Writing Authentic Cover Letters by Kerri Twigg

Writing Authentic Cover Letters

A step-by-step guide to writing 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

There is nothing more frustrating than knowing that you need to improve something and that something is the thing that makes the differerce between getting called for a job interview or not.
I have been there. I know the feeling.

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.

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.

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

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

I help people use their stories to land ideal work. And if they don't know what kind of job, I help with that too. Stories + Job Search Strategy

I'm Kerri, I am a LinkedIn Top Voice in Management and Workplace, and a contributing author to the Amazon best-selling resume book - YOUMap. ( I wrote six pages of the resume section) and named the #1 Career Coach to follow on LinkedIn by Job Scan.

All that is cool and fancy.

The reason I get those opportunities was by sharing my story and strengths intentionally. I would like to help you to do the same. It'll look different on you.

I help people use their stories to land ideal work. I have helped people find and hone their stories for over 20 years, first as a drama instructor and playwright, and now as a Career Coach working with mid-level to senior professionals all over the world.

I have a B.A in Drama in Education (so my videos are fun!), a M.Ed (so I know how to teach), a HR Certificate (I know how hiring managers are trained) and am a Certified Resume Strategist.

FAQs

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/

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.