How to Write a Solid Cover Letter

Go Beyond the Resume!

In trying to figure out how to write a good cover letter you've probably searched online to get some examples.  There's a lot of advice out there on what should and shouldn't be included. Articles talk about how long or short it should be and how it should be formatted. It's great advice and most of it is right on the mark.  But how good is the advice if you don't have an example to look at?  It's like having someone explain to you, in detail, how to make a cake. It's perfect, you've got the complete set of instructions and know it's within your skill set to accomplish.  The problem is, you've never seen what a cake looks like.  Let's remedy that, shall we?  

Related:  How to Market Your Career 

You already know that a good cover letter is short and to the point.  Your work history should be briefly described in a sentence or two as part of a brief introduction.  In another short paragraph you should describe an accomplishment that shows the contributions you can make.  Then you should conclude with why you're interested in working for this company, in particular.  And you should do it all while conveying your genuine interest and enthusiasm.  Easy, right?  

Beginning is the hardest part.  And when you begin your cover letter, there's always the question of who to address it to.  If you don't have a specific name and there weren't any instructions in the job description then don't address it to anyone.  Just start by introducing yourself.                   Like this:

Hello, my name is Perfect Job Candidate and I'm interested in the Answer to All Your Problems position you have open.

I'm an experienced Answer to All Your Problems, having worked most recently for A Good Company where I was able to apply my expertise to further their business goals.

I increased A Good Company's sales by $Impressive Dollar Amount by discovering an untapped market.  While attending a training/networking/meeting event I met a person from Another Company who was not one of our customers.  While discussing the services A Good Company provides, person from Another Company mentioned a service they would find useful but that we didn't offer.  I found that A Good Company could easily provide the service but wasn't due to a perceived lack of market.  When Another Company was offered these services, they happily employed A Good Company resulting in an increase in sales and the acquisition of a new customer.

I'm very interested in working for Your Company because of something neat I read about you on your website/your reputation for doing something really well that I want to be part of.  I'm impressed that you do what you do so well and would like to contribute my skills and expertise to further your goals.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Perfect Job Candidate
Phone number
Email
LinkedIn Profile (link)
Career Presentation Page (link)

Related: Find a Job Where Fewer People Are Looking

See? It's not that hard when you have an example to go by.  The introduction and career background is only two sentences.  A short paragraph about an accomplishment, another couple of lines about why you want to work there and you're done.  It's an easy format to follow and customize for each job you apply for.  A cover letter doesn't have to be hard, it just has to be good.