Your cover letter should:
It sounds like a lot to ask of one letter -- especially if you're fighting to keep it to a single page. Keep these goals in mind for a cover letter that highlights your best skills and talents.
In one sentence or less at the opening of your letter:
Make sure your contact information is correct, placed at the top of the letter, and easy to read. A typo in your telephone number or email address could spell disaster for your application. If the hiring manager can't contact you, you can't accept an interview offer!
What's your number-one selling point -- the single achievement that makes you the ideal candidate for this job? Name it. Include specifics whenever possible: the percentage by which business increased, the number of years you've been voted Best in Your Field, etc. Your goal is to pique your reader's interest, so they turn to your resume for more.
Here are just a few examples of attention-grabbing first lines:
Your cover letter introduces you, talks about your accomplishments, and encourages the hiring manager to read your resume. It's all about you, right? Trick question! Your cover letter is about the company, not you.
When the hiring manager reads your cover letter, they want the answer to one question: "What's in it for me?" In other words, why should the hiring manager -- and the company -- bring you on board?
To answer this question:
Double-check the job description. Think of it as the company's "wish list" for the position. "Gift" your discussion of your skills in your cover letter accordingly.
Learn more about the company. Check out its website, read its latest public reports, connect with company employees on LinkedIn. This will tell you about the company as a whole, including its "personality" -- and open up chances for you to show how your own personality matches up.
Highlight your accomplishments. Lead with the strongest achievement you have, but don't stop there. Quantify your "wins." Doing so tells the hiring manager, "Hey, I've done great things for other companies -- I can do them for you, too!"
If listing your accomplishments starts to sound too much like rehashing your resume -- or worse, if listing the reasons you want to work for the company starts to sound like fawning -- try a different approach. A genuine, heartfelt story is more memorable than a list of facts. Check out these examples: