When possible, it’s best to address your cover letter to a person instead of a generic option like “To whom it may concern,” said career coach Ronald J. Telling the reader what you’ve accomplished and how it directly translates to meeting the company’s needs is always a better use of space than gushing. Skip the effusive thanks and demonstrate genuine interest by writing a cover letter that connects the dots between your experience and the requirements of the position. If you align considering your application with the biggest favor ever, you’ll make the other person think it’s because you’re desperate. You don’t need to thank the hiring manager so incredibly much for reading your application–that’s job,” she advised. “Even if you’re applying to your dream company, you don’t want to come off like you think someone entertaining your candidacy is the same as him offering you water at the end of a lengthy hike. She found that one of the things she looked for in her initial read-throughs was the tone. With that kind of volume, good cover letters stand out. Get the tone rightīranding and content consultant Sara McCord, formerly with career platform The Muse, once held a position where she reviewed résumés and cover letters for roughly 60 positions per year. By tailoring your pitch to the role, can sell yourself more effectively. After all, if you just wrote your cover letter with the company in mind, you’re making the recruiter and hiring manager do all the work. According to Geiger, it’s better to show your enthusiasm “for the specifics of the role,” rather than the organization. As Dan Geiger, Buzzfeed’s former senior manager of people operations, previously told Fast Company, a lot of entry-level hires spent their time sharing their thoughts about how great Buzzfeed is.

Your cover letter, like your résumé, should be tailored to the job description rather than falling into the trap of pitching to the company in general.

Cover letters