The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER...

41
THE EMAIL COVER LETTER The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTER

Transcript of The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER...

Page 1: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1

The Ultimate Guide to the

EMAIL COVER LETTER

Page 2: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 2

Why you should start writing cover emails

EXACTLY what to include (and what NOT to include)

in your cover email

How to strike the perfect tone

How to use a cover email framework to speed up

your job search

IN THIS GUIDE, YOU’RE GOING TO LEARN:

When you think about the process of applying for a job, what stresses you out the most? For a lot of us, the only part of the job search that is as intimidating as the interview is...the cover letter.

It’s common to spend hours pouring your soul into the perfect cover letter, only to hear...crickets.

These days, when many job applications occur via email, your time-consuming cover letter can languish as an unopened email attachment for time untold.

According to engineering recruiter Ambra Benjamin, “When people attach a letter and a résumé to an email, let me just say only one attachment is getting opened, and it’s always the résumé. So don’t even bother.” (Slate)

But the answer isn’t to stop writing cover letters entirely. Nope, no hiring manager wants to receive a résumé with ZERO context about who you are and why you’re the perfect candidate.

COVER LETTERS ARE THE WORST

PLUS, you’ll get a free cover email template.

Page 3: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 3

FORGET YOU KNOW ABOUT COVER LETTERS

everything

Page 4: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 4

Let’s talk about the reasons the old standby cover letter won’t work anymore.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE YOU.

When cover letters first appeared in job listings in the 1950s, that letter was often the only way to convey your personality, experience, or personal connections when applying for a job. (The Atlantic)

These days, your identity is all over the Internet, from your Twitter profile, to your personal blog, to your LinkedIn page. Now that you are searchable online, you don’t need 350 words to introduce yourself in detail.

IT WAS A PAPER TRAIL FOR KEEPING TRACK OF APPLICATIONS.

When telegrams, phone calls, and lunch dates were the only ways to interact with potential employers, a letter made sense. Hiring managers and recruiters could keep a physical copy on file to keep track of your application.

Today, you don’t need to rely on the cover letter to leave a paper trail—you have an Internet (email) trail!

WHY COVER LETTERS DON’T WORK FOR YOU

Page 5: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 5

THERE ARE SO MANY APPLICANTS NOW!

According to a recent Fortune article, for most of the 20th century, the United States was in “a job market of candidate shortages and skill shortages.” In 2014, there were 3 unemployed Americans for every available job. (PolitiFact.com)

Even if companies have trouble tracking down highly qualified applicants, when you’re looking at an inbox with thousands of applications waiting for you, reading each cover letter just isn’t practical.

Page 6: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 6

THE EMAILcover

Page 7: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 7

So what does all this historical context mean for you? What should your cover letter look like TODAY?

... MAKE THE READER’S LIFE EASIER.

We’ll dig into this in a sec, but the most important thing to consider when writing a cover letter is how easy you can make it for the hiring manager or recruiter to find your information and decide if you’re an interesting candidate. That’s exactly why attachments, which interrupt the reader’s workflow with laborious downloads, are not ideal.

And that doesn’t mean giving your reader ALL the information—there’s an art to providing just the right amount of background and context.

... BE A COVER EMAIL.

Unless you’re applying for a job writing formal correspondence, you probably don’t need to demonstrate your qualifications in a letter. Since many hiring managers skip the attachments anyway, the body of your email should replace the cover letter.

That means you’ll use the email itself to communicate who you are, what you can do for the company, and what experience you have. But more on that later!

YOUR COVER LETTER SHOULD...

Page 8: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 8

... BE SHORT.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure your reader won’t have to scroll (much) to read your whole email. Since there are so many devices out there these days—from smartphones to jumbo monitors—a good rule of thumb is to keep it down to around 5-6 sentences. (Slate)

... BE VERY SPECIFIC.

Cover letters used to serve as introductions to you and your accomplishments in the industry, often in a general way. But in an email that’s only a few sentences long, you don’t have the space to include your memoirs.

Instead, focus on the most important aspects of your experience and skillset that qualify you for the job at hand. If you’re applying for a job writing PHP, your work on WordPress is relevant, but you can save your story about transitioning out of finance for the interview.

... INCLUDE RELEVANT LINKS.

I know it seems nitpicky to mention links, but think about it—you already know that hiring managers and recruiters hate clicking on multiple attachments. They’re too busy for downloads!

