Hi, it’s me. First of all, I’m blown away by your support. THANK YOU for being an early subscriber to my newsletter! 15 of you responded to my tiny social media teaser, which is exciting! Because I have so many things I’ve been wanting to tell you, and here you are!
(Exclamation point!)
Which brings me to what’s on my mind today.
(I know I’m not officially launching until September 21st, so welcome to my launch pre-funk!)
I’m looking for a new full time role, which can be as encouraging as trying on swimsuits at the store: occasionally awesome and validating, but more often a crushing reality check.
Last week a friend sent me a role that looked interesting but was definitely a growth move, meaning it had a title and scope ahead of what I’ve been doing to date. But since it was in my general area of expertise and at a company whose work I appreciated, I decided to go for it.
Notably, I took a risk and leaned into my lack of experience. What do you think - did it work? Here’s an excerpt from my cover letter to aid in your prediction:
Dear Hiring Team,
I recently read that men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, and women tend to apply only when they check every box. So here I am, showing up without all my boxes checked. I will outline the highlights of my accomplishments below (a tldr of sorts), but first you should know that I possess the soft skills, intuition, and diverse writing background that makes me the Swiss Army Knife of the communications world (or Leatherman, if you prefer). This is the stuff you can’t teach or train - you either have it or you don’t. I have it.
It just so happens that my personal mission is to help people understand and respond to one another. I first articulated this mission to myself about ten years ago. At the time, I was writing and producing animated videos that explained products and services for businesses. I was helping marketing teams understand how to speak Human so their customers would engage with their product. I was mediating conflict between friends. I was writing passionate blog posts and Facebook comments that sought to connect two opposing points of view. It seemed everywhere I turned, at my core, I was helping people understand and respond to one another with compassion and empathy.
[...more specifics about my experience as it relates to this role…]
As Director of Communications at [Company], I don’t check all the boxes. (Yet.) I lead with curiosity, and I learn by doing. I’d love the opportunity to interview and find out if this could work out for us. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jen Zug
Check out the BALLS on the girl who wrote that! She was definitely on an emotional upswing that day.
All I wanted was an interview - a chance to shine in a face to face conversation and learn more about the role. The very least I hoped for was a personal note that somehow acknowledged the emotional tax it cost me to apply.
Alas, I did not get the interview. And sadly, I didn't even get a personal note. Instead, I received a templated response from a no-reply email thanking me for my application, but “based on the experience we're looking for at this time, we have decided not to move forward to next steps.”
I am not surprised. I am also not crushed! Three years ago I wouldn’t even have applied for this role. I guess this is what confidence looks like, yeah? So they weren’t that into me! So what! Somebody will be, and it’ll be a great partnership.
What was your prediction? Curious if anyone else thought I had a chance.
Until next time,
Jen
Your cover letter was the best one I have read in over a decade! I absolutely would have granted you an interview. With regards to the auto response, please don’t be offended as recruiters have been raked through the coals and we’re just trying to survive. It would be too much to personally respond to every candidate we talked with even if they were the bomb. Sad, I know. We are all understaffed and running fast and furious. I’m sure they tucked your information into their database for future consideration!! Can’t wait for more Jen Zug newsletters!!!
Best cover letter ever! You didn't get the interview, but you did land this new subscriber. A crappy consolation prize, I know, but I'm witty and promise to read your newsletter and comment. :)