Dear Applicant… An Open (Cover) Letter to Job Candidates Everywhere
I’m no recruiter, but I do love a good cover letter. Maybe it’s a weird, outdated guilty pleasure, but I think it tells me a lot about a candidate. Whenever I hire someone for my team, I make sure to read every cover letter of every applicant. Why? Because that one page you’re writing about yourself and the position you want gives me a good feeling about you as a person and how passionate you are about the role (and company). Don’t get me wrong — experience is vital of course, but I would argue that passion, eagerness to learn and a personality that fits the culture can make up for a lack of concrete experience any day.
I’ve built out my team over the last three years and I was intent every time to make sure I hired the absolute best candidate for the role (and who doesn’t?). As I said before, I’m no recruiter, and I know that some people don’t think a cover letter is even necessary these days, but a passionate, powerful cover letter can definitely lead to an immediate invitation to an interview with me. If I’m unsure of a candidate’s experience (or if they’re pivoting from a different area), but then see a really strong cover letter, this will convince me that it’s worth speaking to them. So while there are many websites with tips for creating “the perfect cover letter,” this is what I personally want to see from you if I’m hiring at Freeletics:
I really want you to…
Do your research.
If you really want the job, do your homework before applying. Learn about the company, the brand and the product. These days, it’s also easier than ever to find out who the recruiters are at a company and where the office is based. A lot of cover letters I see are still simply addressed to “whom it may concern” or “dear hiring manager” or even “dear sir or madam” and I think this is a missed opportunity to show me you put the effort in and did some research.
Show me you mean it.
My first question is always “why does the candidate really want this job?” If you’re qualified, but not that passionate about the role or company, will you really be the right fit? If you want to convince me, tell me your why and show me that you identify with the company and will love coming in to work every day if I hire you. Then, my second question is “why is this person the one I’m looking for?” If you’re passionate and can tell me why you’re perfect for the role, it’s a winning combination.
Add to your CV.
I already have your CV with all your experience listed for my convenience, so why waste your precious page on telling me what I already know? This is your chance to pitch yourself to me, so use it wisely, tell me the details your CV doesn’t and paint a complete picture of yourself.
Focus on what matters.
Certain details are not always relevant. I recommend to check your skills against the job description and highlight the relevant ones in your cover letter — especially if you’re trying to make the switch from a different industry. Instead of using the same content for all your applications, try tailoring them to the specific requirements and what I’m looking for in a person.
Show some personality.
If you’re looking through 30 applications at a time, it’s the people who stick out who stick in your mind. It’s just like branding. Show me that you are a person and not just a candidate — a team is made up of people with personalities, so show me yours. You can even brand your cover letter to fit you, especially if you are applying for a brand marketing role…
But please don’t…
Tell me what you tell all the others.
I have to admit that it’s really disappointing when I read a cover letter that has obviously been used over and over again. Don’t be generic! I see a lot of applications where the company isn’t even mentioned in the cover letter, and it’s a huge missed opportunity in my eyes. After reading something like this, I’m left with the feeling that this application was not worth more effort than a quick copy-paste job, so the candidate can’t be that passionate about the role. This is just as valid if I see it’s your second or third application to the company, with the same generic cover letter every time.
Explain your CV.
Unless there is an unexplained gap in your CV, it should all be pretty clear to me (and if it’s not, you might want to take another look at it), so you don’t need to explain your career path to me again in your cover letter. If I want to dive into your previous employers or tasks, I can take a look at your CV, but you should go beyond all that in your cover letter. Sure, it’s great to highlight particular skills and experiences you have which are relevant for the role, but leave it at that and don’t waste valuable space telling me what I already know about you.
Tell me your hopes of one day working in another company or industry.
This might sound like an obvious one, but it does sometimes happen. If I hire someone, I want them in my team for the long run. I want them to be somewhere where they can build a future for themselves and take the next steps in their career. If your dream is to one day work at Tesla, or have a career in luxury fashion, either don’t tell me in your cover letter, or look for a position in the industry you want to end up in.
Tell me what you could get from the job.
I’m hiring for the role and I’ve worked at Freeletics for over five years, so I know what you could get from the job. Instead, I really want to know what you think you could bring to the role. What do you have that others don’t? How will you contribute to the team? Then, in the interview, you can turn the tables and ask me what I think you will gain from the role.
Make spelling and grammar mistakes.
Again, a very obvious one. It’s surprising that, with so many tools to check your written work, I see so many cover letters with mistakes in them. If you make mistakes in something as important as your application for the job you really want, what kinds of mistakes will you make in your everyday tasks? Make a great impression and check your work and make sure it’s flawless. And if English is not your first language, make use of those spelling and grammar checkers out there. As with all the other tips, the effort will show.
So, while I may just be very oldschool with a weird obsession for cover letters, I still believe that, no matter where you are applying, these points will help you create a really strong pitch of yourself. I’m sure I speak for anyone who has hired for their team when I say that showing you took the initiative, put in the effort and are truly passionate about the role and company shows that you already tick the first few boxes of an ideal candidate and are worth having a conversation with. And sometimes, a conversation is all it takes to do the rest of the work.
