Compelling Cover Letters -- by Rob Sullivan (GJ90)

As a former headhunter and recruiter, I have seen thousands of cover letters. Unfortunately, most were not worth reading because they were the equivalent of a Post-It Note attached to the résumé saying little more than, “Check this out. I’d really like to work for you.”

This is a HUGE missed opportunity because cover letters can do something no résumé can — they can demonstrate passion. The very best a résumé can do is get an interview. Cover letters, on the other hand, can generate excitement. For example, I know one woman who wrote a cover letter that was so good the company told her (after they hired her):  “You would have had to come in here and offend every interviewer to NOT get the job. We read your cover letter and knew we were going to hire you.”

No résumé in the world has ever done that for anyone. That’s the power of passion.

So, how do you get that across? In my last article on this blog, “Creating A Strong Introduction”, I outlined a process called N.E.O.N. that I developed to help people add energy and interest value to their elevator pitch. This same process, described briefly below, can be adapted to cover letters.

Here is what N.E.O.N. stands for and how it relates to cover letters.

N:  Where are you Now?
Effective cover letters explain not only how you got where you are, but also why what you want to do makes perfect sense as the next logical step in your professional development. In other words, you have to give people a reason to believe they aren’t taking a risk by hiring you. This takes a lot more thought than simply saying, “As you can see from the attached résumé, I am an ideal candidate for this position.”

E: Why is it Exciting or Energizing?
This is a two-part process. First, you have to tell a memorable or compelling story that traces your passion and explains your interest in a particular career or position. Second, you have to make a direct connection between what you have done and what the company needs you to do. Don’t expect recruiters and hiring managers to connect the dots because they won’t.

O: What is your Objective?
In this case, your objective should be the position for which you are applying. But again, you have to back it up with EVIDENCE. It isn’t effective to include a collection of vague clichés about your desire to use your “proven track record” and “strong communication skills” to generate results for the company. You have to give them a reason to believe.  The best way to do this is to describe situations and accomplishments that directly relate to what the company needs you to do.

N: What do you Need?
This step is important from a networking perspective but it is NOT something to include in a formal cover letter. Companies don’t necessarily care what you need. They care more about their own needs and how you might help achieve them.)

By following this approach, you will be able to inject the passion, energy, and story value necessary to get hiring managers excited about meeting you. After all, there is a meaningful difference between having a hiring manager think: “He might be worth a shot, let’s bring him in for an interview.” and  “She looks fantastic. Let’s get her in here as soon as possible.”

My goal is to help you achieve the latter.

To help people dig for the gold in their own backgrounds and tell their story in a meaningful way on cover letters, in networking meetings, interviews — and even on résumés — I have combined three of my most popular eBooks into one specially priced package that includes: 

• How to Turn an Info Interview Into an Offer (Without Putting the Person on the Spot for a Job)
• Interviewing 1-2-3 (A Strategic 3-step Approach to Help You Succeed With Even The Most Difficult Interviewers)
• Résumé Bullets Don’t Work! (And Other Surprising Issues That May Keep Your Résumé from Getting the Attention It Deserves)

For more information about this three eBook package, visit Getting Your Story Across.

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Rob Sullivan (GJ90) is a corporate trainer, inspirational speaker, and professional development coach whose passion is helping people recognize, leverage and communicate the gold in their backgrounds. Rob has been a repeat guest on television and radio stations across the country including NBC, ABC, and WGN. He was also featured in The Wall Street Journal and as a guest expert on Starting Over, a Emmy-winning reality show that airs nationally on NBC. He is the author of Getting Your Foot in the Door When You Don’t Have a Leg to Stand On (McGraw-Hill) as well as numerous eBooks on professional development and the job search process. He is also featured in The Career Elevator, a video series for job hunters. His new eBook is RIFProofing(SM) Your Career: How to Protect and Keep Your Job in Any Economy.

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Posted June 12, 2009.