What is harder than writing the perfect, personalized cover letter? How about writing the perfect, personalized cover letter that is also creative, engaging and one that employers will take seriously? Creative jobs are extremely competitive for various reasons, but regardless of these reasons, creative jobs like graphic design, digital marketing and copy writing are simply going to become even more competitive within the coming years. With this knowledge, it is necessary for job seekers to distinguish themselves from others when creating cover letters.
Now the job seeker can connect his/her past job experience, interests, background etc. with what the employer wants. The goal here is to get the point across that the job seeker is perfect for the position and would be a positive addition to the company. If a company uses several adjectives in the job description, the job seeker needs to use these and expand upon them giving examples i.e. proof that the job seeker possesses the traits. Any directly relevant experience can be used but stick with the most fitting and best skills as cover letters cannot exceed one page.
Putting a creative, unique spin is the next step. Choosing an approach that that fits the candidate and the company is a must, but so is making sure the creativity is appropriate and can be view as effective under non-creative eyes. HR professionals, potential co-workers and bosses will look at the cover letter, so play it safe. Try something like this example to a car company:
Date
Dear Hiring Manager,
Fueling Up
As a proactive and driven Copywriter, I feel your Junior Copywriter position is perfect for me. Working directly with Senior Copywriters, vendors, Creative Directors, and design teams to create effective and fresh copy for marketing campaigns has honed my conceptual thinking and inter-departmental skills. Working on high profile projects (with clients like Pulitzer and Peta) at a fast pace without compromising copy integrity requires a positive attitude, resourcefulness, and being very goal oriented. Good news – that’s me!
Revving the Engine
With several years experience writing copy for direct mail, emails and web pages, strategic planning and collaborating with various people have been vital. Emails and newsletters received by two million customers cannot have any errors and must grab attention within three seconds. So my communication, proofreading, and creative fervor are top notch.
Setting the Cruise Control
Producing promotional, informational, direct marketing and web-based copy, I have extensive knowledge of how write for various audiences including B2B and social media audiences.
Honk if you’re…hybrid
In addition to advanced proofing skills, I am the last and often only eyes to review social media postings, web and catalog materials just before they go to press. Side Notes: I have a degree in ABC graduating cum laude. My famous proposal “XYY” won a $10k fellowship to Ohio State.
Parking in the Garage
My education, work experience, and people skills are just what Company XYZ needs. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you to further discuss my qualifications. If you have any questions, you can reach me at (555) 555-5555.
Respectfully,
Job Seeker
JobSeeker@gmail.com
Playing it safe also means editing and reediting the cover letter. Each sentence and phrase needs to make sense no matter who is reading the letter. The cardinal rule of cover letter writing: No typos are acceptable- ever. Submitting a cover letter that has just one typo for a literary job will never pass.
Learning about the job, tying in important experience and “making it yours” are the must-do steps in writing an effective, creative cover letter. Why not have a little fun with a cover letter? It is not just the company that gets to determine if the job seeker is the right fit. Any employer not able to understand a good creative cover letter is probably not an employer worthwhile.
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