The Employment Report

What makes a great cover letter?

If you read enough books or articles on the subject, they all basically say the same thing. Use it to market yourself. It’s your best tool for marketing yourself.

Great, but what does that mean exactly?

Allow me to illustrate.

For years I was trying to get into Scholastic Book Fairs to try and get a leg up in the publishing industry. Ever since I graduated college I made it my mission to get hired there. Problem was, the place was an impenetrable fortress. No matter how many times I applied – I never got called in for an interview.

Then, I changed my approach. Instead of writing a dry cover letter about my qualifications and love for books, I decided to tell a story. Here’s the story:

When I was in fifth grade, a Scholastic Book Fair rolled into my little school. My parents tucked a ten dollar bill into my pocket to buy a few books. Nothing freed up my mother’s purse strings like the prospect of purchasing knowledge.

At the anointed time, my class marched dutifully through the hall to the library where the book fair had been set up. I perused the tables and one set of books immediately caught my eye.

It was the “Star Wars Trilogy” storybook collection. This was 1983, and I was in full on obsessive mode for the films. Action figures. Bed sheets. Pajamas. I had it all.

Needless to say, my little ten dollar bill suddenly became spoken for. I didn’t need to look at another single book.

To this day, I still have that set. I don’t have any other books from my childhood, but I still have those. What a testament to the power of Scholastic Book Fairs that they touched a child in a way that last well into my adult years.

After years of trying, I finally got through the gate and got that job interview; a feat I attribute solely to the power of that cover letter.

I wasn’t remotely qualified for the job, but the point is that the cover letter got me an interview for a job they could tell by my résumé I wasn’t adequately prepared for. But there was a personality to my cover letter they enjoyed and therefore wanted to meet me. They know that sometimes a résumé doesn’t tell the whole story, and that someone with a fresh, fun cover letter may have the acumen to learn the position. Something only a face to face interview can accomplish.

Telling a story like that is a great way to market yourself to an employer. So long as the story is specific and relevant to the company, it’s a sure fire way to show a strong personality as well as let your communications skills shine.