10 Ways to Craft a Compelling Cover Letter

By Dennis McCafferty | Posted 2016-10-06

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10 Ways to Craft a Compelling Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is challenging because it serves as your introduction to a potential employer and describes who you are and why you'd make a great hire.
Just Do It!

The ease of applying for a job online makes it tempting to skip the cover letter, but you should resist that impulse. Including a cover letters shows that you are willing to take the steps required to do things the right way.
Find the Right Contact

Instead of (or in addition to) contacting an HR person, you should direct your cover letter to the person you would work for if you're hired.
Tweak the Template

Templates make it easier and quicker to produce cover letters, but you should customize each letter for the employer and industry you're targeting.
Don't Rehash the Résumé

A cover letter should complement—not duplicate—what's in your résumé. Use the cover letter to tell your story, using narrative flourishes to convey how you would add value to the employer.
Express Passion

Describe why you entered your field, and how your passion for your job drives you to perform at your very best.
Choose the Right Tone

Get a sense of a company's culture—through its website and/or conversations with current employees—and match your cover letter's tone accordingly.
Use Keywords Effectively

Don't cram dozens of keywords into what's supposed to be a conversational cover letter, but you should include "money" words that are referenced in the job description.
Address Employment Gaps

A hirer will spot work gaps in a résumé, so use the cover letter to explain a downsizing or other "work break" in a favorable but honest light.
End With a Call to Action

Closing with "I'll call to schedule an interview" is too pushy. It's better to sign off with "I'm happy to provide more information and look forward to a future discussion."
Proofread Carefully

Many employees automatically eliminate candidates if they see typos, inaccuracies, incorrect grammar, etc. in a cover letter. Attention to detail separates contenders from pretenders.
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Among the many steps involved with getting the job you want, coming up with a winning cover letter may be among the most challenging. A cover letter, after all, typically serves as your introduction to a potential employer. It is the document that describes who you are and why you'd make a great hire—and it's done in a much more conversational, storytelling manner than a résumé or employment application. In addition, the cover letter should be tailored to a specific employer and should address specific challenges that the targeted company faces in its industry, along with details about how you'd help tackle those challenges. In other words, cover letters involve actual writing, and we all know how painful that can be! Given how important a cover letter is, we're happy to provide the following best practices. They address templates, substance, tone, keywords and the closing call to action—not to mention the often tedious but absolutely essential need to carefully proofread the letter. Our tips were compiled from a number of online resources, including those posted by Glassdoor and Monster.

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer for Baseline Magazine.