Mention cover letters to a group of job seekers, and you’ll spark a debate. Does anyone read them? Are they really necessary?
Julia La Roche and Joe Weisenthal recently shared an intern letter from the Business Insider that has a lot of employers talking. While there are no steadfast rules to writing a cover letter, most people suggest highlighting your accomplishments and relating your contributions to the employer’s needs.
This intern’s letter stands out because it lists virtually nothing about his accomplishments outside of his education and plans to pursing a graduate degree. The writer basically provides an honest appraisal of his experience and takes a bottom-line approach to discussing interests to work.
The writer does a good job following up with the reader, someone he’d met before. He uses their previous conversation as a connection point while apologizing for being blunt. The refreshing honesty of (and the risk) of saying exactly what he could do told the employer he was someone interested in learning without his ego interfering.
Employers do read cover letters, and they will respond. The lesson in this example is to take the initiative to ask for something. You have no idea what will happen unless you try. Read the responses to the employer’s post, and take them to heart.
What are your thoughts about his letter? Does it inspire you?