I once wrote a cover letter that a VP photocopied & passed around the office as “the best one she ever read in her 35 years in HR.” (Don't worry, I share that exact letter in the course content, who knew a cover letter was so interesting).
When I read that cover letter now, I can see how I would improve it. But, I see the good of what the VP saw in the cover letter. It was honest and tailored for the specific role and company. It wasn’t a perfect letter, but it hit the mark and felt genuine.
People often come to me with resume concerns. After we do resume work, I’ll ask about the cover letters and they’ll either say, “I don’t need one” (not true) or “I have a template for that.”
The problem with using a free cover letter template is they are usually:
- boring to use
- boring to read
- don’t communicate anything past what your resume says
- don’t help you to understand if the job is for you