i stand out by starting my letter off with this:

one-two-three-four
Uno-do'-tres-cuatro
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me
you know I want cha (want cha)

then, GIMME A JOB!

cheers,
FRaC

keep it short and to the point, why play all these games with lots of verbiage?

hahahah

I'm not sure these are uncommon tips, but addressing the letter to a firm principal and saying something positive about a specific project or more generally about their work process are two things I have done.

Based on numerous prior threads that discusss the topic of cover letters, I know that what I'm about to write is not a universally held view. But, having provided that disclaimer, I'm one who doesn't pay a lot of attention to cover letters.

Yes - I do read them - every word. If they're poorly written, contain clumsy language, misspellings or incorrect grammar, then the candidate's off to a very poor start. But, every cover letter I've ever received has tended to be the "same old, same old" lame effort to convince me that I should drop everything I'm doing and hire the writer. It simply doesn't work that way.

What I'm really interested in at this stage of the process is the clarity and content of the resume and any sort of mini-portfolio materials the candidate chooses to submit. That's the information that will induce me to call the candidate for a conversation or invite the candidate in for an interview -- or not. I can't recall EVER being influenced positively by a cover letter -- and I've been reading resumes for 35 years.

IMO, you can blow your chances by submitting a poorly prepared cover letter -- but, a great cover letter is not likely to improve your chances much if your resume and portfolio otherwise don't capture my attention.

Spend enough time on the letter to avoid looking lame -- but, for my money, obsessing over the cover letter is a waste of time. For me, it's just a way to transmit what follows.

: the only thing in cover letters that really does capture my attention is a mention there of a person who knows you and who also knows me -- a personal referral.

Case in point - I received earlier today what appeared, at first blush, to be an attractive submittal ... upon reading the cover letter, I found that it contained - verbatim - the following (emphasis added):

" ... I have stived to create the callobor of work that comes standard with your firm ... "

Ours is a profession where attention to detail is important.

These tips aren't specifically for cover letters for jobs that aren't advertised, but there's good advice here:

Composing the Personal Narrative; Archinect's Official Portfolio Guide ; Part II: The Search for Employment

The Architecture Job Application; Hints & Suggestions from Employers

FRaC. your comment made my day.

FRaC,
I literally just laughed out loud in my office reading that. I'm gonna try that next time I need a job.

remember that the cover letter is likely only to be read by the first person who gets the letter. Most likely everybody else on her team is just going to be passed your resume and, if there is one, your portfolio (or rather the PDF thereof). Make sure you have a well-structured resume with an eye-catching objective statement on top. Unless you're applying to a small firm where the sole decision maker is the one principal, the resume objective statement going to be the first thing most of the reviewers will see.