Skip to content

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us improve the user experience. By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Read our privacy policy to learn more.

Close
AICPA-CIMA
  • AICPA & CIMA:
  • Home
  • CPE & Learning
  • My Account
Journal of Accountancy
  • TECH & AI
    • All articles
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Information Security & Privacy

    Latest Stories

    • Incorporating prompt engineering into the accounting curriculum
    • Create a dynamic to-do list with Excel’s checkboxes
    • Another way to manage authentication texts
  • TAX
    • All articles
    • Corporations
    • Employee benefits
    • Individuals
    • IRS procedure

    Latest Stories

    • Global tax deal could hurt US companies, says letter requesting OECD guidance
    • Treasury posts preliminary list of jobs eligible for no tax on tips
    • Taxpayer’s circumstances do not warrant equitable tolling
  • PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
    • All articles
    • Diversity, equity & inclusion
    • Human capital
    • Firm operations
    • Practice growth & client service

    Latest Stories

    • Global tax deal could hurt US companies, says letter requesting OECD guidance
    • Few companies strategically using risk management
    • Treasury posts preliminary list of jobs eligible for no tax on tips
  • FINANCIAL REPORTING
    • All articles
    • FASB reporting
    • IFRS
    • Private company reporting
    • SEC compliance and reporting

    Latest Stories

    • SEC accepting Professional Accounting Fellow applications
    • SEC names new chief accountant
    • SEC ends legal defense of its climate rules
  • AUDIT
    • All articles
    • Attestation
    • Audit
    • Compilation and review
    • Peer review
    • Quality Management

    Latest Stories

    • AICPA unveils new QM resources to help firms meet Dec. 15 deadline
    • 8 steps to build your firm’s quality management system on time
    • Auditing Standards Board proposes a new fraud standard
  • MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING
    • All articles
    • Business planning
    • Human resources
    • Risk management
    • Strategy

    Latest Stories

    • Business outlook brightens somewhat despite trade, inflation concerns
    • AICPA & CIMA Business Resilience Toolkit — levers for action
    • Economic pessimism grows, but CFOs have strategic responses
  • Home
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Topics
Advertisement
  1. newsletter
  2. Cpa Insider
CPA INSIDER

How to write cover letters that stand out

Technology has changed the screening process, but a well-written cover letter can still boost your chances.

By Teri Saylor
September 7, 2021

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2021. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

Related

July 26, 2021

Language that makes your LinkedIn profile pop

June 7, 2021

Top soft skills for accounting professionals

May 17, 2021

Summon the courage to take career risks

TOPICS

  • Professional Development
    • Career Development

Résumés and cover letters traditionally fit together like hands in gloves, and seasoned job seekers are accustomed to starting their application process with both.

As hiring practices grow more automated, however, cover letters are becoming less relevant, said Larry Sheftel, vice president of human resources at Aprio, a CPA-led professional services firm based in Atlanta. His firm hires about 200 employees annually, and he estimates thousands of résumés pass through his firm’s applicant tracking system each year.

“With the volume of job applications we receive, we don’t have time to scour all the cover letters, and typically go straight to the résumé,” he said.

But don’t count cover letters out entirely, he warned. Most employers still require them alongside résumés, especially at smaller firms where a senior partner or manager is responsible for hiring and recruiting and may take a hands-on approach. A well-written cover letter can be the difference between winning or losing a job opportunity.

Here are five tips for getting the most from your cover letter.

Keep it brief. A three-paragraph cover letter is the ideal length, said Rita Keller, a CPA firm consultant based in Beavercreek, Ohio. “The hiring manager is really interested in your qualifications, and you want them to get to your résumé right away, so keep your cover letter relatively short,” she said. She described the ideal elements of a powerful and concise letter. The first paragraph should be your introduction, stating the purpose for submitting your résumé and the job you are applying for. The second paragraph should include some details you have learned about the firm through your research and the reasons you are interested in working there, and the third paragraph should state why you think you are the most qualified for the job. It is also a good idea to include a call to action, such as requesting an interview.

Use keywords. Applicant tracking systems are search engines programmed to seek out specific keywords or phrases, and it is important that both your résumé and cover letter are optimized for this technology, Keller said. Even at firms that don’t use automated systems, managers may skim résumés and cover letters looking for words specific to the job they are trying to fill. A good place to find keywords is in the description of the job you are seeking. “If you can pull some descriptive words from a job posting stating the type of candidate your targeted firm is seeking, you will be mirroring back exactly what they are looking for,” Keller said.

