I still remember the first cover letter I ever wrote.

I was seventeen, sitting at the kitchen table with my Dad — a man who took written communication very seriously indeed. He'd spent years wielding the pen like a weapon, firing off beautifully crafted complaint letters to anyone who'd caused him a moment's inconvenience, and receiving full refunds and grovel-heavy apologies in return. He was, in short, a man who understood the power of a well-constructed sentence aimed squarely at the right target.

So there I sat, learning the rules: paragraphs, tone, structure, how to address the reader, how to sign off with the right level of deference. I thought I was ready. I wrote the letter. I sent it off with the quiet confidence of someone who had no idea what they were doing but felt brilliant about it anyway.

Rejection. Straight-A rejections. A masterclass in disheartening.

The problem wasn't the writing. The problem was that the letter was entirely about me and what I wanted. Not one word about what I could do for them. It might as well have started: "Dear Whoever You Are, Here Is Why I Am Marvellous."

Sound familiar?

Fair question. Cover letters are increasingly optional, and plenty of people skip them entirely.

That's a mistake. Even when nobody asks, submitting one is a signal. It says: I go beyond what's required. Employers aren't just hiring skills — they're hiring attitude. The candidate who voluntarily does more before they've even walked through the door? That's the one worth a phone call.

The cost of not bothering is simple. Someone else did. And they got the interview.

I once cleared an afternoon to review applications for an open role. Tea made, open mind engaged.

By letter six, I was reconsidering my career choices entirely.

Every letter opened identically. Same phrases. Same recycled claims about being "results-driven." Not one mentioned anything specific about our company — not a product, not a project, not even a passing acknowledgement that we existed as a distinct organisation rather than a convenient vacancy.

The candidates were capable. The cover letters were the problem.

Most people write for themselves — listing what they've done rather than why it matters to the reader in front of them. Flip that single thing, and you're already ahead of most of the field.

*Works best in Chrome

Here's what works. Not in theory — in practice, from the hiring manager's side of the desk.

1. Open with a hook, not a formality

If your first sentence could appear on any letter sent to any company, rewrite it. Address the hiring manager by name where possible, and lead with something specific and energetic.

Instead of: "I am writing to apply for the Marketing Manager position advertised on your website."

Try: "Dear Sarah — when I saw that Acme Co. is expanding its sustainability division, I knew immediately this was the role I'd been building towards. Three years leading green product launches at my current company has prepared me for exactly this challenge."

Same information. Completely different impression.

2. Highlight the right experiences — not all of them

One strong, specific example beats five vague ones every single time. Pick the achievement most relevant to this role and make it land.

Instead of: "I have extensive experience across marketing, project management, and stakeholder engagement."

Try: "In my last role, I led a product launch that delivered 40% above its revenue target in Q1 — achieved by aligning three cross-functional teams around a single customer narrative. That's precisely the kind of outcome I'd bring to this role."

Numbers. Specificity. Relevance. That's the formula.

3. Answer "why you? Why them?"

This is the question living in every hiring manager's head, whether they say it or not. Answer it directly. Reference something real — a product, a launch, a company value, something you genuinely admire about what they're building.

Instead of: "I have always been passionate about working for a forward-thinking company like yours."

Try: "Your recent move into the SME market caught my attention — it's a bold pivot, and having spent three years building propositions specifically for that segment, I believe I can help you get there faster."

That single paragraph tells them you've done your homework, you're genuinely interested, and you have something relevant to offer. Most letters never get close to this.

4. Demonstrate soft skills — don't declare them

Don't tell me you have excellent communication skills. The letter itself is proof of that claim — or it isn't. Every sentence is evidence. Write clearly, write with personality, write like a human being.

Instead of: "I am a strong communicator with excellent leadership and teamwork skills."

Try: "When our product team and sales team hit an impasse over launch timing last year, I brought both sides to the table, built a shared timeline, and we launched three weeks ahead of the original plan. Getting people aligned is something I do naturally — and something I'd bring to your team from day one."

Show, don't tell. Always.

5. Tailor every single letter

Yes, every one. Use the language of the job description. Mirror their terminology. This isn't cheating — it's intelligent. A generic letter signals low interest. A tailored one signals intent.

If the job description says "we're looking for someone to drive customer engagement through data-led decision making, "then somewhere in your letter, those ideas — in your own words — should appear:

"Data sits at the heart of how I work. In my current role, I used customer behavioural data to redesign our onboarding journey, which increased 90-day retention by 22%. Understanding what the numbers are saying — and acting on it — is where I feel most at home."

You've spoken their language. You've given them evidence. You've made the connection effortless.

6. Nail the final touches

Proofread twice. Then once more. A typo in a cover letter is not just a typo — it's a statement about your standards. Match the formatting to your CV. Keep the tone professional but human.

And read it out loud before you send it. Seriously. If you stumble over a sentence when speaking it, rewrite it. If it sounds like it was drafted by a committee, rewrite it. If you wouldn't say it to someone's face across a table, don't put it in writing.

The bar here is not perfection — it's care. And care is surprisingly rare.

Before your next application, run through this:

This week — Pull up your current cover letter template. Ask yourself honestly: could this be sent to any company? If yes, it should be sent to no one until it isn't.

Every application — Spend fifteen minutes researching the company before you write a word. Find one specific, relevant detail and reference it. Just one is enough to stand out from the majority who don't bother.

Before you hit send — Read the letter out loud. If any sentence sounds like a press release, rewrite it. You are a person applying to work with other people. Sound like one.

The mindset shift — Stop writing the letter you want to send. Start writing the letter they need to read. Your experience is the evidence. The letter is the argument.

A great cover letter doesn't just repeat your CV. It tells the story of why you are the right fit for this specific role, at this specific company, right now. That's a lower bar than most people imagine — and yet most people still don't clear it.

You can.

Keep on rockin'!

Harvey