Writing a Cover Letter

Overview

Cover letters are another annoying, but also eminently doable part of the job process! I have read a lot of cover letters, and most are rambly, terrible, and just say nothing (”As a dynamic, team-driven leader, I execute high-impact strategies to deliver results for key leaders and stakeholders at performance-driven organizations”), so if you basically just write clearly, explain why you’re interested in working at the organization, and tell one coherent story about a time you’ve done something well, you’ll be way ahead of the pack. When done right, cover letters can be an incredible opportunity to tell your story and introduce yourself to your employer.

Much of the advice from the

resume guide⁠

holds here. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are super important, so you should proofread at least three times and get a second reader if possible. Make sure you’re writing professionally and clearly: you don’t need to use super long fancy words or write overly formally.

You should think of this as a tool and an opportunity, not just another obligation. You want to pack as much of a punch as you can, so you shouldn’t just repeat what’s in your resume. If you do this right, employers will leave with a sense of who you are, not just what you’ve done.

Finally, make sure to customize each letter for the job you’re applying for! This should be pretty self-explanatory: there’s no way your introduction and “land the plane” will be the same for every job. Make triple sure that you get the name of the employer right on each letter. Again, keep it to one page and save as a PDF with a clear name.

Structure

There are no firm rules here, but I’ve found the following four-paragraph model (courtesy of the National Democratic Training Committee) to be the strongest:

Introduction: Introduce yourself and articulate both your interest in the specific position and your interest in the field in general. Progressive politics is mission-driven work, so concentrate on your unique “why” for choosing this pathway.

Skills and Background: Now that you’ve established your enthusiasm and sense of purpose, begin to establish credibility by using this section to discuss your background qualifications for the position.

Show and Prove: So now we know you’re eager, and we know you’re qualified, so what have you done with all that energy and capacity? Use this section to talk about the ways you’ve applied your skills and the positive impact of your effort. Don’t just list your accomplishments, provide engaging stories that illustrate the impact of your work. Anyone can say they’re detail oriented, but it’s another thing entirely to share a story about your attention to detail saving an important project.

Land the Plane: Conclude by concisely restating your interest in the organization. Be specific: What is it about this particular organization that excites you? Thank the recipient for their time, provide ways to contact you, and invite continued engagement by encouraging them to reach out.

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Here’s an annotated example of an effective cover letter⁠

. It’s definitely worth a read!

Format

Keep the formatting super simple. Write with big enough texts that it’s legible (11 or 12pt), and try to include as little as possible beyond the cover letter itself. It’s nice (but not totally necessary) if the formatting looks broadly similar to the formatting on your resume.

This is a totally fine template⁠

, but you can really use any one that you want.

If you know the hiring manager’s name with reasonable certainty, you can address it to them. If not, “Dear Hiring Manager” is totally fine. I would lean towards the latter unless you are very confident that you have the name right. You can almost always address folks by their first name if they’re working in politics.

Where to Start

Cover letters can often feel overwhelming because they’re an open ended, typically one-page, representation of our professional journey. If you’re not sure where to start, try answer the couple of questions below. Don’t feel pressure to answer with fully formed thoughts or complete sentences, just write whatever comes to mind as you reflect on the questions (bullet points are a wonderful place to start!)

Why are you excited about this org and their mission?

Why are you qualified for this job?

Why is this the next logical step in your career?

What's unique about your professional story?

What brought me to this work in the first place?

What transferrable skills do I have?

Check out these example cover letters from our friends over at Second Day!

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Narrative-Driven Cover Letter⁠

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Experience-Driven Cover Letter⁠

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