Advertisement

Show you care about the firm. Tailor your cover letter with direct references to the firm to which you are applying, and be sure to use the firm’s correct name, Sheftel said. Misspelling the name of the firm suggests sloppiness and a lack of attention to detail. “Make yourself stand out by showing you know something about the firm and point out key aspects of its website,” Sheftel said. It’s also a good idea to share how you found out about the firm and describe why you are interested in working there, he added. Sheftel also advised against using a generic salutation. “If you can address your cover letter to the actual hiring manager or recruiter, that carries a lot of weight,” he said. Many firm websites have employee directories, and LinkedIn can be a good resource too, he added.

Follow rules of good writing. Use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar, Keller advised. “Accounting professionals focus on accuracy, and the worst thing you can do is submit a cover letter filled with mistakes,” she said. Even if you are qualified for the job, a poorly written cover letter will be a negative. Call on a friend or colleague to proofread your document, use online services such as Grammarly and SpellCheck.net, or consult an online dictionary to help you construct sentences correctly.  

Treat your letter as a supporting document. Make sure your résumé is complete, and don’t save important details for your cover letter, because hiring managers may not read it, said Sheftel. He added that Aprio’s applicant tracking system scours résumés for specific details that show job applicants have the specific type of experience the firm needs. However, he added, there are times when a good cover letter makes a difference, such as instances when several candidates demonstrate an equal level of experience. “That’s when a well-written, professional cover letter could be key to getting the job,” Sheftel said.

Visit the Global Career Hub from AICPA & CIMA for help with finding a job or recruiting.

— Teri Saylor is a freelance writer based in North Carolina. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Chris Baysden, a JofA associate director at Chris.Baysden@aicpa-cima.com.

Advertisement

latest news

September 8, 2025

Global tax deal could hurt US companies, says letter requesting OECD guidance

September 8, 2025

Few companies strategically using risk management

September 4, 2025

Treasury posts preliminary list of jobs eligible for no tax on tips

September 4, 2025

California issues draft guidance for climate risk disclosure

September 4, 2025

Business outlook brightens somewhat despite trade, inflation concerns

Advertisement

Most Read

The No. 1 risk to retirement – and one way to guard against it
Tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Billy Long out as IRS commissioner after less than two months
Calculating AI’s impact on CPAs: New study quantifies time savings
AICPA unveils new QM resources to help firms meet Dec. 15 deadline
Advertisement

Podcast

September 4, 2025

Summing up economic sentiment and concerns about inflation and tariffs

August 29, 2025

Take a bold leap instead of a tentative step

August 28, 2025

Mark Koziel Q&A: Talent, sense of community, profession opportunities

Features

Calming nervous clients nearing retirement
Calming nervous clients nearing retirement

Calming nervous clients nearing retirement

7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs
7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs

7 retirement tips for small firm CPAs

Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings
Multi-colored plus signs

Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings

2025 tax software survey
Smiley, frowney, and neutral faces for Tax Software Survey.

2025 tax software survey

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Multi-colored plus signs

Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings

A key step in business model modernization is determining how to implement services that satisfy clients and employees.

From The Tax Adviser

August 30, 2025

2025 tax software survey

August 30, 2025

Are you doing all you can to keep the cash method for your clients?

July 31, 2025

Current developments in S corporations

July 31, 2025

Paid student-athletes: Tax implications for universities and donors

MAGAZINE

September 2025

September 2025

September 2025
August 2025

August 2025

August 2025
July 2025

July 2025

July 2025
June 2025

June 2025

June 2025
May 2025

May 2025

May 2025
April 2025

April 2025

April 2025
March 2025

March 2025

March 2025
February 2025

February 2025

February 2025
January 2025

January 2025

January 2025
December 2024

December 2024

December 2024
November 2024

November 2024

November 2024
October 2024

October 2024

October 2024
view all

View All

http://JofA_Default_Mag_cover_small_official_blue

PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Coming soon: Learn about important news

CPA LETTER DAILY EMAIL

CPA Letter Logo

Subscribe to the daily CPA Letter

Stay on top of the biggest news affecting the profession every business day. Follow this link to your marketing preferences on aicpa-cima.com to subscribe. If you don't already have an aicpa-cima.com account, create one for free and then navigate to your marketing preferences.

Connect

  • X Logo JofA on X
  • facebook JofA on Facebook

HOME

  • News
  • Monthly issues
  • Podcast
  • A&A Focus
  • PFP Digest
  • Academic Update
  • Topics
  • RSS feed rss feed
  • Site map

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Submit an article
  • Editorial calendar
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms & conditions

SUBSCRIBE

  • Academic Update
  • CPE Express

AICPA & CIMA SITES

  • AICPA-CIMA.com
  • Global Engagement Center
  • Financial Management (FM)
  • The Tax Adviser
  • AICPA Insights
  • Global Career Hub
AICPA & CIMA

© 2025 Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. All rights reserved.

Reliable. Resourceful. Respected.