Thread by @JoshWComeau

At a couple jobs now, I've been tasked with reviewing incoming applications, so I've read _a lot_ of cover letters. IMO, a lot of them miss the mark 😬.

Today I thought I'd share some cover letters I've written which led to an offer, + some cover letter tips.

See thread 🧵 👇

All cover letters can be read in text here: docs.google.com/document/d/1a6…

Letter 1: Khan Academy.

This letter isn't my best work, but it tells a compelling story about why I'm passionate about the space + the organization. Could be improved by sharing more about my skills/background

Letter 2: Glitch

I'm proud of this letter. I cover why I care about their mission (online code education), their product (mentioning specific features), and why my skills/background are valuable to them in their mission / for their product.

Letter 3: DigitalOcean

It's a lot like my Glitch letter in terms of structure, but it's written from scratch. No copy/paste. It shows I've researched their organization (I mention one of their core values), and why I would be a great addition to their team.

There are 2 big mistakes people make with cover letters:

1. They use the same bland corporate-speak tone that telephone robots use ("Your call is very important to us…").

I feel like we've learned to tune out that tone, since it so rarely communicates anything of value.

2. Often, the cover letter is copy/pasted from company to company, with a find-and-replace for a couple words ("I am excited about ____ because I am passionate about the ____ industry…"). They have a template that they reuse for each application.

Cover letters should be unique to you, in your own voice. You should be able to read it out loud, and it should sound like something you'd say in real life.*

Cover letters should also be unique to the org. Show them that you've researched them!

If your strategy is to apply to dozens of companies a week, you can't afford to put this level of attention into each one. But in my experience, and from what I've seen as a career coach for bootcamp alumni, a good cover letter _greatly_ increases your chances of hearing back.

If you're applying to an agency, they don't have a product/industry you can talk about. In those cases, research the company to learn about their culture, their toolset, their past projects. You can usually find something that aligns with your interests/skills.

*One last thing: the tone in my letters is very casual. I can get away with this for 2 reasons:

- I've always worked for companies with a relaxed culture.
- I'm a white guy, so I suspect I'm given greater allowance; I don't have to prove that I'm "professional".

That last point makes me deeply uncomfortable. But it's important to acknowledge that my experience is not universal.

From my experience coaching students who aren't white men, I still don't think robot-speak is the answer, but it might be more effective to be a bit less casual.

I hope this thread was helpful!

If you're interested, I'm writing a book on creating effective portfolio sites for junior developers. Newsletter subscribers will get it for free: joshwcomeau.com/subscribe/

(Please note: because of a nerve injury, this might be many months away)