Ever go through job listings, see a potentially awesome gig, then see the phrase "attach cover letter" and move on? What is it about the cover letter that feels daunting? A cover letter is your very short opportunity to draw in the reader. Without your engaging smile or ready explanations for your resume gaps handy, you've got to show some personality and competence in just a few lines. Still, with a bit of practice and re-writing, you can create a stellar cover letter. Yes, we've got tips.

Let's be straight — we bums have applied to many positions. Since we haven't gotten interviews for every single job we’ve ever wanted, we know there is no magic formula. Do your best and you've got a good shot.

Here are some basics:

Format Correctly: There are pretty standard cover letter formats for most industries. Sample Cover Letters has good formatting examples for most areas. The fundamentals are date, their address info, salutation, a couple paragraphs, and your signature. Make sure you include your contact information! Also, unless otherwise stipulated, we recommend saving your document as a PDF for submission so that your formatting doesn't get all screwed up in the cyber-transfer.

Tailor Your Cover Letter: If at all possible, find out the name of the hiring manager or ceo/executive director and address your letter to that person. "Dear Hiring Manager" is less impactful than "Dear Ms. Brown."

Make a Connection: You lucky duck, someone associated with the organization recommended you apply! Sweet. People usually like to have a personal recommendation so make sure to mention that fact right off the bat. For example "Ferris Bueller recommended that I contact you because…"

Write Compelling Content: You have a chance to tell your potential employer why you want the job and why you are the right person for it. Don't overdo it, but if you feel strongly attached to the company's mission make sure to tell them so. If you have a specialized skill-set, don't wait to share that information.

Stay to the Point: Your cover letter should not be more than a page long. Get your info down to a couple paragraphs of solid goodness. If they want to know more, they will call you in for an interview.

Get the Details Right: In this age of grammar check and spell check, you'd be shocked to see how many people send in letters full of errors. These computer tools won't catch everything, so make sure to double check your work or ask someone smarter than you to look it over. For example, please know the difference between they're, there, and their. If you don't, call your old English teacher.

Have an Outside Reviewer: We all need a little help sometimes. Get someone to review your cover letter. They don't necessarily have to look at each and every one, but you'll probably develop a basic format (and remember to tailor it!!). You can ask a friend with HR or writing experience or go to an outside source. Find out what professional resources you already can access. For example, the Music Library Association has a Cover Letter Review Service. Bust out all your student, guild, and trade association cards and Google their resources. We also found this Free Resume Review Service which also looks at cover letters; we've never used it, so please let us know what you think.

Please Note: We've all made mistakes. Like addressed an important letter to Barbara instead of Sandy. It happens. Kick yourself for about a minute and a half and then get over it. Like every other aspect of job searching, writing a good cover letter is about learning from your mistakes. Pick yourself up and do it again.

Go get 'em Tiger!