How To Write a Kickass Cover Letter That Lands The Interview

You’ll notice that today’s cover letter format differs slightly from the letter style we initially learned in grade school.

We live in a digital world now, after all. Writing the recipient’s mailing address is no longer required unless you’re physically mailing the letter (they already know where they are). Nor is it necessary to include your own mailing address – again, unless you expect them to physically mail you something.

Stick To A Winning, 3-Part Formula When You Write A Kickass Cover Letter

Here’s what your cover letter should include:

Part 1. Your Intro paragraph

This is where you briefly introduce yourself and mention the job you’re applying for. If you come recommended by someone in the company, this is the place to mention it. Introduce the key reasons you are their preferred candidate, referring back to the job posting.

An example:

I have closely followed Company X’s growth over the last several years, and so I was pleased to learn of the Executive Administrator opening within the Marketing department. Intrigued and excited by the prospect of joining such a dynamic, industry-leading company, I am certain that my many years of experience as an administrative professional coupled with my commitment, discretion and high level of enthusiasm will serve your team well.

Part 2. Show and Tell

Here’s where you show how you’ve previously excelled in the job posting’s most important requirements. Remember: it’s never about what you want out of the position, it’s about how they will benefit by hiring you.

Use bullet points. Bullets are preferable to large paragraphs as they break up huge amounts of text into digestible pieces, making your letter easier to read and quickly digest.

Each bullet should include strong action words. Specifically look to address each critical skill that is listed in the posting. If you’re sending a speculative résumé and there’s no actual job posting to refer to, tailor your bullet points to their mission – the company ‘about’ page on their website is an excellent starting point.

Sell your value and list your accomplishments. Where possible, list tangible improvements and/or statistics to help your future employer really see how you’re more valuable than the other candidates. Make your points and metrics relevant to their existing challenges.

Examples could include: $ saved, $ budgets managed, # of accounts acquired, % of hours/days/weeks saved through process improvements, etc.

Excellent communication, relationship management, innovation, workflow optimization and project management skills are always relevant if you’re stuck.

An example:

Excelling in the end-to-end management of large-scale conferences and fundraising events, I constantly strive to introduce innovative ways to grow the organization and increase revenue. In one year alone, I increased Company X’s fundraising income by more than 400%, while attracting 3 new board members and more than 50 new volunteers.

Part 3. End Your Kickass Cover Letter On A High Note

Take this opportunity to summarize why they should hire you. And ‘assume the sale’ – Write your closing as though you’re guaranteed an interview.

An example:

My business acumen, problem-solving ability and work ethic have led to my current successes; in me, you will find a highly motivated marketing professional whose top priority is to advance Company X’s growth goals. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss this exciting opportunity, and I thank you in advance for your consideration.

Follow Up

Your job hunt doesn’t end after you submit the resume. I encourage you to follow-up by email or telephone within a week of submitting your resume if you haven’t heard anything.

Reaching out to your interviewer is a win-win situation. If they haven’t yet short-listed the candidates, you’ll be front of mind when they get down to it.

And if you’re not moved forward for an interview (doubtful, given your kickass cover letter writing skills), use the opportunity to a) change their mind and b) know for sure so you can stop wondering and focus on the next opportunity.

*This article includes an affiliate link to Creative Market because I think they’re awesome. If I don’t want to (or more likely don’t know how to) make it myself, I get it from them.

Frequently Asked Questions About ‘How To Write A Kickass Cover Letter’

Q. Are cover letters necessary?

A: Most of the time, yes, cover letters are still necessary. Hiring managers still (mostly) like to see a cover letter along with your resume. The expectation is slowly changing, but unless the job listing explicitly states that a cover letter is NOT required, err on the side of caution and submit one just in case.

Q: What are good words for a cover letter?

A: Good words for a cover letter include using the same keywords and job description information used in the posting. By using the same keywords found in the resume, it makes it easier to bypass the Application Tracking Systems (ATS) AND makes you feel more familiar to the reader (we like people who are like us. And that includes our vocabulary).

And wherever possible, try to incorporate strong action verbs when describing your accomplishments and listing out bullet points.

Q. What can a cover letter explain that a résumé cannot?

A: Cover letters give you an opportunity to expand on the information included in your resume. Resumes by nature are meant to be short, ideally 1-2 pages, so it’s always best to keep your resume content limited to just the essentials.

Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to put a spotlight on some of the accomplishments you’re most proud of, as well letting you show some of your personality.

It’s also the place to share a bit of your personality and address any questions they may ask in the job posting, such as salary expectations, or the name of the person in the company who referred you.

Q: Can cover letters have bullet points?

A: Absolutely they can–and should! Bullet points help break up long blocks of text, drawing the eye more easily to the accomplishments you want to highlight. If you download the cover letter example template in our resource library, you’ll see that we build bullet points into the main body of the letter.