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Were there a quick and easy way to formulate an effective cover letter, then writing cover letters would be, uh, quick and easy. Unfortunately, they're not—and crafting a sizzling cover letter is both an art and a craft. Employers will be able to smell a mass-produced cover-letter from miles away, so you want to tailor your skills, experience and education to fit the precise needs of an open job. Here's how.
1. Read the details (and instructions) of the job you're applying for. Got cover-letter writer's block? Scan the job posting itself. More times than not, it'll list the skills and experience required for the job. Tweak your cover letter accordingly. Also, for the love of Jah, follow the instructions closely.
2. Get personal. What's going to make you stand out from the crowd aside from, well, your own idiosyncrasies? Be professional, but don't be afraid to share personal experiences, personal tendencies, or even your personal likes and dislikes. Just keep things, er, above the belt, mmkay?
3. Focus on your skills you bring to the job—both hard and soft. Because education and experience mean squat if you don't have the skills to back 'em up. Technical skills are ever-important, but don't forget your people skills, too.
4. Focus on deliverables. In other words, show, don't tell. It's great that you're a Photoshop whiz, but on your cover letter, explain a time you delivered those skills successfully. Still, don't be arrogant; be firm and confident in tone.
5. Keep things concise. Because a cover letter isn't an academic essay, a news article, or a rant. It's a cover letter. So keep things focused, persuasive and concise—even consider, for example, listing why you're the best candidate (i.e. "Five reasons you should give me a call").

Mark Teo is jobpostings.ca's web editor; he's also a journalism grad from the University of King's College and a cultural studies grad from McGill University. He's currently a freelance arts writer for Toronto Life, Calgary's Fast Forward Weekly, This magazine and many, many more. He enjoys IPAs, Kitsune Maison comps, stick 'n' poke tattoos, and, uh, more IPAs.