Taffy Brodesser-Akner, West coast director of education at mediabistro.com, has a problem:

Recently, I tried to fill several positions, from paid intern to journalism instructor, and I understood why most people (even the ones with great resumes) aren't getting interview calls: Cover letters, for the most part, tend to arrive in my inbox as sloppy cut-and-paste jobs that not only get my name wrong, my company's name wrong, and the job position wrong, but also don't give me information that helps me decide who is worth inviting for an interview. It's not that my standards are outrageously high -- what I want from a cover letter are just a few key assurances: that I'm dealing with a professional; that the candidate has experience relevant to the job, even if it doesn't appear on their resume; and, most importantly, that the applicant can follow any instructions included within my original job ad. After all, if you can't follow directions during the application process, why would I assume you'll follow my directions later on?

Don't worry, though: Taffy gives you tips on how to craft a cover letter that will catch her eye--in a good way.