4.6 KiB
Cover Letter Best Practices
Structure and Content Guidelines
Opening Paragraph Elements
- Specific position title
- How you learned about the opportunity (if relevant)
- Brief compelling hook (your unique value in 1-2 sentences)
- Genuine enthusiasm for the role
Body Paragraph Strategy
Selection Criteria Addressing Format:
- Lead with the criterion or requirement
- Provide specific evidence from past experience
- Include quantifiable results when possible
- Connect to organizational needs
- Show progression and growth
Example Pattern: "Your requirement for [specific criterion] aligns perfectly with my experience in [area]. At [Company], I [specific achievement with quantifiable result], which [benefit/outcome]. This demonstrates [capability/skill] that I would bring to [aspect of new role]."
Closing Paragraph Checklist
- Reiterate 2-3 key strengths
- Express genuine interest in organization
- Request for interview/further discussion
- Thank you statement
- Reference to attached/enclosed CV
Tone and Language
Effective Action Verbs
Leadership: Led, directed, orchestrated, championed, spearheaded, guided Achievement: Achieved, delivered, exceeded, attained, accomplished, realized Innovation: Developed, created, designed, implemented, established, pioneered Improvement: Enhanced, optimized, streamlined, transformed, upgraded, modernized Problem-Solving: Resolved, diagnosed, remediated, troubleshot, addressed, mitigated Collaboration: Partnered, collaborated, coordinated, facilitated, engaged, aligned
What to Avoid
- Passive voice: "Was responsible for" → "Led" or "Managed"
- Weak qualifiers: "Helped with," "Assisted in," "Somewhat experienced"
- Generic claims: "Hard worker," "Team player," "Fast learner"
- Clichés: "Think outside the box," "Hit the ground running"
- Apologetic language: "Although I haven't," "While I may lack"
- Presumptuous statements: "I look forward to starting," "When I join your team"
Quantification Guidelines
Metrics to Include
- Percentage improvements (efficiency, performance, revenue)
- Time savings or speed improvements
- Cost reductions or budget management
- Team sizes led or supported
- Project scope (users affected, systems managed)
- Compliance or quality improvements
Quantification Examples
Before: "Improved system performance" After: "Improved system performance by 40%, reducing page load time from 5 seconds to 3 seconds"
Before: "Managed cybersecurity incident" After: "Led critical cyberattack response, restoring all affected systems within 12 hours and preventing estimated $200K+ in potential damages"
Addressing Selection Criteria
Direct Addressing Template
"Your requirement for [criterion] is demonstrated through my [X years] of experience in [field/role]. Specifically, at [Organization], I [achievement with metrics] which [outcome/benefit]. This experience has equipped me with [skills/knowledge] directly applicable to [aspect of advertised role]."
Transferable Skills Approach
When experience doesn't directly match: "While my background is in [your field], the [specific skills/competencies] required for [criterion] align closely with my experience in [related area]. For example, [specific achievement] demonstrates [transferable capability] that would enable me to [contribution to new role]."
Customization Checklist
Before sending cover letter, verify:
- Company name spelled correctly throughout
- Position title matches advertisement exactly
- Industry-specific terminology used appropriately
- Organizational values or mission referenced
- No generic template language remaining
- Tone matches company culture (formal vs. contemporary)
- All claims supported by CV evidence
- Contact information matches CV exactly
Length Guidelines
- Ideal: 300-450 words (3-4 paragraphs)
- Maximum: 500 words
- Opening: 3-4 sentences
- Body: 2-3 paragraphs (4-6 sentences each)
- Closing: 3-4 sentences
Common Mistakes
- Repeating CV without adding value - Use cover letter to provide context and narrative
- Focusing on what job offers you - Focus on what you offer the organization
- Generic applications - Must be tailored to specific role and organization
- Poor evidence - Vague claims without specific examples
- Wrong tone - Too casual, too formal, or mismatched to culture
- Typos and errors - Proofread multiple times
- Missing selection criteria - Every key criterion must be addressed
- Too long - Hiring managers spend 30 seconds on first review