Instead, go through your résumé, portfolio, and other relevant materials with a fine-tooth comb, searching for the projects that have the most direct connection to the job you’re applying for. Then, make sure to link specifically to those projects to make it easier for the reader.

Page 9: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 9

... STRIKE AN APPROPRIATE TONE.

When many of us learned to write cover letters, we were taught that it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to formality. That’s why so many painful cover letters these days start with “Dear Sir or Madam,” or “To Whom It May Concern.” The best cover emails appropriately fit the tone of the company rather than defaulting to the language of the 19th century British aristocracy.

What if a job specifically requests a cover letter?

Plenty of times, applications request cover letters because of tradition. That doesn’t mean managers want to read long, boring letters. Make it easier for them if you can! Apply the same principles to your letter as you would to your email.

Page 10: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 10

COVER LETTER COVER EMAIL

PRINT

LONG

FORMAL

JUST WORDS

GENERAL

INTRODUCTION

COMPREHENSIVE

DIGITAL

SHORT

APPROPRIATE IN TONE

LINKS

PERSONALIZED

INTRODUCTION

TO THE POINT

vs.

Page 11: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 11

SET TONE!the

Page 12: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 12

When you’re applying for a new job, research is your bread and butter. You have to read up on the company's history, the specific job you’ll be doing, etc., etc. But when it comes to cover emails, it’s helpful to focus your research on figuring out exactly what tone and voice it’s appropriate for you to use in your email correspondence. Setting the perfect tone can make or break your application.

Here are a few clues you can find to help you set the tone in your email:

Traditional corporation: Try a more discrete (but not stuffy) tone.

Startup: Strike a more casual, yet competent tone.

Larger company: Expect your application to pass through several hands, so make sure your tone works whether the hiring manager or your future coworker is reading it.

Small company: Assume that the team you’ll be working with directly will be fielding your application, so speak directly to them.

TYPE OF INDUSTRY

COMPANY SIZE

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Page 13: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 13

Formal: In a more formal office culture, where suits and muted pumps walk the halls, lean towards a professional (but not boring!) tone. Think: “Hi Diana,” rather than “Hey Diana!”

Casual: In a casual office filled with bean bags and sneakers, dropping a “Dear Sir or Madam” can really “kill the vibe.” Make sure your tone matches the atmosphere.

Straight-laced: If the company’s website and other materials are reserved, try to avoid overusing emojis and “lols.”

Conversational: If the company’s voice comes off as more conversational in their emails, website, or social media, match their easy, comfortable tone.

COMPANY CULTURE

COMPANY VOICE

Page 14: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 14

WHO IS YOUR COVER EMAIL?

reading

Page 15: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 15

Your research doesn’t stop after you know more about the industry, company, and job. Just like with any writing you do, the first step to success is knowing who you’re writing for so that you can make sure that your message is the perfect fit.

Here’s a profile of the target audience for your cover email: the hiring manager. Take a good look at who they are and what they want before sitting down to do your first draft. Knowing what she has in mind will make it that much easier to make sure you include what’s important and leave out what’s not.

WHO ARE YOU WRITING TO?

Page 16: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 16

HIRING MANAGER

TITLE: In a larger company - Hiring Manager or Human Resources rep. In a smaller company - Could be anyone! Often the person interviewing you for a position in a startup or small company will be the person you’ll be reporting to if you get the job. So, personal chemistry is extra important then!

Short, clear, and relevant cover email

Resume attached as PDF

Links to your portfolio/website and appropriate social media accounts

Long, rambling, or random messages - or no message at all!

Any and all attachments, except for your resume as a PDF

Having to dig up links to your portfolio/website or social media accounts (She probably won’t bother!)

Questions or requests from you for more information (The company needs you to work for them, not you to create work for them before you’re even hired!)

SITUATION: Tasked with reading and sorting through anywhere from dozens to hundreds of applications in search of the perfect candidate

NEEDS: Information about your background, experience, skills, and traits and how you’ll use them to get the job done for the company (NOTE: Does NOT need your life story, a sob story, or an email the length of a short story)

Page 17: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 17

THE ANATOMY OF AN EMAIL LETTERcover

Page 18: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 18

Now that you’ve done your research and you know who you’re writing to and what tone to strike, it’s time to actually write this thing. Here’s a breakdown of each component of the email:

PIECE by PIECE

SUBJECT LINE

GREETING

BODY

CLOSING

SIGNATURE

ATTACHMENTS

Sans Serif

Send

New Message

To

Subject

Hi Gummi!

