Cover letters are the bane of many jobseekers’ search process. Who wants to pen what is essentially a sales letter after the slog of preparing a resume? 

And it can be hard to know what to include from one application to the next. Let’s break down this three-part document to illustrate how best to leverage it.

Start by introducing yourself – in relation to the recipient company. In paragraph one, use titles identical to those the employer uses in the job description, and adopt the exact language they use to describe the key skills and necessary performance. If the job posting emphasizes keen communication skills that increase revenue and mitigate problems, highlight those in your background.

In paragraph two, employ a combination of text and a short bulleted list to bring the claims of paragraph one to life. Call upon a few more key skills that introduce tangible accomplishments from your career, and format these as three or four bulleted items. These numbers are the very best way to tell your story, so don’t be afraid to quantify the heck out of your work. Follow this paragraph with a pithy, one-line sentence about how you’ll apply these experiences in this role.

The third and final paragraph quickly wraps up with a statement about how you’re ready to apply your relevant skills to supporting operations, customer engagement, efficiency, and/or revenue. Consider this point carefully, it’s the final one you’ll make and an opportunity to present a strategic view of your potential contribution. Be sure to keep it short and keep it relevant to keep yourself in the game.

Above all else, your cover letter is a marketing tool – the space you’ve got to elaborate on your resume and convince the reader your application is worth a closer look. Use the above tips – and the template below – to create a powerful document that will help your application cut past the competition.