Producing a Great Cover Letter

When you sit down to begin drafting your letter, remember that a good cover letter, combined with a good resume, will produce a job interview – not a job offer. Accordingly, the purpose of your letter is to seize the hiring manager's attention and all but scream, "Bring me in for an interview for this position!"

Begin by saying what position you are applying for, and where you learned about the opening:

I would like to be considered for your opening for a corporate giving officer, as advertised in this Sunday's Post.

The beauty of this opening is that anyone in the company can read your letter and understand what you want. (We are aware of advice now making the rounds that says job applicants should open their cover letters with an attention-getting rhetorical question. We think that approach is only advisable if the position you are applying for explicitly calls for a creative personality. In most circumstances, it's too likely that the opening would be misunderstood.)

Follow up with one to three paragraphs explaining why the job fits you like a glove. There are several ways of doing this.

If your job history is well-suited to the opening, your letter should draw attention to that fact:

As my resume notes, I was a grants officer at the XYZ Foundation from XXXX until XXXX. That experience gave me a solid understanding of grantmaking from a funder's point of view. I also gained experience in fundraising as an undergraduate, when I worked on alumni outreach for my college's capital campaign.

You should also draw the employer's attention to related skills and experience that qualify you for the opening:

I also have four years' experience in corporate communications for the X Company. Through that work I gained a good understanding of how corporations view their community relations, and what considerations they weigh in making charitable donations to nonprofits. I also gained experience in planning and carrying out strategic communication campaigns. I believe I could put this knowledge to work for your organization's benefit in identifying and approaching appropriate donors.

You should also highlight degrees, certifications, and educational experience that is required for the position, or that would enhance your ability to perform in it:

I received my master's degree in nonprofit management from Local College this spring.

You should conclude by reiterating your interest in the opening and making a clear request for an interview:

I am very interested in your opening for a corporate giving officer. It would allow me to put my experience in building corporate-charitable partnerships and my skills in strategic communications to good use. I hope I have to opportunity to meet with you to learn more about this position and to discuss how I could contribute to your organization's goals.

As a general rule, keep your letter concise. Try not to go over a page and a half. (A single page is even better). Keep your tone formal. Remember, your cover letter is the equivalent of meeting with someone for the first time. It's better to err on the side of caution than to risk coming across as inappropriate for the organization's culture.

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