By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
EP 3136 A generic cover letter won’t let gatekeepers stand in your way.
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00:00 – introduce: Introduction of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio” and its goal of attracting attention among many applicants.
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00:20 – Resume “black hole”: Discuss the frustrations of automatic rejection and being “ghosted.”
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00:40 – Gatekeeper: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Overwhelmed Recruiters Explained.
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01:04 – Why traditional cover letters fail: Let’s cut to the chase and see why “old school” cover letters no longer work.
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01:30 – Fatal flaw: Analyze why generic cover letters feel impersonal and boring.
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01:53 – Six second rule: The critical time the recruiter spends actually looking at your materials.
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02:10 – Solution: Destructive Cover Letter: Introduce the concept of “connected stories” instead of summaries.
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02:38 – Party metaphor: A job application should feel like a natural conversation, not a list of skills.
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03:00 – Build your story: Examples of how to write a contact story for companies like Google or Nabisco (Oreo).
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03:46 – 4 step process: 1. Find the connection. 2. Start with a story. 3. Link skills. 4. Ask questions.
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04:10 – Tell a story in your resume: How to incorporate narrative elements into your priorities and achievements.
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04:25 – Let your resume become a story: Quantitative strategies, mirroring keywords, and structuring key points into “short stories.”
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04:53 – Last question: “What story can only you tell?”
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05:11 – Conclusion and resources: Information about where to find more tutors on JobSearch.Community.
How to Create and Market Your Partial Executive Playbook
This is episode 3136 of No Bullshit Job Advice Radio. Today, we’re going to dive into a job search strategy that, frankly, works really well. It’s all about how to actually get noticed in an endless sea of applicants.
This is a really cool approach, so let’s get started. So, does this sound familiar? You spend hours perfecting your resume, you find the perfect job, you hit submit, and then…crickets. there is nothing.
Maybe you get an automated rejection email, or worse, you’re just ghosted. This is the dreaded resume black hole, and it can be one of the most heartbreaking parts of the job search process. Well, today we discuss how to fix this problem permanently.
Well, in order to find the solution, we have to understand the problem. Every time you apply, you meet two big gatekeepers. The first is the machine, you know, the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
It’s just software that scans and sorts your resume before anyone sees it. Then, if you successfully get past the machine, you have to capture the attention of a human while a recruiter is busy looking through hundreds or even thousands of applications. For years, we’ve been told that cover letters are our secret weapon.
Correct? One way to talk directly to a recruiter. But what about that old-school approach? Completely useless to these modern gatekeepers. Let’s talk about why.
Yeah, pretty straightforward, right? The traditional cover letter is dead. Don’t do this. But you know what? Back to business.
That old, boring letter, who could it be about? It’s more than just not being able to help you. It might actually be hurting you. So what’s wrong with them? Well, first of all, this is basically just a resume written in paragraph form.
Why would they read that? They already have your resume. Secondly, with all the AI tools available these days, recruiters just assume a robot wrote it, so it feels completely impersonal. This is the biggest problem.
They don’t form any kind of human connection. They are so boring. And this, this number changes everything.
Six seconds. This is the average time a recruiter spends looking at your profile.
six.Second. There’s zero chance that a boring, generic cover letter will stop them in their tracks. It just does a quick scan and goes straight to the trash.
Well, if the old ways are dead and buried, what are the new ways? Well, the solution is what’s known as a destructive cover letter. It was built from the ground up to beat the six-second timer. And don’t let the word “letter” fool you.
This is not a letter at all. This is a connected story. The whole goal here is to make the recruiter feel something, to show them in a truly personal way that you truly understand their company and that you’re not just sending out an application to anyone and everyone.
I like this metaphor because it’s so apt. This is not a resume summary. This is a party talk.
Think about it. If you met a recruiter from your dream company at a party, you wouldn’t just walk up and start listing your skills, right? Of course not. You will start a real conversation.
You tell them a little story about why you think their company is so cool. That’s exactly what this new approach does, just in writing. Okay, so what do these connected stories actually look like in the real world? Let’s break down how to write your own code.
Take a look at this. Imagine you’re applying to Google. First, I remember the first time I Googled it and it changed my life.
I mean, wow. It’s personal, it’s interesting, it immediately connects to the company’s business, and it makes the recruiter lean in and think, okay, tell me more. You just bought yourself over six seconds.
Or how about this? I snack on six Oreos and a glass of milk after every football game. I mean, you know right away who they’re applying to, right? This story does not mention a single skill or qualification. Not at first.
What it does is create an emotion. It’s about nostalgia. It’s a personal connection with the brand.
How to become an irresistible employee
It makes you unforgettable. So the whole process is actually very simple. You can break it down into four basic steps.
First, you have to dig deep and find your true personal connection to the company. Second, you hook them with the story from the beginning. Third, and this part is crucial, you have to move from your story to how your skills can help them solve their problem.
Finally, you make the request. You confidently ask for an interview. But here’s the thing.
The whole idea of storytelling cannot stop at the cover letter. In order for your application to be truly strong, the same story must also flow throughout your resume. Your entire application needs to tell a compelling story about you.
So how do you let your resume tell a story? Well, first of all, you quantify everything. Put numbers to your achievements to show your true impact. Second, you can reflect the keywords in the job description.
This is your ticket after passing through the ATS machine. Third, you describe your highlights into tiny little stories. Don’t just say you manage a team.
Let’s say you lead a team of 5 people to increase sales by 20% in 6 months. See the difference? You are showing results. It’s all about showing, not just telling.
In fact, this brings us to our most important question. Because at the end of the day, when you’re competing against hundreds of other people, your skills are going to look very similar on paper. One thing no one else has is your story.
Your passion. Your unique connection. So what’s the story that only you can tell? JobSearch.Community provides additional assistance. Visit the site and become an insider to receive guidance and all my content, or purchase individual content if you prefer.
About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire big game hunter Jeff Altman to provide no-BS career advice around the world because he’s done so much in people’s careers Easier. These matters may involve job hunting, Recruit more effectively, manage and lead better, career transition, and advice on solving workplace problems.
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 job search podcast on iTunes with over 3,100 episodes.
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You’ll find important information to help you with your job search on my new website, JobSearch.Community In addition to video courses, books, and guides, I answer members’ questions about their job search every day. Leave your job search questions and I will respond every day. Becoming an Insider+ member gives you everything you get as an Insider+ member, plus you can connect with me via Zoom call to get your questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we offer individual and group coaching.
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