Gummies cookie marzipan toffee cake dessert jelly-o. Tart jelly beans jujubes pastry dessert lemon drops sweet pie sugar plum.

Carrot cake dragée cheesecake tart gingerbread fruitcake marzipan candy dessert. Pudding ice cream liquorice topping. Tiramisu wafer lollipop sweet roll marzipan. Sweet donut wafer cake marshmallow ice cream. Sweet roll biscuit bear claw sweet roll dessert dragée cotton candy.

Donut tiramisu danish cake tootsie roll gummi bears. Fruitcake carrot cake dessert dragée donut. Chocolate jelly-o danish brownie. Cotton candy marzipan chocolate icing dessert apple pie halvah cake. Gummi bears pastry candy cookie apple pie cake jelly beans gingerbread.

Powder lemon drops chocolate jelly-o fruitcake caramels sesame snaps. Muffin jelly bear claw lollipop marshmallow pastry gummi bears.

Tart jelly beans jujubes!

Donut Tiramisu

Page 19: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 19

SUBJECT LINE

The subject line of the email is the first barrier to getting noticed because it determines whether or not anyone even opens your email.

Many job ads will tell you exactly what to put as the subject line of your application email. Be grateful that they make it so easy for you and, for the love of all that’s good and worthy in the job search process, make your subject line EXACTLY that.

This is not the time to show your amazing creativity. In fact, if there is explicit information about what the email subject should be and you ignore it, you’ll be seen as someone who can’t follow directions (#kindergartenskill), and, even worse, your email will probably get filtered out of the batch and never be considered. Womp womp.

If there isn’t any specific request for the subject, follow good email practices and make it something clear and relevant. A good rule of thumb is:Application for [job title] – [your full name]

If you’re applying informally, or you’re not responding to a job ad, use your intution to think of something appropriate but eye-catching, like “Do you need a web designer?”

But please don’t go cutesy here either. You might think that a subject like “Read me!” or “I’m the one.” will win over a hiring manager or make you at least stand out. But it’s more likely to be sent to the spam folder or, if it’s not, irritate the person who has to open the message just to find out what it’s about.

Page 20: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 20

GREETING

Now for the hellos and howdy-dos.

Start by doing everything you can to find out the name of the person you’re emailing. You know how impersonal it feels to get an email that starts “Dear Customer”.

You might get lucky, and the name (or the email address that includes the name) will be listed right there in the job ad. But what if it’s not? Here are some tips and tricks to try:

FORGET “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” AND ESPECIALLY “DEAR SIR / MADAM”.

Just throw them in the trash. An opening like this immediately shows that you couldn’t be bothered to look for a name or come up with an appropriate greeting —not to mention that you’re not aware of the more casual tone used in emails nowadays.

LEAVE OFF TITLES LIKE MR. OR MRS.

In the same way a misspelled name can set the wrong tone, a wrongly-guessed gender / marital status won’t score you any points. Plus, in many companies now, the culture isn’t too formal. So, if you use a title and last name when they’re all calling each other by first names, you’ll immediately show that you aren’t a fit for their style.

Page 21: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 21

SCOUR THE COMPANY’S WEBSITE FOR A NAME.

With a bit of research, there’s a chance you can find the name of the person – or at least some person—in the company who is either in charge of or involved in the hiring process. Look for titles like “hiring manager,” “recruiting,” or “human resources.” Sometimes it’s better to address the wrong person (and get redirected) than to send an impersonal email.

IF IN DOUBT, KEEP IT NEUTRAL AND “ANONYMOUS.”

If you can’t find a clue out there as to who you’ll be emailing, it’s best to leave it a bit open by using a greeting like “Hello” or “Good Afternoon.”

Page 22: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 22

Here’s where you’ll include the information that you want the hiring manager to notice and remember about you. You still need to keep it short and simple, but be sure to include these 5 crucial points:

WHO YOU ARE

Go back to basics and start by introducing yourself by name. Your goal is for them to remember you and associate the amazing things you’re going to tell them about with you. So, give them the name of their next amaze-o new employee right up front!

