Turning a life lived in academia into something else can feel overwhelming. But there are strategies that work, and more resources than you can begin to imagine. Want to see all of the ones I’ve talked about so far? Click here for the job-search archives.
Hiring equals solving a problem
No one hires anyone just because hiring is a good and nice thing for the economy. Companies hire people because something needs to happen to meet some goal they have and it can’t happen with the existing skills or headcount.
But more than that, they want to find someone they actually want to work with, and that’s at least as important. You can have all the skills in the world, but if the reader can’t imagine you fitting in with the company or with the team, then you won’t be getting an interview.
So you have to do two things
First, you have to explain why your particular portfolio of skills and experiences solves their main problem: getting something done. As I talked about in this post, your cover letter should be making an explicit argument.
But second, you have to give the reader the impression that you’re a good fit for the company, and that’s a more subtle task.
You accomplish it by mirroring the tone, formality, and culture of the company as best you can.
Clues to what that will be like
Your first clue is going to be in the job application itself. What kind of language is it written in? What kind of tone or formality does it have? I once answered a job ad that said the company was looking for the human equivalent of a spork or a Prius – and you can bet your bippy that my cover letter was irreverent and playful at the same time that it explained why my crazy worklife would be a plus for them.
Your second clue will come from the company’s website. What does it sound like? How does it present itself relative to other companies doing what it’s doing?
And you’ll find other clues by searching online for “[company name] + culture,” trolling sites like Glassdoor.com, and asking around.
Don’t cross the line
That being said, it’s always better to err on the side of less crazy, more formal. I’ve read cover letters that boasted about the writer’s ability to chug a keg, and while that particular workplace wasn’t offended by beer drinking, it also wasn’t exactly the job description.
It’s also important to make sure that, as you’re extolling your skills and the ways you could help the company in question, you stay firmly on the side of modesty and good cheer. I’ve read cover letters that told us we needed the writer because we were clueless schmucks, and that doesn’t exactly make the reader think you’d be a great addition to the 40 hours a week he or she spends in the office.
(Also? If you tell us how many typos you found on our website, don’t spell your last name two different ways in the application, i.e., misspelling your own name at least once. Just sayin’.)
You are a wonderful applicant, and you can present yourself as a wonderful applicant without going overboard.
This is where friends and family come in
Having friendly, open readers who are willing to tell it to you like it is can make the difference between an okay cover letter and a great one. And it can also make the difference between a cover letter with serious tone problems and one that gets the job done.
Whatever else it’s doing, the cover letter should show you as confident without being arrogant, friendly without being unprofessional, and knowledgeable without being a know-it-all. We know the difference when we read it, but it’s hard to parse out how the line gets crossed.
So swap cover letter readings with friends. Find a relative who knows enough and loves you enough not to just tell you you’re fabulous (although you are). Put it away and read it through after a day or two. Read it out loud. Do whatever you have to do to get an accurate reading of the tone, and then do it again until you get it to a place you’re comfortable with.
The cover letter is your emissary into the application, your chance to frame all of your experience and skills and talents. Don’t waste it.
If you’d like help with your job applications, I offer a resume and cover letter writing service. Click here to check it out.
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