Storytelling through your Cover Letter — Bring Back the Human, Please!
When the employer opens your cover letter, they know you’re a human on the other side. However, most cover letters are written without that human element — they’ve turned cold and clinical, parading the workmanship of the writer and demonstrating why they are a superior applicant.
Whilst this is VERY important in your cover letter, as job application processes are fundamentally competitions, you should also present yourself as a likable, relatable person.
So how do you strike a healthy balance between bragging and humbling your experience?
There’s no better way to do that than by storytelling. This allows you to demonstrate your humility through stories that illuminate your character. These can be inserted throughout your cover letter as you address the selection criteria of each role. For instance:
Addressing being unsuccessful before:
‘Dear Hiring Manager,
My résumé will tell you I am a qualified Marketing Coordinator. Your database will tell you I’ve had interviewers with your company in the past. Neither one will tell you that since we last conversed, I have taken on board your feedback for my skills lacking in marketing automation.
I appreciated the integrity it took to honestly deliver the news to go with another candidate due to the gap in my skillset. To you, it was another day in the office, but to me, it was the career advice I needed to expand my professionalism in a field I am very passionate about.
I am applying today again for a position with your company, as I know first hand that when your job advertisement states ‘we promote a culture of honesty and integrity’, you truly mean it. Thanks to this experience, I have aligned myself with this notion. To bring you up to speed since we last spoke, here is a list of my latest career achievements demonstrating my dedication to professional integrity and highlighting the other attributes that make me a great match for this job…’
Giving your experience the recognition it deserves
‘……….To the normal eye, McDonald’s was a normal service during Covid19 that played a minimal role as a simple two-minute transaction for a quick meal. However, as a crew member, the customers have been looking to me as a means of escape during the Covid lockdown. Essential workers like me have been an avenue of human connection despite the pandemic and I've seen every day as an opportunity to bring this element of joy back into customers' lives.’
Demonstrating vulnerability that shows you can empathise
‘… Having only come to Australia 12 years ago, I know what it’s like to start again. I know how it feels to think you’re an outsider; someone who’s only pretending to know what they are doing until they actually learn the lay of the land. I get that the courage you need to make that transition is only matched by the mountain information you need to absorb in order to feel like you’re actually making progress. I get that every day can feel like you’re trying to overcome yet another hurdle, whether that be financial security, language barriers or just battling the loneliness in your pursuits to re-establish your life.
I wouldn't trade this experience for the world though, but I will use it to help others in similar situations as a Transition2Work consultant, should I get hired at your company.’
Don’t be afraid to get personal. After all, you’re not going to be working with robots — you’ll be working with people just like you who will have their own similar anecdotes and life stories.
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