Then finish up your introductory sentence by telling what you do—that is, what job or field do you work in. If it doesn’t take up too much space, squeeze in your specialty. Details like that make you much more memorable.

And don’t get too crazy here with job titles. The work you do is more important than what you call yourself.

WHY YOU’RE INTERESTED IN THE JOB

Every company loves enthusiastic and devoted employees so show them from the start that you have a genuine interest in doing this work. Besides saying directly that you want to be a candidate for the job, include a reason or two why you admire the company. For example, maybe you’ve used their products for years or love their ads. Or you might be especially excited about a new project they just announced or an admirer of their CEO. The more specific you can be, the better.

BODY

Page 23: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 23

WHAT YOU’VE DONE THAT’S RELEVANT TO THE JOB

Bring out the parts of your education, work experience, or skills that are most important and applicable for the job. But don’t rehash your entire resume! It’ll be included as an attachment anyhow, and you should use the email to guide the reader to the best parts of it by linking to relevant work.

This section will be particularly important if you’re new to the job or industry or don’t fill all the requirements listed in the job ad. By coming up with the connection between what you’ve done and what the company needs, you can turn “not right for the job” into “got the job.”

HOW YOU’RE THE BEST ONE TO GET THE JOB DONE

Now’s your chance to really shine by explaining how YOU are especially qualified for this job. Rather than blandly listing adjectives describing yourself, make it memorable by using an anecdote to show how you’re a unique fit. Or explain how a certain project you’ve done or goal you’ve achieved will make the company crazy not to hire you.

Again, the more specific, the better. Keep it short, but include interesting and memorable details, and especially any numbers or stats as concrete proof that you make results happen.

Note: For all parts of the job search process, you should be emphasizing what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you.

So, the fact that you’ve been unemployed for a year or hate your old job or are desperate to move to a new city are not what you should mention at any point. Instead, show and tell how you will solve the problems that the company has and improve their business in the process.

Page 24: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 24

WHERE THEY CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU

Finish up by referring to your resume, which you’ll attach as a pdf and ONLY as a pdf. And also include the link to your online portfolio here. Just make sure to format the text for each as a link so it can be easily clicked directly from your email. Expecting them to copy and paste a link in their browser will just result in tears for everyone.

Page 25: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 25

Guess what? You can keep this one simple!

Round things out by thanking the reader for their time and expressing your enthusiasm again. It’s not necessary to say that you’ll “provide references on request” (In fact, it’s pretty old fashioned.) or that you’re “happy to answer any questions” they have. (They’ll get back to you if they’re interested.)

An easy “Cheers,” “Best,” or “Looking forward to hearing from you,” will do.

CLOSING

Page 26: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 26

You can avoid the eternal debate about how to sign off by just including your full name one more time. (If you only put your first name, you’re risking them confusing you with other similarly named candidates.)

And, if you want to include relevant social media accounts, try adding them after your signature. Remember to make them clickable too.

SIGNATURE

Page 27: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 27

First off, in most situations (and unless otherwise requested in the job listing), there should be ONE lonely attachment, max, and it should probably be your résumé.

Just say “no” to Word docs, text files, or anything other than a PDF. It’s the standard!

ATTACHMENTS

Page 28: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 28

OTHER TO KEEP IN MIND

things

Page 29: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 29

LENGTH

GRAMMAR

Now! Right this second! Don’t delay! Haven’t you sent it already?!? Seriously though. The hiring process can take weeks or hours depending on the situation. So, why take a chance? Nobody will think you’re TOO eager if you’re the first one to apply. But, if you snooze, you may very well lose—the job of your dreams, that is!

The shorter, the better, within reason. Don’t be insulting by just sending a blank email with your resume attached. They definitely won’t bother to look at it if you didn’t bother to introduce yourself. But, otherwise, follow the framework outlined earlier and keep it as concise as possible. An email as short as 5-6 sentences is just fine. Recruiters don’t enjoy reading emails any more than you do!

Listen to your high school English teacher. She was right that good grammar always makes a good impression. And, in today’s digital world, written communication is especially important. So, be sure to show that you’ll be a good representative of the company once you get the job. Hint: It never hurts to have someone else read your cover email. Or at least try reading it backwards yourself. By changing things up, you’ll catch mistakes and typos that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

TIMING

KEEP THESE POINTS IN MINDE AS YOU CRAFT YOUR EMAIL COVER LETTER.

