Technical details and emotional relatability are the two main components here. I really tried but I couldn’t fit both into one lesson.
Therefore, let’s start with how you select the technical information that truly counts:
What It Means To Convince
There are many tips on how to write cover letters. There are just as many templates and examples online.
I would argue that a good chunk of them are not cutting it.
Most blogs and surveys agree that cover letters matter, however, the numbers vary significantly. In contrast, most of them advise similar—often similarly generic—things. Still, a few, like Résumé Genius from whom the graph above is, really give you interesting examples.
They miss a key insight:
To stand out, you need to be convincing. In our context: Conviction = Fitting Information + Proof + Emotion
Therefore, let’s have a look at how to do that:
Highest Priority
Your first paragraph is decisive. No matter how long someone takes to look at your cover letter, they will start there.
For everyone else, this is the first time they hear your written voice.
Whereas in an interview the impression is based largely on your appearance, in your cover letter it is more a question of relevance: first, does this person have what we are looking for? And then, how well do they fit into our team, culture, and company?
While others may not agree, I would advise that you include elements that follow an expected structure, but focus on something that makes you stand out.
Take the position of the hiring manager. Would you want to read:
Dear Hiring Manager,
I was excited to find your job ad on the Zelestry Inc. website because I believe I have the necessary experience to bring value to your company; therefore, please accept my application.
Maybe you do. I wouldn’t. Here is why:
Glad you are excited, but what does that mean for me?
You mention the company, but not the position.
Why does it matter that you found it on the website? Unless it is a referral, it doesn’t. They normally have other indicators to properly assign your application.
It is very nice that you believe in yourself, but what proof do you have?
You can ask me to accept your application, but in essence, you just wasted four words.
Advice like this is not too rare. You can find it here, and here people were allegedly hired with that cover letter. In my opinion, don’t be misled by such claims – it was probably their contacts or a very convincing résumé. Think for yourself and go with what seems best to you. Not to say that all advice on these sites is bad, but you want to screen what you believe. PS: Still, "Please accept my application" might be important to start with when you apply in cultures where formality is highest priority.
Now imagine you read this:
Dear Hiring Manager,
As a biochemist with two years of experience in assay development that allowed me to contribute to bringing four drugs to clinical trials, I would like to apply for the position of R&D Scientist at Zelestry Inc.
This gives you the perfect setup to follow up:
Given my experience in designing, conducting, and validating these assays while leading a team of three, I am convinced that I will be able to help you discover and further develop your drugs.
Of course, you might not have experience and still be able to do something special:
As a recent graduate in biochemistry who conducted a thesis in an analysis lab, which allowed me to learn how to conduct analyses in the nanomolar range in a sterile environment, I would like to apply for your position of Junior Quality Control Scientist.
I don’t think it is an issue if you open with “I would like to apply,” but probably 200 other people choose this opening.
And while we want to keep the general structure so that the hiring manager doesn’t get confused, a little variety is always enjoyable.
Résumé + Cover Letter
As discussed previously, the next two paragraphs are about proving fit and expanding a bit more on your motivation.
The first challenge is that you want to coordinate your cover letter with your résumé.
To my mind, you should repeat key points that show you are a good fit for the position to make sure they are noticed.
Again, when the résumé is used to assess general fit, your cover letter should convince.
In most cases, this will come naturally, as it is unlikely that you have so much experience that you can provide more than two strong arguments that prove your fit.
Importantly, you don’t want to simply regurgitate them - provide more context and potentially a narrative behind them. It’s about convincing.
Still, we have to remember that some will have little time to look at your cover letter.
They will not read linearly, your key points must be easy to catch through scanning. So how do you convince while being brief?
Imagine you had dozens of cover letters to read… And having more than a hundred applications after a few days is standard – for basically any position. Again, if you get inspired by one of the designs, Resume Genius, Novorésumé, and Pinterest have plenty for you.
Beyond the first paragraph, the hiring manager’s eyes will prioritize key indications and red flags.
As discussed previously, try to avoid a wall of text (e.g., only two paragraphs, too small a font, too small margins).
But to stand out, give your hiring manager visual anchors: keywords and numbers.
Concrete Points
First, keywords: just like you did for your résumé, revisit the job ad and find the relevant points.
Yes, in the future AI may read your cover letter, which makes this useful, but your human reader will also have a mental list of words they want to find to avoid reading every single word.
Try it yourself - what are your eyes drawn to? Click to enlarge the picture. Otherwise, you can find several cover letter templates like those above here and here. However, keep in mind that your hiring manager will likely open your cover letter in a PDF viewer, i.e., in a zoomed-in view.
The point is to show evidence of how you applied your skills in real-world scenarios.
To go beyond your résumé, this is where you provide proper framing and situational evidence of your competencies.
While the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is often referenced, you should think twice about how much detail you give about the situation and the task. Including unnecessary information just makes their eyes jump.
Still, there is no need to overdo it.
There is no need to provide extra explanation, because the person reading your cover letter almost certainly works in this field.
Why The Details Matter
The point is that they need to know just enough to judge whether this is actually helpful for the position you are applying for.
For example, R&D position:
Important: You worked with proteins that had intrinsically disordered domains
Not necessary: There are two isoforms, and the function of the protein is unknown
Marketing position:
Imagine you want to mention that you designed 10+ promotional graphics for three different events that were sent to more than 10,000 people.
Important: You use Adobe Illustrator, you came up with the design, and you got it approved by the executive committees
Not necessary: The events were held online, and you created three different drafts for each
So it could look like this:
As you outlined in your job description, I am experienced in using Adobe Illustrator. I have experience in the ideation, design, and creation of promotional content, having designed 10+ promotional graphics for three different events that were approved by the executive committee of the organizing bodies and eventually sent to more than 10,000 people.
Why is it important to add some details?
We, as humans, are skeptical. You can claim a lot, and the only way for the hiring manager to get some proof is to see that you know what it actually takes to achieve these results.
In this example, including the approval is important to show that you went through this process and that there was a required standard.
If you need more inspiration or you feel stuck, have a look at some examples from Resume Genius, Zety, or InterviewPal. I generally liked the examples they provided.
In other words, you didn’t just make the numbers up. There was a process and environment behind all of that.
Here, you also have the chance to add more detail about your soft skills in case you only mentioned them as bullet points in your résumé.
For example: application for a salesperson position
I could build my strong communication skills by being a member of a national debating club that only allows 50 active members at a time and by winning prizes in three science slam contests.
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