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

Here’s an example of a cover letter I crafted for a client applying for a Cybersecurity Analyst role, which successfully landed them an interview.

Here's a breakdown of what made it stand out:

Structure of the Cover Letter:

1. Personalized Opening with a Hook

• What I wrote:

"Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],
Cybersecurity is more than my profession. With over five years of experience safeguarding digital ecosystems, I was thrilled to learn about [Company Name]’s commitment to securing cutting-edge technologies in the [specific industry]."

• Why it stood out:

It immediately showed enthusiasm for the role and connected the candidate’s passion to the company’s mission.

2. Targeted Skills and Achievements

• What I wrote:

"At [Previous Company], I implemented an advanced SIEM solution that reduced response times by 40%."

• Why it stood out:

It quantified the candidate’s achievements, providing concrete evidence of their impact.

3. Connection to the Company’s Goals

• What I wrote:

"I admire [Company Name]’s innovative approach to leveraging AI for threat detection."

• Why it stood out:

This demonstrated thorough research and positioned the candidate as aligned with the company’s initiatives.

4. Authenticity and Personal Touch

• What I wrote:

"Growing up fascinated by how technology connects and protects us, I’ve dedicated my career to ensuring those connections remain secure. Joining [Company Name] would allow me to contribute to a mission that resonates deeply with me."

• Why it stood out:

This humanized the candidate and made their application memorable.

4. Confident Closing

• What I wrote:

"I’m excited about the prospect of bringing my expertise to [Company Name] and would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your team’s success."

• Why it stood out:

It reinforced enthusiasm and invited further discussion without sounding generic.

This approach landed the interview because it showcased the candidate’s qualifications, aligned them with the company's mission and conveyed genuine enthusiasm, all in a concise format.

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.