Cover LettersSession #3

True or False? Cover letters are dead.

Cover letters aren’t dead… The way you’re writing them is.

Cover letters say what your resume can’t say.

A Disruptive Cover Letter Can..

● Tell them how you came to learn what they do is special.

● Help them understand what life experience has made you feel part of their tribe.

● Ultimately help you stand out over other candidates.

How To Write A Disruptive

Cover Letter

#1Get your formatting in check.

Tips For Success:

● Use bolded headlines to pique interest.

● Keep the formatting simple.

● Don’t go longer than 2-pages.

#2Share your connection story.

Tips For Success:

● Share a personal story of a personal experience that taught you the value of what a company does.

● Articulate why you’d feel proud to work for this company over any other company.

As a daily user for over a decade, I’ve watched Facebook bring people all over the world closer. I’ve also witnessed how the team has pushed itself to continually disrupt how people connect and consume content. As a creative, I’m constantly in awe at how well Facebook has been able to reinvent itself and adapt to a changing world. I think this is an extremely valuable quality in a company because when it comes to succeeding - getting comfortable is not an option. As a business-of-one, I share this mindset.

EXAMPLE

#3Articulate the service you offer.

Tips For Success:

● Explain how you add value using a version of your personal branding statement.

● How would you describe what you do and how do

you save or make a company money using your skills?

As a digital marketing strategist, I make it easy for employers to promote their products and services online so they can reach their target customers. To do this, I leverage retargeting advertisements, email marketing, and inbound marketing strategies. I’m fascinated by the techniques and strategies when it comes to digital marketing because it’s always changing based on our behavior as a society. To me, it’s invigorating work and I love having the opportunity to use my marketing skills and expertise to make a positive impact on company goals.

EXAMPLE

#4Provide an example.

Tips For Success:

● Share a brief narrative example of a time you “solved” this problem or provided this service in the past and got amazing results.

● This will allow the reader to visualize your success and understand that you’ve done this work in the past.

I love the challenge of connecting people from all over the world using content. In fact, several months ago, I had the unique opportunity to develop a content strategy from the ground up for a client with over 300,000 email subscribers. The goal was to re-engage those subscribers and help them be more involved in the company’s community. Thanks to the support of our content, marketing, and graphics teams, we were able to re-engage 88% of those subscribers within the first month of the campaign. It was a wonderful feeling because our team came together to bring those people closer - and it worked beautifully!

EXAMPLE

#5Go in for the ‘ask’.

Tips For Success:

● Invite the reader to give you a call.

● Reference the specific role to which you’re applying, list your phone number & email address, and invite the reader to take your professional relationship to the next level.

It would be an honor to contribute my skills and expertise to your organization. I'd love the opportunity to share in more detail why I'd be a great addition to Facebook's team as the Digital Marketing Specialist. You can reach me at hunter.lawson@gmail.com or at (720) 555-5555, if interested. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!

EXAMPLE

Key Takeaways:

● Tell a story.

● Catch them at “hello”.

● Keep it engaging but concise.

Questions?