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Cover Letter · How to / How not to

How to Write a Cover Letter (and How Not To)

"Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to express my interest" is where attention goes to die.

By Cynical SallyIssue Nº 1

Nobody wants a cover letter. They want a reason to read your CV with their guard down. That is the whole job.

This is what you getA real Full Truth, in full
Cynical SallyCover Letter

The Full Truth

on A marketing applicant's cover letter

3.8
out of ten
You said 'I am passionate' four times and proved it zero.
The Investigation
  1. 01

    Generic opener

    Critical

    'I am writing to apply for the role' tells them nothing they did not already know from the subject line.

  2. 02

    All about you

    Notable

    Eight sentences about your goals, none about their problem. They are hiring to solve theirs, not yours.

  3. 03

    No proof

    Notable

    'Passionate about the brand' with no example reads as filler. Show one thing you noticed.

The Copy Clinic

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Marketing role.

Your last three campaigns all led with discounts. I think there is a sharper story to tell, and I want to tell it.

I am a passionate, results-driven marketer.

I grew an organic channel from 0 to 40k in eight months. Here is how I would do it for you.

The Action Plan
  1. 1Cut the first paragraph entirely. Start at sentence two.
  2. 2Add one specific observation about their work.
  3. 3Replace every 'passionate' with a number or an example.
  4. 4Trim to 180 words and read it aloud.
Yours for the price of a coffee.Printed with disdain
Your turn

That was a stranger's cover letter. Drop yours, I will go just as hard.

One coffee, from €2,99. No mercy.

A Full Truth on a cover letter finds the three sentences doing all the work and the twelve that are just throat-clearing.

How to do it right
  • 01Open with a real sentence, not a formula. Say something only you could say.
  • 02Name the company's actual problem and your actual fix.
  • 03Keep it under 200 words. They are skimming, respect that.
  • 04Match their language. Read the job post, mirror its verbs.
  • 05End with a clear next step, not 'I look forward to hearing from you'.
How not to
  • "To whom it may concern." It concerns a person. Find their name.
  • Restating your CV in paragraph form. They already have the CV.
  • Five sentences that all start with 'I'.
  • "I am passionate about your mission" with no proof you have read it.
  • A wall of text with no paragraph breaks. Nobody is climbing that.