The purpose of your cover letter is to grab the attention of the recruiter and persuade them to take their time reviewing your resume all the while already envisioning you in the job. There are several tried and true methods to accomplish this in a cover letter: 1) Address organizational needs. 2) Reference and discuss a recent press releases. 3) Express sincere interest. 4) Personality and cultural fit. 5) Creativity and humor (This is perhaps the riskiest way to grab attention and stand out from the pack. It can easily backfire if you go too far. However, if done well, it can be extremely effective.).