Question: I am applying for C-Suite position with a company. The position description requires a “thoughtful” cover letter. What does this mean? How do I draft one?
Answer: As you already know, you need to respond to the skills, traits and qualities listed in the position description. However, for this position, you are probably going to do so in a way entirely different from how you have done so in the past.
I have been working with a client who has responded to a half dozen very senior postings that have requested, in one way or another, a responsive cover letter. In editing and working with her, a few pointers have come home to me.
First, the re-hashed list of bullets letter is probably not going to be effective. Your prospective employer really wants to see how you write and think, and that should be original. This application is not about listing your credentials and past successes because, at this level, there is an assumption that you have had many and that they can be documented. Instead, you need to show your authentic self. And, that can be quite scary.
For starters, communicate who you are professionally and what can be expected from you as a leader. This is likely the most familiar aspect of your letter even though you are now challenged to present it different than you have in the past.
After communicating who you are, put forth what you know about the organization. The expectation will be that you already know a good deal about it either from association or from research. Therefore, you need to go well beyond the position description to being knowledgeable about what’s on the Web, in the newspapers, on LinkedIn or otherwise in the public domain. In your research, take time to really investigate and understand the organizational priorities and its brand in the marketplace. Then, respond appropriately.
Finally in your composition, take some calculated risks. If you have strong feelings about a certain aspect of the program, let it show. Tell people what excites, inspires and energizes you. Be genuinely enthusiastic and honest. Communicate your passion for the mission, your relevant experiences and how you would be thrilled to get on board. The more your authentic voice comes through, the more likely you are to get a hearing.
A strategy I strongly encourage when composing your letter is that you do so from scratch. There is something inauthentic about the one-size-fits-all cover letter, and that is certainly not what any hiring manager for this level of position is looking for. When you have really thought about a position, and when you really believe you are a good fit, that expression has a force about it that no canned language can match.
In the instance of my aforementioned client, we have gone out on a limb several times, and the pay-off has been handsome. She has landed a series of high-level interviews and is in the enviable position of deciding which position she would like best. Her risk-taking paid off – which is so much better than waiting for the phone to ring.
Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.
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