The COVER Formula to Writing a Cover Letter (Part 2 of 4)

Writing the perfect cover letter doesn’t have to be an ordeal. In fact, it can be as easy as spelling C-O-V-E-R. COVER is an acronym for a five-step paragraph-by-paragraph approach you can use to write an effective cover letter. In this series of blog posts, I will show you how you can use the COVER formula and the announcement for the position for which you are applying as a handy guide to craft the perfect complement to your resume.

Step Two: Give a brief OVERVIEW of who you are in the second paragraph.

The O in the COVER formula stands for overview. While your resume gives great insight into what you have done, it is equally important to devote a few sentences in your cover letter to describe who you are. Ideally the connection you made in the first paragraph was enough to encourage the person reading your cover letter to read further. Now you must seize the moment to heighten that connection in your second paragraph.

One way to do this is to elaborate on your personal brand statement, if you included one on your resume. In my blog post entitled Is It Time to Rethink Your Resume’s M.O.?, I wrote about the importance of including a powerful brand statement on your resume. An effective brand statement weaves your key strengths into tangible benefits you can provide a prospective employer. You can use the overview section of your cover letter to explain some aspect of your brand statement in more depth. Another option is to explain why you chose to pursue a particular career path. Perhaps you are passionate about promoting green issues, advocating for children with special needs, or writing advertising copy.

Infuse the enthusiasm you have for pursuing your professional passion into your cover letter to show a potential employer you will bring that same degree of dedication to the position.

Step Three: VOICE your interest in the position in the second paragraph.

The V in the COVER formula stands for voice. In the first two or three sentences of the second paragraph, you told the person reading your cover letter more about who you are. In the next few sentences, you want to connect who you are with why you are interested in the position. Consider what prompted you to respond to the job announcement or explain how you felt when you learned about the job opening. Incorporate some of the intelligence you conducted under Step One to list two or three strong reasons why you want to work for this particular employer.

Returning to the ABC Consulting job announcement, here’s an example of how our cover letter looks so far, including the second paragraph:

"Please accept this cover letter and the enclosed resume in application for the Human Resources Assistant position with your company. I had an opportunity to visit your official website. I understand from reading your most recent newsletter that the human resources department plans to transition from its current software system to the PeopleSoft HRIS next quarter. In my previous position, I helped train 20 people in my department on how to use PeopleSoft.

Up until five years ago, I ran a small internet-based business from my home. A chance encounter at a friend’s dinner party changed my career path forever. It was there where a mutual friend introduced me to Jane Doe, then-Chair of the Board for the Society for Human Resource Management – Atlanta. Our conversation ignited a longstanding desire to work in the human resources field. I was excited to learn of this opening with ABC Consulting because of its ongoing partnership with local area charities including the Atlanta Community Food Bank, where I have been a volunteer for the past ten years. I was also impressed to read on your corporate blog that ABC Consulting has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Atlanta for a third consecutive year.”

In Part 3 of this blog series, we'll review how to include specific examples of your experience and skills in the third and fourth paragraphs of your cover letter.

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