The anatomy of a killer cover letter

– How do you make sure someone is going to read your cover letter? Part of this answer has to do with distribution, as in getting it directly to the hands of a decision maker. But great content is also critical. And your most important step, it’s the first one, nail the lead. If my college journalism professors taught me nothing else, You bore them in that first sentence and there’s a reasonable chance they bail out. I follow this exact same principle with every cover letter I create on behalf of my clients. My goal, which should also be yours, is to grab them at hello. Captivate them and at the same time stay on point for that job that you’re applying for. In terms of anatomy, I consider the lead the heart of your cover letter. It’s your immediate opportunity to evoke a positive emotional response and begin positioning yourself as both a skills fit and a cultural match for that job and company. This is where you say, here’s who I am, and specifically why I want to work for you guys. to the person on the receiving end that you’re not just out there wallpapering the universe with applications. You’re approaching this company very thoughtfully. you love what they’re doing and you believe that you have something Next we move into the muscle of your cover letter. This is where you provide direct evidence that you’ve got the specific skills this company is looking for. It’s your opportunity to help the reader quickly connect the dots between their here’s what we need, and your here’s what you can walk through their doors and deliver. This will likely be the longest section of your cover letter. It will show that you not only have a pretty good idea of what they need, you’ve also got the skills and experience And finally, your cover letter needs to have a strong close. I consider this the ligaments that tie everything together. I consider this the ligaments that tie everything together. Don’t frizzle out Don’t frizzle out just when you’re taking this thing to the finish line. just when you’re taking this thing to the finish line. You want to wrap up strong. You want to wrap up strong. Take this thing the distance Take this thing the distance by summarizing how great you are for this job by summarizing how great you are for this job and encouraging them to invite you in for an interview. and encouraging them to invite you in for an interview.