• Do start a cover letter with a story that's relevant to your passion or experience in the industry. This is your chance to showcase your voice and personality.
• Do think about what you can bring to the company, not what you will gain (such as experience).
• Do write the letter to connect your past and your present to your future.
• Do explain any job gaps or pieces from your resume that might raise a red flag.
• Do highlight key terms in a job description so that you understand what skills or tasks are most vital for this role.
• Pro tip - drop the job description into a word cloud to have the most used terms appear.
• Do invest in understanding whom you are writing the letter to; both the company and individual.
• Do Edit. Utilize spell and grammar check. Reread it aloud and ask a friend to review.

Don't 

• Don't repeat your resume, you will want your cover letter to go above and beyond.
• Instead, tell why specific experiences and skills would benefit their company.
• Don't highlight your lack of experience, knowledge, or job gaps in the field; focus on your individual highlights relevant to the position.
• Don't send out a blanket resume; each should be specific for the role as this will vary from job to job.
• Don't be too vague - tell them why the company speaks to you such as culture, goals, or mission.
• Don't use clichés and buzzwords.