Latest Magazine Popular Topics Podcasts Video Store The Big Idea Visual Library Reading Lists Case

ual Library Reading Lists Case Selections

Hiring | The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received

HIRING
WHAT TO READ NEXT

The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received

by David Silverman
June 15, 2009

How to Write a Cover Letter

23
 Save  Share  Comment  Print

In my last post I talked about how to make your résumé more likely to catch the attention of a
hiring manager. As a follow up, I’d like to discuss cover letters. Here’s my basic philosophy on
them: don’t bother.

That’s because the cover letters I see usually fall into one of three categories:

The recap: The résumé in prose form. It’s redundant, harder to read than the résumé, and
provides no additional insight.

The form letter: This says, essentially, “Dear Sir or Madam: I saw your ad in the paper and
thought you might like me.” And it’s clearly a form letter where maybe they got my name and
company right. If they’re lucky, I will still take the time to read their résumé after being insulted
with a form letter.

The “I’m crazy”: This one’s rare, and it expands on the résumé of experience with some
personal insights. Examples range from the merely batty (“I find batik as an art form has taught
me to become both a better person and project manager.”) to the truly terrifying (“I cast a
pentagram hex and the central line pointed towards your job listing. I know you will find this as
comforting as I do.”)
RECOMMENDED
Developing First Time
There are really only a few times to use a cover letter: Managers Ebook Library
(2nd Edition)
BUNDLES
1. When you know the name of the person hiring
$190.00
2. When you know something about the job requirement
View Details
3. When you’ve been personally referred (which might include 1 and 2)

Under those conditions, you can help your cause by doing some of the résumé analysis for your
The Latest Research:
potential new boss. To illustrate, here’s the best cover letter I ever received: Managing Yourself

PRESS TOOLKIT

Dear David: $49.95

View Details
I am writing in response to the opening for xxxx, which I believe may report to you.

I can offer you seven years of experience managing communications for top-tier xxxx Amazon.com, 2019
firms, excellent project-management skills, and a great eye for detail, all of which should
make me an ideal candidate for this opening. CASE

$8.95
I have attached my résumé for your review and would welcome the chance to speak with View Details
you sometime.

Best regards,

Xxxx Xxxx

Here’s what I like about this cover letter: It’s short. It sums up the résumé as it relates to the
job. It asks for the job.

The writer of this letter took the time to think through what would be relevant to me. Instead
of scattering lots of facts in hopes that one was relevant, the candidate offered up an opinion as
to which experiences I should focus on.
And that means the writer isn’t just showing me skills related to the job, he’s showing me he’ll
be the kind of employee who offers up solutions — instead of just laying problems on my desk.

What do you think? Have you ever secured a job thanks to a cover letter? What’s your view on
the value — or lack thereof — of cover letters?

This content was adapted for inclusion in the HBR Guide to Getting the Right Job.

Editor’s note: For a different take on whether you need a cover letter and advice on how to
write a great one, read our Best Practice “How to Write a Cover Letter”

David Silverman has had ten careers so far, including entrepreneur, executive, and
business writing professor. He is the author of Typo: The Last American Typesetter or How I
Made and Lost 4 Million Dollars and of the April 2011 HBR article, Synthesis: Constructive
Confessions.

This article is about HIRING

 Follow This Topic

Related Topics: Business Writing |

Career Planning

Related Articles

UP NEXT IN CAREER PLANNING UP NEXT IN JOB SEARCH UP NEXT IN JOB SEARCH

How to Write a Résumé That Stands Out Yes, Your Résumé Needs a Summary Improve Your Résumé by Turning Bullet
by Amy Gallo by Jane Heifetz
Points into Stories
by Jane Heifetz

Related Products

LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE

Harvard Business Review Magazine Advancing Black Leaders HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing
Subscription Yourself (Paperback + Ebook)

HBR Subscription HBR Digital Article Bundles

View Details View Details View Details
$8.95 $34.95

Comments
Leave a Comment

Post Comment

23 COMMENTS

Lilian Oboka a year ago

This is one cover letter that beats the norm. It is precise and unambiguous

 Reply 00

 Join The Conversation

POSTING GUIDELINES
We hope the conversations that take place on HBR.org will be energetic, constructive, and thought-provoking. To comment, readers must sign in or
register. And to ensure the quality of the discussion, our moderating team will review all comments and may edit them for clarity, length, and relevance.
Comments that are overly promotional, mean-spirited, or off-topic may be deleted per the moderators' judgment. All postings become the property of
Harvard Business Publishing.

Partner Center
 Start my subscription!

Explore HBR HBR Store About HBR HBR Subscriber Assistance HBR.ORG Customer Assistance Follow HBR

The Latest Article Reprints Contact Us Subscribe Help Center  Facebook

Most Popular Books Advertise with Us Subscriber Help U.S./Canada:  Twitter
800.988.0886
All Topics Cases Information for Booksellers/Retailers U.S./Canada:  LinkedIn
800.274.3214 International:
Magazine Archive Collections Masthead
harvard@cdsfulfillment.com 617.783.7500  Instagram
The Big Idea Magazine Issues Global Editions hbr.org/subscriberservices  Your Newsreader
Email:
Reading Lists HBR Guide Series Media Inquiries International: customerservice@harvardbusiness.org
+44.1858.438.412
Case Selections HBR 20-Minute Managers Guidelines for Authors Copyright Permissions
(Asia Pacific: +612.8296.5401)
Video HBR Emotional Intelligence Series HBR Analytic Services hbr@subscription.co.uk
subscription.co.uk/hbr/help
Podcasts HBR Must Reads
Webinars Tools
Visual Library
My Library
Newsletters
HBR Ascend

About Us | Careers | Privacy Policy | Copyright Information | Trademark Policy

Harvard Business Publishing: Higher Education | Corporate Learning | Harvard Business Review | Harvard Business School
Copyright © 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

2/3  REGISTER SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS THE ARCHIVE