A strong cover letter promotes you as a viable candidate to a potential employer, while a poorly executed cover letter works against you. While reading sample cover letters can be helpful, you need to know how to tailor one to your particular situation. An effective cover letter should complement your resume and illustrate your qualifications for the position beyond what your resume can convey to the hiring manager.

Here are 5 essential tips for writing the best cover letters that will engage and entice your readers (hiring managers) to contact you and learn more.

1. Be Specific – A generic cover letter shows that you are a generic candidate. Your cover letter needs to show how you are the best fit for the specific position for which you’re applying. You can start with a basic cover letter template, but be sure to fill in details based on the job listing, and the qualifications of the job. According to Alison Doyle, Guide to Job Search at About.com, your cover letter should also include where you found the listing, the job title, and specific skills you possess that match the requirements of the open position.

2. Connect the Dots – Your resume already explains your experience and background. Therefore, your cover letter should “connect the dots,” and explain the “why” and “how” behind your resume. Why are you interested in this position? Why are you a good fit for this job specifically? How will you excel in this role? Why are you applying for the job?

3. Highlight Strengths, Sell Around Weak Points – You can also use a cover letter to explain any unusual circumstances or career moves, as well as highlight your strengths as they relate to the duties of the position. ResumeHUB.com provides suggestions and examples for explaining employment gaps or past difficulties in their cover letter builder.

4. Convey Interest, not Desperation. Focus on how the employer will benefit from hiring you, not how you will benefit from being hired. The employer has a need within the organization. How well you meet that need will be the primary factor in their hiring decision, not how badly you need or want the job. It may sound harsh, but business is business. Compose your cover letter to show your interest, enthusiasm, and fitness for the position using the employer’s job description and match your skills to the qualifications listed. Resist the temptation to provide details of your financial woes, needs, or difficulty finding a job.

5. Be Memorable, in a Positive Way – If possible, address any unique qualifications, strengths, or commonalities near the beginning of the letter to help the hiring manager remember you. If you’ve worked for a competitor from which your target employer has hired many other associates, for example, you may want to mention that early in your letter. Or, if you have met the hiring manager previously, or attended an event with the company (job fair, conference, etc.), that may be a good opener. Research the company and the hiring manager, and if you can find something in common with him or her, include it in your cover letter, especially if you can relate it to the job somehow. For example, if you and the hiring manager attended the same university, you may share the same great foundation for working at the company and achieving excellent results.

Finally, be sure to proofread and revise your cover letter before sending it. Multiple errors and typos will not impress the employer, and may send a message that you lack attention to detail, which is an important requirement for many jobs.