Snail denier. Anti-snailer.

Dana's totally a shill for Big Pseudo(pod)!

I was also told to track down the name of the hiring person and address the cover letter specifically to her. This seems stalker-y, especially since it really seems like they've deliberately removed her name from the website and the email. I don't think I'll follow this piece of advice.

Yeah, in today's doxx-happy climate, that seems like a level of cyber-digging that might not be appreciated.

No pseudopods! Gastropods only

I don't know from cover letters but that seems like a lot of effort? Might help you stand out from the crowd, I suppose, but not necessarily, um, necessary.

Jesse, I was told that cover letters need totell a story of something you've accomplished and how it relates to the hiring company. This seems unnecessary.

It seems pretty reasonable to me. And I wish I saw it more in letters we get. Just a couple of sentences! (I know that's not easy to write, though.)

I was also told to track down the name of the hiring person and address the cover letter specifically to her. This seems stalker-y, especially since it really seems like they've deliberately removed her name from the website and the email. I don't think I'll follow this piece of advice.

Definitely don't do that one! But yeah, the other one would probably result in a top-tier cover letter.

I feel like the "track down the name of the hiring manager" advice comes from the same place as "print your resume on fancy paper and deliver it by hand" which is to say, the land of SEVERAL DECADES AGO BEFORE WE ALL HAD STALKERS ON THE INTERNET.

Don't do that.

I've seen a ton of cover letters, and nobody ever gives a shit if it's addressed to an individual person. Avoid "Dear Sir" for obvious reasons. But the ones that stand out are the ones that sound like a real person who can convey something about what they're bringing to the table; even if it's a few sentences long and comes in an email, the person is the memorable part.

Yes, apparently you're supposed to avoid the generic "I feel I am qualified for this role because..." Which sucks, because that's really easy to write, usually.

I've had good success with what I do believe is a just-OK cover letter template. Lame opening, paragraph about how my experience matches what they are looking for, sentence or two about why I specifically want to work there (especially important for nonprofits, I think). Boom, the end. But I haven't tried to sell myself for a job I wasn't an obvious fit for in years and years, so.

Agreed that the tell-a-story bit is a good idea (and can be pretty simple), and that tracking down the name of the hiring manager is a bad one.

Also, as someone who's done several rounds of hiring in the last few years, I'd posit that the people who will be reading your cover letter aren't necessarily people who know anything about recent cover letter trends. They're just people looking to hire someone who will do well in the role. You already have an advantage in that you're a good writer. Give yourself permission to write a shitty first draft, ask a couple friends to be your beta readers, and I bet you'll come up with a perfectly good letter.

Kate makes a very good point. You are a good writer, Zen, lean into that.