Writing a Standout Cover Letter: Tips and Tricks for Job Applications

Some swear by the cover letter; some say it's dead. Whether you like it or not, job applications often require it. The cover letter is helpful because it:

• Provides an opportunity to demonstrate written communication
• Shows the employer you understand the company goals and how you will make them successful.
• Reveal your personality and principles and how they align with the company

One of my favorite mantras comes from a podcast, Chasing Excellence. "I get it, I want it, I have the capacity to do it." Which means you:

• Fully understand the position and how it helps the company reach its goals, 
• You want the position and are highly motivated.
• You have the skills and experience to be successful in the position.

These three ideas inform the structure of my cover letters.

First Sentence (WOW!)

This is the hook that determines if the letter is worth reading. Hiring managers and recruiters have to read hundreds of these. Why should they read yours? If you have any kind of reference or have heard about the position from an employee/recruiter, include them in the first sentence. You want to quickly establish that you already have ties to the company. Here is an example of a first sentence when I had connections at the company.

Dear <First name> <Last Name>

I first heard about <Company Name> from internal recruiter, <Recuriter Name>, who is encouraging me to apply.

I personally feel that if you don't know the name of the person reading your cover letter, you probably shouldn't be applying. Ask your recruiter or the HR department who you should be addressing.

Here's an example of when I applied to a UK housing provider called Ongo as a test engineer. This was many years ago when I was working in QA.

Dear <first name> <last name>,

A software test engineer can help Ongo be a great landlord.

At the time, their driving principle was "be a great landlord." I'm connecting with that mission immediately.

First Paragraph (I get it)

I establish that I understand the position and how I'll help the company reach its goals. After reading the first paragraph, I should be able to walk away thinking, "This guy really gets what we do and how he'll fit in."

Dear <first name> <last name>,

A software test engineer can help Ongo be a great landlord. A reliable and struggle-free application experience will transfer into tenants' perceived quality of your company and homes. Let's work together to get your perceived quality goals over 90%!

Ongo releases regular performance reports that talk about its current goals. One of them is to get perceived quality over 90%.

Second paragraph (I have the capacity to do it)

This is where I talk about my qualifications. The idea is to tell a story with the positions and skills I've listed on my resume. 

I have worked on an agile team that developed a web application from the ground up and helped it grow into a popular web application with billions of views. I created test plans like our sanity test plan which is a one-hour workflow that efficiently takes a manual tester through our entire product in under an hour. In addition to a ‘QA brain,’ I also have the technical expertise to write automated scripts in Python and Selenium to perform functional end-to-end tests.

Third paragraph (I want it)

The last paragraph communicates that you are excited about the position. Employers are looking for motivated employees. That's hard to communicate that through a resume, so here's the place to do it.

As a first-generation college student who grew up in government housing, I know that paying rent can be one of the most stressful experiences of life. I am inspired by your company’s stewardship of sustainable housing. When I saw an opening for a testing position in my childhood stomping grounds (Sacramento, CA), I knew I had to apply!

In my case, I have a personal story that relates to what the company does. The main idea is for the reader to feel that you'd be motivated day-in and day-out if you accepted the position.

Here's the full cover letter.

Dear <first name> <last name>, 
A software test engineer can help Ongo be a great landlord. A reliable and struggle-free application experience will transfer into tenant’s perceived quality of your company and homes. Let’s work together to get your perceived quality goals over 90%!

I have worked on an agile team that developed a web application from the ground up and helped it grow into a popular web application with billions of views. I created test plans like our sanity test plan which is a one-hour workflow that efficiently takes a manual tester through our entire product in under an hour. In addition to a ‘QA brain,’ I also have the technical expertise to write automated scripts in Python and Selenium to perform functional end-to-end tests.

As a first-generation college student who grew up in government housing, I know that paying rent can be one of the most stressful experiences of life. I am inspired by your company’s stewardship of sustainable housing. When I saw an opening for a testing position in my childhood stomping grounds (Sacramento, CA), I knew I had to apply!

I’d appreciate the opportunity to further discuss my suitability and qualifications as a software test engineer at Ongo. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

John Solly 
 

Write a fantastic cover letter and get your dream job!