Essential Elements
- Your contact information and professional header
- The date and recipient details
- A personalized salutation
- A hook that grabs attention in the first sentence
- 2-3 paragraphs connecting your skills to the job requirements
- Specific examples with quantified results
- A clear call to action
- A professional sign-off
Content That Strengthens Your Letter
- Why you are interested in this specific company
- How your experience solves their problems
- Achievements relevant to the role with metrics
- Soft skills demonstrated through examples
- Knowledge of the company's recent news or challenges
- Your availability and enthusiasm for next steps
What to Leave Out
- Your entire resume restated in paragraph form
- Salary expectations (unless specifically asked)
- Negative comments about previous employers
- Personal information unrelated to the job
- Generic phrases that could apply to any company
- Typos or the wrong company name