How To Write A Hot Cover Letter

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“Focus,” said the master, “and the world will be yours…”

How To Write A Hot Cover Letter

In today’s fast paced working environments focus has become a four-letter word. In a world where “multitask,” “app,” and 140 character tweets are creating a sensation nation that lives on caffeine, energy drinks, and coconut water, most HR professionals and employers destroyed their ability to focus years ago.

“I can always be interrupted,” and “I regularly juggle 15 projects with no problem,” are the new words of wisdom. There isn’t any time to think and meditate deeply, and there probably isn’t time to read your cover letter. All marketing begins with Audience and unless you are applying to be a Yoga instructor, the likelihood is that your audience isn’t patient.

Would Your Cover Letter Retweet?

In this new ADD world, your cover letter must be able to get someone’s attention in tweet-like speed. The letter’s first few sentences needs to grab your reader. This is done predictably well using three different strategies:

• Humor
• Combining unexpected metaphors (used above)
• Conveying an amazing new or original idea

For example, that first sentence might say, “I don’t want this job, I want yours.” Or “Six Sigma isn’t for sissies, it’s for singing scientists. I sing Opera in my spare time to keep my mind limber.” Or “Cracking Google Panda and Penguin was tons of fun; I simply applied the following algorithm…”

Bullet Points Are Better Than Butter

Once you have the reader’s attention, follow with a few filler sentences and then move on to bullets points succinctly describing why they should hire you, what you have done and what you want to do in the future. These might read something like:

• Team player, basketball, baseball, and especially soccer.
• Quick, agile thinker always willing to take on new tasks.
• Increased monthly ROI in my division by 20%.
• Developed 5 best selling iPad apps over the last year.
• Looking to learn server side maintenance while also bringing valuable new products to your company.

Cover Letter Format: Move It, Move It, More

So far the cover letter is brief and filled with verbs. Even the most overworked, stressed out HR professional has probably made it this far. From here the rest is smooth sailing. Take the five bullet points and expand each one into detailed amazing paragraphs. Attach a resume with all the pertinent details for reference. If your reader wants more information they should be able to find it somewhere in these short few pages.

The format above is very different from the introduction, middle, and final paragraph format of the traditional cover letter. Make sure to review the traditional format and even prepare a traditional cover as backup. The person in HR will ask for this is he/she believes the bosses will not appreciate a divergence from the norm. The goal is to get the letter read and secure the phone interview. A world of little time and attention demands a new approach that is short, succinct, and vibrant.

Fit The Cover Letter To You And The Audience

The above example is very relaxed. This is a tech cover letter written for an industry that specializes in couch naps and campuses. As an industry they are receptive to this type of approach especially if it is attached to a resume showing work experience at Apple computer and a degree from MIT. Every industry is different. Whenever a tailored cover letter fails to land a phone interview make a follow up call to find out why. Use the information gathered from rejection to write a better letter for the next position.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

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4 Comments

1. 

   John Jones

   March 27, 2013 at 5:04 PM

   I attended a panel discussion of 2 internal recruiters and 2 external recruiters. Not a huge sample, but all four agreed that cover letters were unnecessary. If recruiters and managers are scanning a resume in only SIX seconds, they are not even opening the cover letter.

   Reply
2. 

   Gary

   March 2, 2013 at 12:23 PM

   I agree Patti. A detailed paragraph on each bullet point is NOT going to be successful.

   Reply
3. 

   Anthony

   March 1, 2013 at 11:33 AM

   In a culture that spends exactly fourteen (14) secs scanning a resume? Why are companies and services for that matter perpetuating the idea that Cover Letters matter?

   Reply
4. 

   Patti Pokorchak

   March 1, 2013 at 10:48 AM

   I love the beginning of this article but I’m not sure that I agree with a detailed paragraph on each of the bullet points.

   Isn’t that why there’s an interview? I won’t read that much detail if the points I’ve scanned have caught my interest. I”d probably call them next for the details and to hear how they sound on the phone.

   Reply