Good Headlines Get Your Cover Letters Read

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When writing a cover letter for your job search, most people don’t even think about one of the most powerful tools at their disposal — the headline.

You can call it what you will, headline, title, whatever, but it is this bolded piece of copy at the top of your cover letter than can determine whether your letter is read or not.

Put your headline directly above the salutation and make sure it is in bold letters. You don’t have to put it in all caps, but a word or two can be all caps if it add better emphasis. Here are some examples of great cover letter headlines:

• THREE reasons why I’m the perfect candidate for [insert job opening title here]
  You want to use three reasons because this is a strong, high-impact number, while still being short and to-the-point. You can always add a couple of more reasons in the body of the letter, but the headline should indicate that you are succinct and won’t waste their time with a laundry list of qualifications.
• My research of [company name] indicates I’m a perfect fit for [insert job opening title here]
  This headline is not for the faint of heart. I shows that you are bold and that you are not afraid to do you homework in order to get the right job. It also shows that you are interested in the company, not just the job.
• I’d welcome the opportunity to meet you and discuss the position of [insert job opening title here]
  This headline uses a more personable approach, indicating you are interested in meeting the person addressed in the letter.

Of course, there are a lot more headline formulas you can use — and you can always tailor these to fit your unique situation — but these are a good start.