Can you describe a cover letter you wrote that played a pivotal role in landing an interview, and what elements made it stand out?

I have a winning 4-part formula for a cover letter that elicits strong positive feedback from hiring managers, landing interviews:

Greeting

It’s important to address a real person/use a first name if you can find one/wherever possible. If you’re unsure, do some research/stalking on LinkedIn, the company website, etc. You can even take an educated guess, and perhaps include “and team” after the name. This goes a long way in establishing some connection and familiarity, and making it feel personal and intentional, however superficial. Who knows - maybe they’ll even think they’ve met you before

Paragraph 1: Hook them in

This is where you convey genuine interest to create a connection between you and the company/ team/ person you’re addressing. For example: “I was excited to read about xyz in the news because…”, “I was inspired by your recent LinkedIn post around xyz because…” or “I’ve always admired x company’s mission to xyz because…” This thoughtful detail proves that you’ve done your homework. You don’t need to write a book here; in fact I’d argue that one sentence is stronger and feels real and convincing.

Paragraph 2: Demonstrate your fit

The meat of your cover letter is where you want to prove that you are the perfect candidate for the role - and make it convincing! Tell a story that connects your profile (past work/life experience, education, etc.) to the role outlined in the job description, and bring it to life with a real example or two. This is so important because very few people actually take the time and effort to do this, so your application will come across even stronger by comparison.

Paragraph 3: Ask for the job

After every interview I’ve ever been on, my dad, a retired salesman, would ask me, “did you ask for the job?” But you can start asking for the job well before the interview: ask first for the chance to make a direct, personal connection. It’s refreshing and unexpected to show this level of confidence and be so matter of fact, to-the-point. As long as you are polite, gracious and respectful, there’s no need to worry about coming across as aggressive or arrogant.