The cover letters that get attention are the letters that address the needs of the organization and demonstrate that the writer can meet those needs. For most professional positions, that means quickly summarizing the applicant’s past accomplishments and achievements.

Each position, however, has different requirements and different ways and showing those in the cover letters. A friend of mine applying  for his first advertising copywriting job lacked experience in that field. But he knew from research that clear, clever, humorous writing was a prime requirement.

In his cover letter, he tried to prove that he had succeeded at every job that he had ever held, and made the case that he would also succeed at the target job. In this list of jobs and achievements, he included “Summer Lifeguard: No Drownings.”

This letter got him the interview that got him the job.