Page 30: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 30

Your cover email is NOT the place to show off your love of display fonts or your colorful personality. In other words, stick to classic fonts like Helvetica or Arial. (In fact, if you’ve never changed the default font in your email program, you’re in good shape.) And, although, some people encourage bold text or italics to make an email easier to read, it’s better to just keep the message short and well-written. That’s the best kind of “readable”.

You might not think anyone notices the “From” field. But, if your email comes from [email protected], it’s a bit like wearing your old Lisa Frank rainbow unicorn sweatshirt from the 90s over your new J. Crew blazer in camel pinstripe.

It might not matter how great your cover email is if the hiring manager has already decided that you’re unprofessional, out-of-date, or just plain clueless based on your email address.

Best bet? Use either a Gmail address with your first name and last name (for example, [email protected]) or an email address from your own domain (i.e. where you have your online portfolio or website) like [email protected].

Little smiling and winking faces can be found in texts of all kinds today—even in business settings. Whether or not to include them in your cover email depends entirely on the company culture and the job. Take a look at the company’s website for some hints. If you find humor, slang, or—of course—emoticons themselves there, you can feel more confident using them. But, if in doubt, leave them out and use your words instead.

FONT AND STYLING

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

EMOTICONS

Page 31: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 31

SETTING UP A framework

Page 32: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 32

Now that you have the info you need to write the perfect cover email, what are you waiting for? Even if you haven’t found a job to apply for yet, it’s worth working on it now. That way, you can take your time and craft some incredible text. And, more importantly, that way you’ll be ready to fire it off immediately when you do find the position of your dreams.

What you need to have ready at all times:

COVER EMAIL YOU CAN QUICKLY CUSTOMIZE TO LAND YOU THE JOB

Save it as a draft in your email, and also as a document.

ONLINE PORTFOLIO OR WEBSITE WITH:

Up-to-date contact information

Examples of your best and most recent work

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS THAT ARE:

Relevant to your job search

Free of any embarrassing or unprofessional content

EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF (and will remember to check!)

WRITE. SEND. REPEAT.

Page 33: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 33

COVER EMAIL template

Page 34: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 34

Sans Serif

Send

New Message

To

Subject

Hello!

I’m [your first and last name], and I’m a [your job].

I was excited to see that [the company] has an opening for a [the job], and I would love to join your team in this position. [One or two specific reasons why you like the company.]

My education in [your area of study], [number of years] years in [the relevant field], and skills in [your skill areas] will let me get right to work [doing the tasks required for the job].

[Anecdote that shows the aspects of your personality or working style that make you perfect for the job]. / [Project or achievement that proves you have what it takes, including numbers or stats from it].

You can read more about my qualifications and experience from my attached resume, and you can see examples of my work at [link to your portfolio / website].

Thank you in advance for your time. I look forward to talking with you about how I can help [the company] as your new [the position].

[Your first and last name][links to your social media accounts]

SAMPLE EMAIL.cover

Page 35: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 35

Sans Serif

Send

New Message

To

Subject

Hi Rashmi!

My name is Randle Browning and I’m the director of content at Skillcrush, where I manage the blog and grow our subscriber base.

I’m writing to apply for the Head of Content Marketing position at Wam-Bam. I’ve been on your newsletter list since the early days of Wam-Bam, and I would love an opportunity to grow a brand I already follow and love. I still laugh about that email with the tiny dinosaur from 2013!

I can help you gain more subscribers who are poised to buy because of my experience building the Skillcrush subscriber base from X to X, all while zooming in on our target market. I am a bit of an “optimization junky,” and love testing tools like headlines and webinars to gain traction with specific, niche audiences like Wam-Bam’s.

You can read more about my experience and find my résumé on my personal site, here, but I’ve pulled out some relevant projects for you:- An email campaign that increased our CTRs by 30%.- The Skillcrush Blog page, which I worked with the design and dev team to optimize for social sharing.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Randle Browning

HERE'S A MORE EXAMPLE FOR YOU TO WORK FROM.

real-life

Page 36: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 36

NEED SKILLS? CHECK OUT THE SKILLCRUSH BLUEPRINTS!

more

Page 37: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 37

Are you infatuated with the idea of being a digital designer but you don’t have the tech chops? Or maybe you love the idea of being an online educator or customer service rep but the idea of using HTML + CSS on the daily sounds a little foreign. Our Skillcrush Web Designer Blueprint has your name all over it.

