Looking for the perfect template to writer every cover letter?
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Disclaimer: I modelled this process after marketing experts. The more I learned about marketing my business, the more I discovered a job search is just like a marketing campaign.
Many experts popularized the concept called “Hook-Story-Offer” when writing content to convince people to take action.
A cover letter is like a sales letter. It should be designed to convince the reader to take one or more of the following actions: 1. Read your resume 2. Read your LinkedIn profile 3. Call you for the job interview.
Here is how the hook-story-offer works on a sales - I mean - cover letter.
Hook
This first paragraph is supposed to pull the reader in and grab attention.
Most people make the fatal mistake of playing it safe with an introduction like this - “I’m interested in applying for this role. I believe I’m a good fit. I’m results-oriented.”
Boring.
You need to “hook” the reader from the start. A couple of ways of doing this:
Explain why you’re interested in this field and what got you started.
Mention an interesting news article you read about the company.
If you were referred to the job, name drop the person the reader knows.
If you use the company’s product, mention why. I switched to my current bank because of how innovative their mobile app was. If I ever apply for a job there, that’s what I’ll be opening with.
There’s no end to what you can open with. If you want more ideas, Google for “Cover Letter Hooks”. Lots of other career pros blog about this concept of “Hooks”.
Story
Every story has three elements - a hero, a conflict, a resolution.
Obviously, you are the hero :)
Every job exists to solve problems (conflict) and this position you are applying for is no different.
I coach my clients through explaining the biggest problem that exists in their target job. It’s most likely the same problem their future hiring manager is facing.
Then go on to explain how you (the hero) have solved that problem (resolution).
Offer
All great content ends with a call to action.
In this case, you want the reader to call for an interview.
When I finish my client’s cover letter with a call to action, I inject another element of marketing into the offer - curiosity.
Here is an example:
“I’m really excited about the role you have for a business development manager. If I’m fortunate to get an interview, I’ll be happy to explain how I successfully moved our retail business to an innovative online platform that resulted in doubling our revenue while increasing our margins by 15%”.
You don’t have to be in sales to raise curiosity. Think about the one biggest accomplishment in your career. Ideally quantifiable, or award-winning, or at the very least, an outstanding compliment from a senior executive.
There you have it. Hook-Story-Offer. A step-by-step format you can use in your cover letter, LinkedIn profile about section and even to structure answers at your job interview.
Good luck with your letter!
