How to Write a Bomb-Ass Cover Letter

You're on LinkedIn. You hit the Easy Apply button.

And the dreaded "Cover Letter" section pops up.

Who does that? Who requires a cover letter in an Easy Apply application?

The employer you want to work for, that's who.

And we just have to deal with it.

Luckily for you, I have some tips and tricks that I've learned after applying to 250+ jobs. You're welcome in advanced. Now, let's get started.

Send a Generic Cover Letter If You Want a Generic Rejection

Don't you just love how the world is so give-and-take? Yeah, that applies to jobs, too. The effort you put into a cover letter really does matter. For instance, take a look at this generic cover letter I wrote about myself that I thought was a good idea to apply to every job, as long as I changed the company name.

Hi (Company Name) Team,

I'm a creative copywriter who has written product copy for well-loved companies such as Disney, Kohl's, Forever 21, and Hot Topic. I was most recently a Marketing Copywriter at Disney. You can view my portfolio here: LisaSchulz.com.

I've written landing pages, digital ads, emails, blog articles, headlines, web page copy, and A/B tested copy. In addition to my experience, your team could benefit from my positive, ambitious attitude and my clear communication skills in a remote position.

Thank you,

Lisa

Is it bad? No. It summarizes my work history, highlights the amazing companies I've worked for, summarizes the work I've done, and it shows who I am as a person and tells why they should hire me.

However, there's one big piece of the puzzle missing here.

You HAVE to Be Direct and Specific

The odds of me getting an email invitation to interview improved immensely when I started including a simple line that proved what I could do.

Read the new-and-improved cover letter below. Notice how the first sentence changes the whole tone of the letter. Aren't you hooked?

Hi (Company Name) Team,

If you’re looking for someone to quintuple your sales forecast or break your sales records upon product launch, you’re reading the right cover letter. I'm a creative copywriter who has written product copy for well-loved companies such as Disney, Kohl's, Forever 21, and Hot Topic.

I've written landing pages, digital ads, emails, blog articles, headlines, web page copy, and A/B tested copy. In addition to my experience, your team could benefit from my positive, ambitious attitude and my clear communication skills in a remote position.

Thank you,

Lisa

All I did was add an opening line that highlighted my biggest achievements on my resume. You can do the same thing!

If You REALLY, REALLY Want the Job, You'll Do This

Write a cover letter that they KNOW you haven't sent to anyone else. Here's the one-two punch:

• Show that you're knowledgeable about the company
• Highlight your achievements

After that, write what you do to match what you've read in the job description (as long as you have actually done that, of course.) Make it juicy.

After that, write why you want to work there, and write your contact info.

This is the best way to personalize a cover letter and make it to the final round of interviews, in my personal experience.

This is my real cover letter that got me to final-round interviews!

Total Earnings on (Company App): $1,994.40

Five-Star Ratings: 104

Known for: Friendly, Communication, Quick Rater

Dear (Company Name) Team,

Some applicants know of your app. Some applicants actually use your app. I am one of them. If you’re looking for a Copywriter who can quintuple your sales forecast or break a sales record in an hour upon product launch, you’re reading the right cover letter.

I’m Lisa Schulz, a creative copywriter who has written copy for many products that would later sell out at Disney, Hot Topic, Kohl’s, and Forever 21. Most recently, I wrote emails, headlines, digital ads, CTAs, abandon-cart pop-ups, and more between Disney and Kohl’s as a Marketing Copywriter. I love writing for millennials, A/B testing my copy, and writing clear, concise, and punchy copy that inspires, excites, and leaves readers wanting more.

You can find proof of that in my portfolio: www.LisaSchulz.com/portfolio

I would love to help you make (Company Name) even better, and I would love to work with an innovative, creative team.

Feel free to contact me at [email protected] or (414) 552-0151. If you want to snoop, my (Company App) handle is lisadances.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Lisa

Isn't that so much better? You actually can make it through without yawning.

All in All, Here's What You Need to Write

• A friendly, not-too-formal greeting
• Attention-grabbing sentence
• Proof that you know the company
• Highlight your achievements
• Highlight job post similarities
• Include a portfolio link
• Say why you want to work there
• Include your contact info
• A friendly, not-too-formal closing

Hope this helps! If you land a job using these methods, I want to know about it! Email me at [email protected] or feel free to leave a tip below from your first paycheck.