Cover letters, according to the “know-it-alls” on Linkedin, are dead. Maybe they just didn’t know how to write a cover letter that separates them from the pack. Bad cover letters have, thankfully, been put out of their misery.
In this brief post, I am going to show you how to write a cover letter that gets noticed. One that separates you from everyone else.
A great cover letter should separate a job-seeker from the pack. When writing a cover letter do the following: Research, keep it simple, tell a story, solve THE problem, edit ruthlessly, and act contrarian.
What Is A Cover Letter?
Traditionally, a cover letter was an introduction of your resume to a hiring manager. Over the years they became ineffective and boring. It was just one more piece of mail to go through and track.
Not anymore! Crafting an effective cover letter puts you in an entirely different category. The hiring manager won’t understand why but he or she will really want to read your resume. It won’t just get the obligatory ten-second once over.
How To Write A Cover Letter — 6 Tips and 2 Examples
Do Some Recon
Two old boys (Clem and Bobby Ray) were sitting on the front porch somewhere in the deep south. Clem’s dog, an old hound named Flash, was laying next to Clem.
Every so often Flash would yelp.
“Clem, why does that old dog yelp like that,” Bobby Ray asked?
“The ol’ boy is laying on a rusty nail,” Clem answered flatly!
“Well, why doesn’t he move,” Bobby way inquired?
“I guess it doesn’t hurt bad enough,” Clem said.
Employers don’t enjoy hiring new employees. Hiring is expensive and painful. A job is posted only when the pain becomes unbearable.
What is the employer’s pain? Can you solve it? Who is the hiring manager?
Read the job posting thoroughly. Take your time reading the job posting. Continue reading it until you have isolated the true pain point.
Do you have the skills, knowledge, and ability to remove the pain? Begin to formulate a pain-freeing plan in your mind.
Who is the hiring manager? Addressing the hiring manager by name can be effective. What if you don’t know the name of the hiring manager?
Leverage your personal network and your LinkedIn connections.
Keep It Simple
Poring over resumes is tedious. After a few dozen many of them begin to look and sound exactly the same. A full-page cover letter and jam-packed resume can be off-putting.
Your cover letter has a specific purpose: Get the hiring manager to pay close attention to your resume. The resume’s purpose is to get an interview.
Create a simple cover letter. Hiring managers are in pain! They don’t have time to read Atlas Shrugged.
Keep the letter to around 200-300 words on plain white paper.
Resist the urge to spray it with perfume unless your name is Elle Woods.
Tell A Story
Donald Miller authored the book titled, Building A StoryBrand. It’s designed primarily for businesses. I’ve hijacked the information and personalized it for my cover letters.
Miller suggests that humans love stories. Great stories involve conflict. Stories only get interesting when conflict is interjected. Conflict is met with resolution and the cheering begins.
Even Hallmark does this!
Your cover letter must identify the problem, provide a solution to that problem, and then reveal the reward.
Solve THE Problem
World class cover letters run contrary to conventional wisdom. A typical cover letter installs the applicant in the center of the story.
A Giant Slayer Letter is not all about the applicant. It’s about solving the employer’s pain.
As Miller states in Building A StoryBrand, “We are not the hero of the story.” Make the hiring manager the hero of the “story” and briefly explain how you can make their pain go away.
The story of David versus Goliath is well known. It’s often reduced to a metaphor for underdogs winning in sporting events.
However, it runs much deeper.
David was a shepherd. He was required to fight various predators to keep the sheep safe. Those battles were simply preparation for him to fight Goliath.
Goliath is basically playing king on the mountain. He trash talks the Israeli Army for forty days. King Saul is basically in the corner shaking and scared.
David shows up and is clearly not impressed. He asks, “What’s the salary of this job?”
Someone states, “The person who takes out the giant gets a load of cash, becomes part of the family through marriage, and his family will be tax-free forever.”
David writes an impromptu and verbal cover letter.
What’s the problem? Goliath.
The solution? Eliminate Goliath.
The reward? Peace in the kingdom.
What’s your proof? The lion and the bear.
Edit Ruthlessly
Take your time to edit your resume and cover letter. Personally, I don’t get my knickers in a knot over spelling or grammar errors but why chance it.
Grammarly is helpful. Go the extra mile and manually edit.
How To Write A Cover Letter — Example #1
Dear Michael,
Congratulations on your recent award for being the World’s Best Boss! What an exciting time to be part of Dunder Mifflin.
Competing against big-box stores can be challenging. Maintaining margins and profitability is difficult.
In my current role as sales manager for Vance Refrigeration, we have grown market share by 15% and increased our margins by 10%.
I would love to discuss how we’re beating the big box stores in every category.
Devon
How To Write A Cover Letter — Example #2
Dear Ms. Bluth,
Bluth Company continues to diversify and expand into new markets. How exciting!
With all of the new markets Bluth Company is entering perhaps you need someone to assume duties in the Banana Stand. Finding a dedicated employee to work nights and weekends can’t be easy.
I’m currently increasing sales at the Pretzel Hut just a few blocks away. Since I’ve been there, our sales have increased 25% and profits are climbing every day.
Perhaps we can connect soon to see how I can help you. You know, there’s always money in the banana stand!
All the best!
Kitty Sanchez
How To Write A Cover Letter — Logistics
Online portals are information black holes. Do your best to get the contact name and address of the hiring manager. Send your resume and cover letter directly to that person — in the mail.
Many companies will require some online activity. Play that game but don’t get sucked into their vortex of apathy.
If the company has a gazillion hoops to jump through you might just want to pass. A company like that could be a bureaucratic nightmare.
I encourage you to include a cover letter with your resume. Just make sure it adds some pizzazz to the process.
Daring you to profit!