Crafting Catchy Cover Letters: A How-To Guide

Today, more than ever, having a catchy cover letter in your job-search toolkit is a must.

A lot of job seekers ask, “Do I really need a cover letter?” The answer is a resounding “Yes!” More often than not, writing a catchy cover letter is something people simply don't do because the overwhelming thought is that employers don't read them. That couldn't be further from the truth.

On top of that, adding a catchy cover letter to your application can enhance the skills, achievements, and qualifications you include on your resume. Most importantly, though, a great cover letter makes you more human, more real, to the hiring manager reading your application.

What's most critical is that your cover letter be engaging. Avoid using the same old boring content that everyone else is using. Instead, craft a catchy cover letter that grabs their attention. This is your how-to guide for doing that!

Cookie-cutter isn't the way to go

Everyone has seen cover letters that start like this,

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my interest in the [POSITION TITLE] that I saw advertised for [COMPANY NAME].

It's a complete yawn-fest. It's boring. It's overdone.

Since your cover letter is the first chance you get to make a solid introduction to a new employer, spice it up a bit. Use some humor, indicate that you're passionate about the job you're pursuing, and inject some of your personality to entice hiring managers to actually read what you have to say.

What is a good opening line for a cover letter?

The main idea behind a great, catchy cover letter is that you want to tell a story. This doesn't mean you should regurgitate what's contained in your resume – no one wants to read the same things twice. It all starts at the beginning. The way you start your cover letter can make or break you.

Do you want the hiring manager to have a “Bleh” moment and toss your cover letter to the side?
Wouldn't you rather they be caught off-guard by your creativity and keep reading?

The best way to shake things up is to go off-script and write something that actually catches their attention. Here are some examples:

Show your passion: “Not too long ago, I came to the realization that my life's goals included giving back to my community through story-telling. After a lot of research, I discovered that a great way to do that was to go into Public Relations and Marketing to help connect consumers with companies to meet needs.”
Show some love: “I recently read an article about how [COMPANY NAME] was involved in improving our community by engaging employees in outreach events that…”
Prove your worth: “When I read about the job opening for [POSITION TITLE] at [COMPANY NAME], I knew I had to apply because I'd already saved my current company over $100K in logistics costs and I knew that I could do that for you, too.”
Highlight your personality: “A few years ago, I was exploring the mountain roads outside of Denver, and a stranded chicken jumped in my car – it's a funny story, I even have pictures. From that moment, I knew working with rescue animals was where I wanted my future to go.”

Now that you have their attention – write the body of your catchy cover letter

One thing to remember is that the introduction of your cover letter isn't supposed to be a monologue – keep that old adage that less is more in mind. The first paragraph of your cover letter is only meant to be a couple of sentences – just enough to pique the hiring manager's interest so they keep reading. Let's face it; it's not every day that some random chicken jumps in your car. That may be just the thing that entices the interviewer to call you in – so they can hear the story.

The second paragraph of your catchy cover letter

The next part of your catchy cover letter should be a paragraph that transitions into how your introduction will make you a great part of their team. Without repeating all the great things you've written in your cover letter, highlight some of the skills and achievements from your career thus far to prove to them you have what it takes to be a valuable part of their team.

The third paragraph of your catchy cover letter

You can actually write this third part as a paragraph or use bulleted achievement statements (like you'll see in the template later in this article). The idea here is to showcase your most impressive career achievements and your primary strengths.

It's a good call to opt for bullets for this part of your catchy cover letter because if the hiring manager is skimming through your cover letter, it'll be easy for them to see what you bring to the table. Don't go crazy, though, and add a bunch of bulleted achievement statements. Stick to between three and five because you don't want the cover letter to go over one page.

The closing of your catchy cover letter

Your last paragraph should close out the cover letter by reiterating your passion for the job and requesting an interview; this is called a call to action. After all, the whole point of writing a catchy cover letter is to get them to call you for a face-to-face meeting so you can win the job.

The end of your cover letter is also a great place to explain faux pas in your resume or give details about why you're changing careers. You can even use this part to detail your desire to travel for work or indicate that you're relocating for this job.

