Quintessential Careers Press:
The Quintessential Guide to Storytelling that Propels Careers
Chapter 6: Cover Letters That Tell a Story
Page 84
Don’t overlook the story-fueling potential of job postings and want ads. The principle here is
similar to the language-mirroring described above. In his book, Don’t Send a Resume, Jeffrey Fox calls
the best letters written in response to want ads “Boomerang letters” because they “fly the want ad words
– the copy – back to the writer of the ad.” In employing what Fox calls “a compelling sales technique,”
he advises letter writers to “flatter the person who wrote the ad with your response letter. Echo the
author’s words and intent. Your letter should be a mirror of the ad.” Fox notes that when the recipient
reads such a letter, the thought process will be: “This person seems to fit the description.” In the
following example, the employer playfully wrote in the want ad that the prospective new hire should have
the characteristics of 1980s TV character “MacGyver,” who was highly resourceful in dealing with sticky
situations with minimal tools:
MacGyver to the rescue! Armed with my trusty toothpick and duct tape – actually my exceptional
facility with hand-coded, highly maintainable HTML – I am poised to create high quality, totally usable
Web pages for your clients. My three years of experience with Web-development projects make me exactly
the kind of value-added employee you need in the Content Architect position you are advertising. My solid
communication skills, along with total proficiency in all the areas you require, will enable me to make
a significant contribution to your team.
Don’t forget important additional guidelines for writing a good cover letter. Many resources are
available and listed at the end of this chapter, and you can find a handy checklist.
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