Resumes & Cover Letters

At This Point, You Should Have:

You can do this part without doing the others, but your job search is much less likely to land you your Dream Job. You'll still be doing more than 90% of applicants do!

☑ A chosen job title, thoroughly researched (plus two backups). 

☑ A list of five Tier 2 companies you're interested in applying to, also thoroughly researched.

☑ Sent your initial 5 expert emails, with a schedule for closing the loop.

Resumes matter, but are silly without a strategy

Ok, let's chat about these materials a bit and think about what the point of them really is. Ramit says these are a prime example of The Craigslist Penis Effect (his words), which means  (in my words) that all it takes to win is to be slightly  better than everyone else.  

Most people are relying on their resumes, sent indiscriminately to dozens of jobs, to get a job. That's like throwing them into a black hole and expecting results. I'd like to think you're smarter than that, you've learned about strategic thinking, you know that applying just a bit of extra thought and effort is more than 90% of people do... and that if you do that you'll be playing an entirely different game on an entirely higher level than that 90%. 

Your strategy should be to talk to experts, build a relationship, then work your way up to a company VIP if at all possible, before you send out a resume at all. This strategy works because relationships will always count more than resumes. Always. If you can walk in the door known vs. unknown, everything changes.

Good Job Materials: The Icing on the Cake / Your Safety Net

So even if materials are hopefully just icing on the cake, let's go ahead and prepare them in case we need them now. In this general review/rewrite of your basic materials, I want to be sure you know we can't do targeting... but you should plan to redo them each time based on some research when you apply for jobs to ensure they're targeted and better than everyone else's.

Putting Together a Narrative-Based Resume

Most resumes are simply a list of facts: "I went to school at X, then did Y and Z." I've reviewed hundreds of resumes and holds true in nearly all situations. Facts are not enough. An effective resume needs a narrative: an underlying thread that ties all your facts together into a crystal clear "snapshot." 

• Only must have sections are Your Information, Education, & Experience (the rest is all optional, when in doubt keep it simple)

• Use short bullets, not paragraphs

• Keep it as short as possible, 1-2 pages (otherwise formatting really isn't a big deal as long as it is readable and clean looking)

• Golden Rule: Messaging is king. You don't have to include everything, this is a marketing document, not a work history.

And most critically, this "snapshot" should be exactly what your hiring manager is looking for. Your hiring manager's #1 question is: Who are you, and what can you do for me? Yet nobody thinks about resumes like this! If the underlying message of your resume is unclear, a hiring manager will give it 10 seconds, think "I don't get it" and move on. Don't leave it up to them to decipher your resume. Be clear. Decide in advance the top 1-3 things you want them to take away. A truly excellent resume is one which can be reduced to a single message: "I am the ___ who can help you ___."

There are 3 steps to creating a narrative-based resume (and doing them well will take you about 3 hours for your first drafts): 

• 1. Choose your narrative

  2. Trim the fat

  3. Write bullets that sell

Step 3: Write Bullets that Sell

Most people write their resumes using language like this: "Assisted Account Executives in creating advertising materials according to established processes." Uggggghhhhhh, especially that last phrase 'according to established procedures'. Oh, you mean you did your job as asked?? Gross fluff. Should be cut. 

In fact, let's rewrite this in an engaging way that really explains what this person did that was different from what others did, that has meaningful details like results, and that makes them seem more credible....

"Crafted media kits with interactive audio and video elements that led to over $100,000 in new advertising from industry leaders such as Acme Corp."

Now that's a hireable person.

Preparing a Dazzling Cover Letter

The average cover letter is truly terrible: cliché, boring, and puffed up - even for great candidates. That's because most people treat their cover letter as an afterthought to their resume — or worse, just their resume in paragraph form. It isn't. Instead, think of your cover letter as the written response to the question, "Why should we interview you for this job?" In other words, if your resume answers the WHAT, your cover letter answers the WHY. 

Again, we can tackle crafting your cover letter in 3 steps  (and doing this well will take you about 3 hours for your first draft):

1. Choose your top 1-3 selling points.

2. Tell a story for each.

3. Write your letter.

Step 1: Choose 1-3 Selling Points

"Why should we interview you?" This isn't an easy question to answer. For example, everyone thinks that I should want to work with them just because they'll work for free. But I don't care about free — I want to work with those who are driven, good, proven, and easy to work with.

That's why all the prep work you've been doing is so important. So fire up your notes from the earlier modules and write down ALL the reasons why your target company should hire you. Then pick the 1-3 best.

Tips

• • Having a great track record is always a top selling point. In fact, all 3 of your selling points can be about results if they're impressive enough. 

  • Three is great, but I'd prefer you choose one really great selling point over three lukewarm ones.

  • If you're relatively inexperienced, focus on intangibles like these: Taking initiative in past jobs, Being referred by a mutual acquaintance, Having a genuine interest in the field and/or company, Having the right personality for the job, & Being creative

Step 2: Tell a (Brief) Story for Each Point

The best cover letters tell stories. Why? They capture our attention. We can't resist reading them. They show, rather than tell. Nobody else writes them! Most importantly, stories show that you're a real person. In a sea of boring, faceless applicants, this is how you stand out. In your cover letter, I want you to tell a story that demonstrates each of the selling points you chose. Stories are what separates the actual doers from everyone else. Everyone says "I get things done." "I'm a strategic thinker." "I'm analytical." But can you prove it with a unique and compelling example?

Tips

• If you can't come up with a good story for one of your selling points, then it's probably not that great to begin with. Go back and pick a selling point that you can show, not tell. A good way to "check" for stories is to add "For example..." after each point.

  • We all have great stories, but we easily forget them. From now on, every time you think of a new work-related story, add it to a "Story Toolbox." (This can be a Google Doc or anything that works for you.) 

  • For some of us, especially women, we have trouble articulating our stories because it feels gross and braggy - even though it isn't. How do you sell yourself without coming across as arrogant or egotistical? Easily. Think about this: I've reviewed thousands of resumes, and I've never looked at one and thought, "This person brags too much." It's ALWAYS the other way around. This is a job application! The hiring manager wants someone to come along and impress them, so why not make their lives a little easier? Stop worrying about over-selling. Chances are you're not doing it enough.

  • If you're REALLY struggling with these, ask your friends and past bosses etc. to help you generate some starter stories. 

Again, all we're doing is thinking about what our hiring manager wants, then giving it to them — all while staying 100% honest and authentic.

Step 3: Write Your Cover Letter

• Start with a short, direct opener stating your interest in the position: "Dear Hiring Manager, I'm excited to write to you about [Position]. Here are 3 reasons why I'd be a perfect fit for the role." Notice right away that you immediately come off enthusiastic ("excited") and confident ("perfect fit"). This is a breath of fresh air compared to everyone else, who writes like this: "I believe I may be sufficiently qualified..."

• Now, let's skip ahead and write a simple call to action at the end. No need to get fancy here: "I'm confident that my skills and experience would be a great asset to Acme, and I'd love to chat with you about the role in more detail. Sincerely, Ramit." 

• Finally, let's write our stories in the middle. Most people don't even tell stories, let alone interesting ones: "We had a client emergency. So we worked extra hard. In the end, the client was happy." Come on.

  • Give some details. What parts of the story were most VIVID? "We were up to our neck in paperwork until 4AM."

  • Get emotional. What did you FEEL? "It was frustrating! But at the same time, I felt proud to be working with smart, driven people all committed to the same goal."

  • Share your insights. What was the big takeaway? "There's nothing like being on a team where everyone can count on each other, and that's the kind of attitude I try to bring to every project I work on."