Got a Story to Tell? Cover Letters Are Clutch for Storytelling.
i got a story to tell
-notorious b.i.g. - i got a story to tell
Use them to explain gaps in a resume, your passion or commitment to a particular industry or simply why you want the job.
Cover letters are a critical component of introducing yourself and your value to a potential employer because they function as a writing sample that illustrates how well you communicate. If you nail this, invitations to interview come quickly. Bomb it, and your resume is tossed, no matter how good it is.
Done right, cover letters make your employers feel a sense of excitement to interview you. How? Through storytelling. In cover letters, you get the opportunity to author your own story and offer a first person account of the highlights of your resume that make you the best fit for the job.
Think of it this way: if a resume outlines the ‘what’ of your job history, the cover letter details the ‘why’. It’s a no brainer to leverage cover letters to convincingly state why you’re motivated to do the job your future employer is looking to fill.
So let’s get to the basics. Throughout the job hunting journey from application to interview, Prospective employers are looking for the answers to four questions:
Who are you?
Why do you want this job?
Can you do this job?
Will you enjoy doing this job?
Compellingly answer those four questions and you’ve got yourself a solid cover letter. Compellingly support your cover letter answers in your interview, and you’re that much closer to an offer letter.