This cover letter was the deciding factor in my application

The year was 2015. I was applying to a high paying club management position. I didn't particularly have the club management experience on my resume, but the cover letter I was later told, is what had impressed the recruiter. I was later offered to fly out and visit the property after my interview.

Here's an example of a successful cover letter that took the creative route, showed specific examples, and illustrated value through accomplishments. (Forgive the formatting; this content actually looks better when not submitted on Reddit):

Dear XXX YYY,

I hope you're doing well. Mr. XXX YYY suggested I reach out to you regarding the seasonal position at XXX. XXX had nothing but incredibly positive things to say about the club, so I felt compelled to reach out to you to discuss such an opportunity.

Perhaps the most relevant experience that would qualify me for this position was reopening a restaurant in the Hamptons this past season--and running it successfully. Before I embarked on my journey, I was told multiple things about what the experience would be:

- "It's going to be restaurant impossible.  Goodluck running it..."
- "XXX has never made money and has even lost a lot of money in the first year."
- "It's going to be valuable working there, but you're going to have a really tough time. All your workers will either show up hungover or drunk on the job"

Perhaps my strongest attribute is my ability to stay positive and persist through the seemingly impossible challenges. I refused to believe for one moment that I would let any of these things happen. Instead this summer, I helped achieve the following:

- Turned a profit for the first time since opening in 2013
- Raised service standards by hiring seasonal staff that would later on impress our customers and our executive team
- Delivered positive experiences to several thousand customers on vacation in the Hamptons
Secured last minute and inexpensive housing for our managers and chefs--an extremely hard project in itself

I feel like my experience in the XXX School and with "restaurant impossible" will prove valuable in this particular adventure. I've enclosed my resume for further detail on my credentials.

Best Regards,

XXX YYY

Many people think cover letters are pointless. And most of them are because applicants write the same boring sentences-- and copy and paste it to several different companies. But a cover letter can also tip people over the edge and enhance what is already said on the resume. That's exactly what it did for me.

Good luck to all my cover letter people out there!

Best, Chris Villanueva, Certified Professional Resume Writer

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