Most Cover Letters Suck — Do This Instead
By: Ashlee Waters
Tags: Job Hunting, Tips And Tricks, Cover Letter Tips, Careers, Advice

5 Easy Steps To The Perfect Cover Letter

1) The Opening

You’ve heard it before: The opening needs to catch the reader’s attention in a creative way.

This is 100% true. Here’s how you do it:

You need to let the reader get to know you, as a person, not just another applicant. Think about what you are passionate about. Come up with three passions and write them down.

1) Performing Arts

2) Writing

3) Communication

Next, read the job description, the company bio, and other descriptors on the website. Write down three keywords that relate to your passions.

Job description:

As an Account Manager at XYZ, you are the backbone of the client management team. This role is a hybrid of project management and account management. You will work directly with an XYZ Account Director to ensure client deliverables are executed within the appropriate timeline, scope, and budget. This includes maintaining a high level of awareness with client activities, detail-oriented project management and professional communication with key client contacts as needed. Additionally, you will help manage account coordination across all digital execution.

Company description:

A little more about us: XYZ is a strategic digital agency powered by data analytics, market research, and digital technologies. Each day, we craft human connections through digital experiences that unlock new and uncharted business potential. Our skilled resources develop world-class brand experiences that grow companies.

The day-to-day at XYZ is replete with change and our breadth of unique skills and experience enables us to prepare for the unexpected. It takes a high level of inspiration and self-education to be a part of our growing team.

I’ve bolded the three keywords that I feel can relate to my passions in some way.

Write your opening paragraph in a way that lets the reader see your personality but also reminds them of the job they are hiring for. Also (and this is a big one) you need to let the reader know that you KNOW WHAT COMPANY YOU ARE APPLYING FOR.

Example:

Ever since I was little, I have always been drawn to the experiences in life that connect us. It’s why I fell in love with the performing arts, took a keen interest in writing, and pursued a major that allowed me to study how the world communicates. Through this, and my recent experience as an Account Executive, I’ve discovered my passion in working with businesses to help them find their unique voice to grow in a competitive landscape.

As a lifelong enthusiast of creative experiences, and the connections they bring, I was thrilled to see your posting for the position of Account Manager at XYZ — a company that at its core understands that brand experiences and human experiences go hand in hand.

Contributing to how the world communicates and interacts is what drives my day to day. As you will see from my resume, I’ve built my career conjuring up experiences through various marketing and advertising roles, as well as, customer service jobs. I am confident I can utilize the skills I’ve learned advocating on my client’s behalf, as well as, my deep sense of project management to step in and be a strong asset for XYZ’s clients.

2) The Body (3 Paragraphs)

Here’s where you need to dive deep into the job description, specifically in the area where it lists out what you’ll be doing.

Again, pull out three specific tasks that you can speak to with your experience. These will be your next three paragraphs.

Job description:

As an Account Manager at XYZ, you are the backbone of the client management team. This role is a hybrid of project management and account management. You will work directly with an XYZ Account Director to ensure client deliverables are executed within the appropriate timeline, scope, and budget. This includes maintaining a high level of awareness with client activities, detail-oriented project management and professional communication with key client contacts as needed. Additionally, you will help manage account coordination across all digital execution.

Ability to manage and support client relationships by understanding our clients’ industry and business objectives

by understanding our clients’ industry and business objectives Prepare account service-related documents such as meeting timelines, agendas, meeting reports, proposals and other client communications and correspondence

such as meeting timelines, agendas, meeting reports, proposals and other client communications and correspondence Work directly with cross-functional team members to ensure the flawless execution of client, managing projects, ensuring that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope, and within budget across all digital execution

to ensure the flawless execution of client, managing projects, ensuring that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope, and within budget across all digital execution Understand all studio departments to provide quality assurance of project deliverables, while maintaining best practices and solutions

Develop, maintain, and follow up on detailed Asana-based project plans to monitor and track progress across internal studios

Join relevant external client meetings and join and/or lead internal meetings to share project plans and timelines, clarify technical and functional requirements, and ensure ongoing alignment on those timelines and requirements

meetings to share project plans and timelines, clarify technical and functional requirements, and ensure ongoing alignment on those timelines and requirements Proactively anticipate client questions and provide thought out solutions, looping in cross-functional team members as needed

looping in cross-functional team members as needed Act as XYZ’s “brand steward”, serving as a role model for the organization and representing XYZ’s core values when collaborating internally, with clients or partner agencies

I’ve highlighted the tasks that I feel I can speak to based on my past experience. From reading this job description, here are the top qualities I think they are looking for:

- Someone who is ORGANIZED

- Someone who can COLLABORATE

- Someone who is comfortable CLIENT FACING

In my next three paragraphs, I need to show I can do this, and provide evidence that I can.

Example:

In my role current role, I work with many local and national clients through all phases of their marketing/advertising campaigns including prospecting, planning, and execution. Through this, I came to understand my role as a trusted advisor is to not only react quickly to my client’s needs when they arise but to anticipate them before they even happen. I know XYZ is looking for someone who will be able to collaborate with many different people through the phases of development and execution. Because I have managed all my client’s campaign strategies and led execution across multiple departments — I am comfortable leading project calls, creating detailed timelines, and making sure a client’s success is our team’s number one priority.

Being so actively involved in every step of my client’s marketing campaigns means that I am not only their go-to trusted advisor for campaign decisions but I am also a strong project manager as it is my job to ensure all components of a campaign get up and running according to schedule. I do this by creating customized campaigns — complete with clear objectives, client creative messaging, detailed timelines, structured budgets, and clear client benefits. Because of this, I’m comfortable multi-tasking and handling a lot of projects at once. I am confident I can, not only, execute the backend logistics this position requires, but also, uphold the positive brand this company has established by maintaining positive client relationships.

An important aspect of my job, and one I do not take lightly, is to make sure a client feels supported and confident in their campaigns, with high attention to detail and communication. Being an account manager, I understand this position is not only to ensure client satisfaction but to also work harmoniously as a team player within the company. I want to be sure XYZ knows they can count on me to effectively and efficiently move projects from creation to completion in a reliable way.

3) The Wrap-up Paragraph

This paragraph is the trickiest of them all, but you’ve made it this far, I believe you can do it!

This is your overall wrap up paragraph where you speak to the company as a whole, and how they fit into the grand scheme of the world. You also need to remind them of your passions and why you want to work there.

Example:

In a time when so many of us feel isolated, I do still believe in the power of connection. In an environment that is overwhelmed with advertiser messaging — a comprehensive digital strategy that is backed by insightful creative messaging, and a team of client-dedicated people is imperative to uphold these important connections in a community. I want to work at XYZ because I want to be a part of the brands and people who are working hard to do this.

4) The Closing Line

Its the same for every cover letter:

Example:

I welcome the chance to discuss XYZ’s goals for their current and prospective clients and show you how my success as an Account Executive can translate well as an Account Manager.