Here's what a catchy cover letter looks like

We know, instructions on how to do something is one thing, but seeing it all come together in an example is something even better. So, with that, here is a catchy cover letter example:

Applicant

Contact Information

[Date]

[Name][Company][Address]

Dear [Name],

Would [COMPANY NAME] benefit from having someone on their team who has generated $30K in revenue, increased blog traffic by 14%, and tripled social media ROI – all in one year? Then, I'm your person. Given my background in [EXPERIENCE RELATED TO FIELD] and [EXPERIENCE RELATED TO FIELD], I know I can repeat those results for you and feel that I would make additional significant contributions to the [POSITION TITLE] you currently have available.

Throughout my entire career, I have demonstrated consistent success [SOMETHING YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO] to achieve high-reaching standards and goals. During my time with [COMPANY YOU CURRENTLY WORK FOR], I've built a reputation for [MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT]. On top of that, people often come to me from different departments because I'm known as someone who can [PICK A SKILL FROM THE JOB DESCRIPTION TO INJECT HERE].

Additional career experience and achievements include:

Achievement/accomplishment
Achievement/accomplishment
Achievement/accomplishment

I think it's a great idea for us to get further acquainted, and would truly value a moment of your time to discuss how my background aligns with your needs. If you agree we may have the basis for a mutually beneficial partnership; please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. I'd love to learn more about your team and the [POSITION TITLE] opening.

I appreciate the time you're taking to review my application, and until we meet, I hope you have a great day!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Related reading: You can find some career-specific cover letter examples here.

Why this template works

This catchy cover letter starts by discussing quantifiable achievements, which hiring managers drool over. Whenever you can deliver tangible results, the new employer will immediately know what you have to offer.

Also, the fact that this letter indicates the results are repeatable shows that the applicant has done their research, understands the market, and is confident in their abilities. It helps the employer get the sense that the writer is genuinely passionate about their job.

There isn't a hiring manager alive who wants to hire someone who is simply interested in earning a paycheck. Employers want employees who are dedicated and care about doing a good job.

The closing of the cover letter template is proactive, inviting further discussion and reinforcing the applicant's desire to work for the company.

Tailor your cover letter

You've probably heard about applicant tracking systems, also known as ATS, that companies use to weed out job seekers. Did you know that the ATS also scans cover letters?

These systems are programmed to search for the right keywords – relevant phrases from the job description – to ensure that you are a good match. So, your catchy cover letter has to get past the ATS before it can impress the hiring manager.

Did you notice the placeholders in the template? They're there for a reason.

As you read the job description for the position you want to apply to, you'll need to update your catchy cover letter with language that resonates with the new job. Let's say the new company wants someone who can work as a member of a cross-functional team. The last sentence of the second paragraph of the template would be a great place to include that phraseology.

“On top of that, people often come to me from different departments because I'm known as someone who can bring harmony to processes by working as a member of a cross-functional team.”

Just like that, you've tailored a bit of your cover letter.

Catchy cover letter final tips and advice

Since the goal of your cover letter is to work with your resume to land your dream job – one of the most important aspects of anyone's life – it's critical to get it right. Let's talk about a few more things you need to know to craft a catchy cover letter that makes a strong impression and helps you win interviews.

Use a professional letter format. You're not writing a letter to Grandma to thank her for the gift she got you, so make sure it's professional. Avoid using slang or overly casual expressions. Also, don't pack your cover letter with a lot of jargon that may or may not be understood outside of your current work circle.
Keep it Short and Simple (K.I.S.S.). Remember the one-page rule. You're not trying to tell the hiring manager everything you've ever done in your career, instead, you're trying to pique their interest so they have a reason to call you to ask you more questions.
Revise, edit, and do it again. Did you know that the average typed document has an average error rate of 8%? Proofread your work, then get a friend to proofread it. After that, read it out loud to make sure it all sounds good. Cover letters, and resumes, too, for that matter, should have a 0% error rate.
Follow up. Prove that you're really interested in the position by following up with the employer if you don't hear back from them.
Learn more: Read 10 of the Worst Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid to round out your knowledge about having a stand-out cover letter.

Stand out from the crowd, win the interview

It may take a bit of time, but writing a catchy cover letter that lands you an interview is definitely worth the effort. When you follow the tips and strategies in this how-to guide, you'll be able to effectively highlight your skills and achievements in a way that gets the attention of a hiring manager and intrigues them to the point of calling you for an interview.

If you feel like your cover letter is falling short, or you're sending it out and not hearing back from companies, let TopResume check it out for you. While we're at it, we can give your resume a once-over, too. Upload them both for a free review from a resume-writing expert.