A lot of people on the job market right now. For 18 mos, I've led newsroom hiring @qz. Here + in previous roles, incl running a startup for 4 years, I have hired many people & have read hundreds (thousands?) of resumes & cover letters. Happy to share some insights w/ you. 1/5

One Q many have is whether you need a cover letter at all. I'd argue strongly that you do. If they don't read it, OK, but a good one puts your resume into context, connects it to the role, provides your voice, helps the hiring mgr understand you a little bit. 2/5

The best cover letters I've read convey enthusiasm for the org & position and connect the dots between their experience & the opportunity. They neither brag nor undersell, over-write or under-write. And they don't waste the reader's time. 3/5

True story: I got my first interviews at Quartz based on the resume & cover letter I submitted when the talent lab editor position was posted on LinkedIn. I had no connections here. I applied cold. Effective cover letters & resumes still matter! 4/5

Hope this helps! I'll be sharing more tips in a @QuartzAtWork video session w/ other experts next week. (I've seen other workshops like this costing 100 bucks or more. This one is FREE.) Details to come. 5/5