Well, before all else, I'm a software guy; not an HR person, so you will want to take this with a grain of salt. That being said, it doesn't have to be some ki

Well, before all else, I'm a software guy; not an HR person, so you will want to take this with a grain of salt. That being said, it doesn't have to be some kind of formal thing; the best cover letters I've read just let me know that someone has actually read and comprehends our requirements and their cover letter should tell me a few things that sets them apart from the other torrent of resumes that I'll see. In other words, it's obvious that you're applying for this position, and not just every position you see. Just like an employee wants to think that an employer has hand selected them to work there, instead of just saying "you'll do"; an employer likes to think that the person actually cares about what they do and where they work.