A cover letter that converts: the 4-paragraph structure

Does a cover letter still matter?

Yes — when it is good. LinkedIn data shows personalized cover letters lift response rates by ~30%. Bad ones get ignored.

The 4-paragraph structure

1. Specific opener (2 lines): why this company, not any company.
2. Job fit (3 lines): 2 of your experiences + 2 of their requirements.
3. Concrete result (3 lines): one number, one outcome, one short story.
4. Next step (1 line): invite the conversation, share your availability.

What to cut

• "I am passionate about innovation"
• "I am proactive and dynamic"
• Anything that could be pasted into any other letter

Strong opener example

I have followed Company X for two years, since you published the case study on scaling search infrastructure. That is exactly the kind of problem I solved in my current role.

Final tip

Use a real name whenever possible. LinkedIn plus the company "About" page usually solves it in five minutes.