The Web Designer Blueprint is a three-month long online course that includes everything you need to get started in web design: structured lessons, useful exercises, master classes with industry experts, killer cheatsheets and sample files and instructors there to help guide you every step of the way! Find out more at skillcrush.com/blueprint/web-designer!

YOU’LL LEARN:

To Design & Code Your Very Own Website

Photoshop for Web Design

To Design for Your Users

WEB DESIGNER BLUEPRINT

Your Blueprint is structured around three core classes:

37

UX AND WEB DESIGN

HTML AND CSS

37

SOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERS

SOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERSSOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERS

What Are You Waiting For? Invest In Yourself, Invest In Your Future.

SIGN UP NOW

WEB DESIGNER APPRENTICESHIP

Page 38: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 38

Product design sounds like a pretty cool gig, huh? Getting paid to invent cool products all the livelong day? Yes, please! If you are stoked to start creating but you’re lacking some of the necessaries – like knowledge of a programming language like Ruby or JavaScript – Skillcrush is here to guide you. Check out the Skillcrush Web Developer Blueprint and get tinkering.

The Web Developer Blueprint is a 3-month long Blueprint that includes everything you could possibly need to get started the right way: structured lessons, useful exercises, master classes with experts, killer cheatsheets and instructors there at every step along the way! Find out more at skillcrush.com/blueprint/web-developer!

YOU’LL LEARN:

To Build Websites from Scratch

To Translate Designs into Code

To Launch Your Very Own App

WEB DEVELOPER BLUEPRINT

Your Blueprint is structured around three core classes:

HTML AND CSS JAVASCRIPT, JQUERY AND APIS

RUBY, GIT AND SINATRA

38

SOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERS

SOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERS

SOME HEADLINE

SOME HEADLINE

#3b3b3bR: 59G: 59B: 59

#2b2b2bR: 42G: 42B: 42

ICONS I USED FOR PLACEHOLDERS

What Are You Waiting For? Invest In Yourself, Invest In Your Future.

SIGN UP NOW

Page 39: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 39

HAVE YOU JOINED CLUB?Find more on our blog

Blog

If you found this resource (and the ones listed here) helpful, there’s even more to discover on the Skillcrush blog.

We share top career advice, inside tech tips, real-life stories of getting into tech, and tons of FREE guides, worksheets, and resources.

Sign up for our newsletter now so you won’t miss a post. Each week, we send you 2 researched, detailed, easy-to-read articles to help you harness the power of tech and get the career you deserve.

Join thousands of happy readers! Here’s what a few of them have to say:

“I read a blog post every day and learn something new. The resources you give us are priceless!”

SARA EVANS

“I have been on your mailing list now for 8 months and in that time alone I saw the platform grow so much. Seriously, in the online education space you guys have some of the best content marketing. (Some online learning platforms neglect it entirely, while others only post articles about latest updates or course offerings, which is a bore.) Skillcrush actually generates valuable content for readers.“

LAURENCE BRADFORD

the

Page 40: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 40

WHAT are YOU WAITING FOR?

?

SIGN UP NOW

“The 99 Tech Terms You Need to Know When You’re New to Tech has been a big help! I love materials that cover the basics.”

APRIL HARRIS

“Skillcrush, Thank you for offering such a great newsletter to your subscribers. The content that you send out is always helpful and something that I can refer back to as I improve my coding skills. I especially love your PDF quicksource guides.”

JUBILEE GRACE

“Your email newsletters, videos and articles are so inspiring, I really look forward to them and I love your attitude, all of you, and the great images. You make me feel included in a world where it seems everyone is an expert, and I wanted to say thanks.”

ATTY CRONIN

“I love your blog posts! They always end up being my lunchtime reads at work!”

CAROLINE KIM

Sign up to our newsletter now so you won’t miss a post.

Page 41: The Ultimate Guide to the EMAIL COVER LETTERs3.amazonaws.com/media.skillcrush.com/.../08/...Email-Cover-Letter… · The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 1 The Ultimate Guide

THE EMAIL COVER LETTER

The Ultimate Guide To The Email Cover Letter 41

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

Feel free to email us with any questions at [email protected]