innovation (or area) that has already made your company so successful to date.
Kindest Regards
Or Yours Sincerely (if you know the name of the person that will be reading you application)
Pro tip is to ring up the company before submitting cover letter to find the name of the person that you are addressing the letter to. This adds a personal touch and makes you more memorable.