I have actually had a lot of positive feedback on cover letters I've written. I think cover letters are probably more applicable to small and medium size compa

I have actually had a lot of positive feedback on cover letters I've written. I think cover letters are probably more applicable to small and medium size companies, to the point where the largest companies like Netflix and Facebook don't even seem to have a place to submit one. In any case, my basic strategy is to try and and identify 3-4 things from the job description which I have a good background in and write a short paragraph on each, and identify at least one thing about the company which sets it apart and write about how that appeals to me. Some companies have really compelling missions, some companies have interesting challenges, but there should be something appealing! I have collected about 10-20 paragraphs over time which I can tap into when writing new cover letters which is helpful to quickly generate a framework. The cover letter is probably a second level filter at many companies however, so it is still important to have a relevant resume and if at all possible a contact inside the company.