Writing Effective Authentic Cover Letters

The best cover letter I ever wrote.

I once wrote a cover letter that a VP photocopied & passed around the office as “the best one she ever read in her 35 years in HR.” (Don't worry, I share that exact letter in the course content, who knew a cover letter was so interesting).

When I read that cover letter now, I can see how I would improve it. But, I see the good of what the VP saw in the cover letter. It was honest and tailored for the specific role and company. It wasn’t a perfect letter, but it hit the mark and felt genuine.

People often come to me with resume concerns. After we do resume work, I’ll ask about the cover letters and they’ll either say, “I don’t need one” (not true) or “I have a template for that.”

The problem with using a free cover letter template is they are usually:

boring to use
boring to read
don’t communicate anything past what your resume says
don’t help you to understand if the job is for you

An easy to follow process

I know the feeling of knowing you are qualified for a job, but not knowing how to say it.

I also know how awesome it feels to apply to a company and be proud of the cover letter I sent. I want you to feel that too.

This course leads you through an 8-step method to developing a cover letter that sells your value, but also reads as original.

Writing Authentic Cover Letters includes:

- The 8-step method to writing a cover letter
- A checklist to review every cover letter you write
- Samples cover letters (including the best cover letter I ever wrote)
- Writing Prompts to get you started

- Bonus recordings and worksheets on:

What to do when you are applying for a job with no ad
What a company really wants to know
How to have an authentic job search
How to identify what values are important in your next job
Samples from other courses, including The Career Intensive

Stand out, don't blend.

The weird thing about cover letters is that they became overly formal and bloated with jargon. Documents like that don't mean anything.

Make your cover letter count.

And, the added bonus of this method is that it helps you to see what jobs you should be applying for. I'm not selling this a career coaching program, but I can't help but add a bit of it in there.

Writing Effective Authentic Cover Letters

A step-by-step guide to writing cover letters

Buy now

Testimonials

Hi Kerri,

Just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I found your cover letter course super helpful and that it had a big impact on my job search. I was really struggling with writing cover letters that I
felt were overly formal/boring and not representative of who I am or what I can do. Your course helped me identify why I was excited about a job and express that in a genuine way without using clichés. I was also worried about addressing barriers in my cover letter and your perspective helped me get past that.

I accepted an offer last week that I'm really excited about and I know for a fact that my cover letter is what got their attention and helped me land an interview. Thanks for creating such a helpful, practicable
course!

Julie

The cover letter course was exactly what I needed! It was helpful to have a step by step approach and nice to have both audio and script. I didn't listen to all the audio because I was short on time but the ones I listened to were good.

Overall an impressive product and one that I'll recommend to others!

Dawn P

Hi Kerri,

I was really struggling with writing cover letters. I found I was trying to second guess what the HR would want to hear, or it was a lame re-cap of my experience. I decided to take your cover letter writing course.Well worth the time and cost!I now have a cover letter that sounds like me, is logical, and explains why I am a good fit without the standard 'my years of experience blah blah blah.'BTW, I called the HR for the position I really want and asked if I could re-submit my new cover letter. I explained that a job search has its own learning curve and the new letter was a much better explanation of why I am a good candidate. She was very agreeable and gave me her direct email.

Thank you for putting such a great resource together.Anne

Anne

Greetings!
Bought your Cover Letter + Review course a few hours ago. Oh my, what an eye opener! On step 2, and dare I say it so soon (?!), writing my letter may not be the nightmare I always dread ;) THANK YOU!!

Beata

Welcome!

Welcome. I am glad to see you here and offer you everything I know about writing cover letters.

By the end of this course, you will know the 8 steps to writing a cover letter, and be ready to tell potential employers exactly why you want the job and what you can do for them.

This course was designed to create a one-stop resource for your cover letter writing needs. I planned it as if we were having a face-to-face meeting about cover letters, and you asked me "tell me everything you know about cover letters."

Download the welcome audio introduction below.

Welcome!

A few notes before you start

standout.mp3

Module Two: The Eight Step Method

This module walks through the Eight steps to craft a great cover letter.

Step One Find your Why

Step Two: Hard and soft skills

Step Three (part a): Keywords

Step Three (part b) Sample Job Postings with keywords.docx

Step Four: Identify any potential barriers to getting hired

Step Five: Other research

Step Six: What will you do for them?

Step Seven: Put it all together

Step Eight: Edit it

8-step-action-guide-cover_letter.pdf

Module Three: Samples

This module has a few cover letter samples in it for inspiration

The best cover letter HR ever saw

Sample letter for government role

Sample pain letter

Module Four: Extras!

To help you write even more authentic and awesome cover letters, here are some resources to help you to write, but also to reflect on your career.

Enjoy!

Writing Prompts

When there is no job ad

What A Company Wants

An authentic job search

Getting started.mp3

Samples from other courses

If you enjoyed this course, you may enjoy the Searching from your Roots or the Career Intensive program.

Both of these programs offer additional support and resources to help you figure out your next move and market yourself awesomely to land ideal work.

Here are some sample resources to try.

Career+Reflections 1.pdf

SFYR Week 1 meditation.mp3

values week 1.pdf

Get the inside scoop

Stay in-the-know on new products, stories and even a deal every so often.

FAQ

Does this work for any industry?

I have been teaching this method for four years. It has worked for every level of positon and industries including:

government, start-ups, tech, accounting, warehouse, manufacturing, marketing and community development.

Who is this course for?

Anyone who is struggling to write a cover letter to land a job. It is primarily aimed at people who have more than 5 years of work experience.

Do companies even read cover letters anymore?

Some do and some don't. The process of creating a cover letter actually gives you clarity, regardless of if they read it. Some hiring people ignore them and others love them. I think it is better to have one, than not.

Here is a interview where recruiters/hiring people share how they feel about a cover letter:

https://therecruitingdaily.com/2018/09/23/11-recruiters-answer-are-cover-letters-really-necessary/