Cover Letter 2828 Responses

Last post: 4 months, 3 weeks ago | Thread started: Jun 24, 08, 5:38 p.m.

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• jteore

  Im torn. One min Im told not to make it personal, next Im told it's not personal enough.

  What do we think:

  In the last few months I have: Art Directed an entire organic denim line, branded the marketing division of Kimberly Clark for the CMO Tony Palmer, went up against 4 other agencies in branding GE's Money Division, and created a 88 page book for the artist Richard Prince.

  In the last 6 months I have been on multiple sit downs_
  Studio 65, Creativefeed, PerceptionNYC, Equinox, The7thArt, ThirdEyeDesign, Bridgerconway, Last Exit, Naked Communications_To name a few favorites.

  From all the sit down feedback_it has been determined:
  _My modern style is confirmed and liked by multiple clients.
  _My work visually speaks to an international audience.
  _My work is across the board in what can be done and handled.

  I am currently looking for full time placement [Art Director].
  Comfortable with managing 3-5 designers.

  Resume and sample work High Res [Low Res PDF @ 2.5MB attached]_
  https://www.yousendit.com/transf…

  I would enjoy a lovely sit down with you and your company_
  Cheers.

  Jessica

  Jun 24, 08, 5:38 p.m. – Permalink

• MrOneHundred

  You have some very nice work there. Sorry I can’t offer any advice on the cover letter. All I know is that the face-to-face meeting is the make or beak. In my experience, once I meet a potential employee, what is on their cover letter/bio is forgotten. This doesn’t help, I know. Good luck.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 5:53 p.m. – Permalink

• tparsons

  If the typography in the cover letter looks similar to the resume... redo it.

  Less personal from my standpoint.

  • what? really? what about 'branding yourself'?– doesnotexist1/2

    Not if you're trying to work for someone else.– tparsons2/2

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 6:04 p.m. – Permalink

• alicetheblue

  hmmm ... hard call ...
  make it "appropriate" to the specific job/company

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 6:04 p.m. – Permalink

• doesnotexist

  I wouldn't take the cover letter so seriously. Briefly go over your experience and then your skillset and be sure to state why you want to work there in the first place.

  as MrOneHundred has already stated, they're going to find out a lot more from you in person than the cover letter.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 7:26 p.m. – Permalink

• SoulFly

  It seems like you are listing achievements in your coverletter which is really part of a resume. The letter should be one paragraph only, or very brief- like someone mentioned above, you will introduce yourself, and make it specific for the company you apply for - if the company is international, then you would bring up that "your works speaks visually for an international audience". You tell the company why your skills could relate to them.
  Also, I could be mistaken but I think it is very important to put down your expected salary.

  • I agree, accomplishments don't really belong in the CL– epigraph1/3

    agree– roundabout2/3

    ..."went up against 4 other agencies in branding"... seems needlessly adversarial.– capsize3/3

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 7:31 p.m. – Permalink

• SoulFly

  Your resume on the other hand is exceptional. The achievements structure is so much better than "bullet-points" in my personal opinion. Especially for someone with great experience like you.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 7:35 p.m. – Permalink

• epigraph

  I get a little personal in mine, I wanna show that I have put some thought into choosing to send them my resume, and that it isn't a form letter.

  In the end, I wouldn't want to work for someone so uptight they had a problem with that.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 7:39 p.m. – Permalink

• epete22

  that a girl!

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 8:22 p.m. – Permalink

• jevad

  A cover letter should be a brief introduction to you as a professional and your interest in the company you are approaching.

  But I like the style of yours - it's interesting and grabs me.

  Stick with it.

  • I jevad, me like to make pretty things, you hire me.– 2cents1/2

    simple. concise. true. win.– jevad2/2

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 8:25 p.m. – Permalink

• 2cents

  Never written one in my life.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 8:26 p.m. – Permalink

• epete22

  simplify your resume. do you have any other works you can show?

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 8:26 p.m. – Permalink

• _salisae_

  your work looks disjointed, stylistically as well as in it's thinking. i would be uneasy hiring you because i basically have no idea what you would come up with based on the work shown in your folio.

  • < Hello!– MrOneHundred1/2

    hello and hi!– _salisae_2/2

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:11 p.m. – Permalink

• BonSeff

  i agree with what soulfly said. research the company and craft your message to pique their interest, why are you relevant to them.. or, flip the script and let them know why they are relevant to you. most shops appreciate a designer that is looking for a good fit in the same vein they are looking for a good fit.

  i also like that you have a good mix of styles in your book.

  good luck

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:24 p.m. – Permalink

• utopian1

  Jessica, nice portfolio.

  One problem that potential employers will have is length and period of each of your jobs. It appears that you only lasted about a year or less at each job listed on your resume. This will throw-up "red flags". Employers will question your work ethic, loyality, ability to colloborate and work with others, that you are flighty and non-commitment.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:43 p.m. – Permalink

• mg33

  Just use the lyrics to a Def Leopard song.

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:50 p.m. – Permalink

• _salisae_

  your line length is way too long on your resume. that coupled with the tight leading and it is practically unreadable.

  • yeah, that resume is not layout correctly. back to the drawing board.– akrokdesign1/2

    you need some neg. space.– akrokdesign2/2

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:53 p.m. – Permalink

• _salisae_

  i would supply information about each folio piece; details about your role, your thinking, etc.

  • as you going to art director job.– akrokdesign1/2

    i mean, going for art director job.– akrokdesign2/2

  

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  Dog-earJun 24, 08, 9:58 p.m. – Permalink

• Spookytim

  "I would enjoy a lovely sit down with you and your company"

  Makes it sounds like you're just going to turn up and sit down. Not very dynamic at all.

  • Damn, shit, sorry, I forgot I was about four pages back. This is a old threads.– Spookytim

  

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  Dog-earJun 25, 08, 1:21 a.m. – Permalink

• mkhandekar

  I would make it paragraph form, not bulleted like you have now.
  Remove all those dashes eg. "sit downs_"
  Talk about the company you are applying to and why you think you'll make significant contributions to their studio. This is generic.
  I personally think its too short (maybe just a personal taste) and disjointed. No flow.
  I don't think the first para should be your accomplishments, introduce yourself first right?

  

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  Dog-earJun 25, 08, 3:29 a.m. – Permalink

• forcetwelve

  i think it's good - and to be honest i wouldnt worry too much. i get about 3 cvs/folios a day and i barely read the words - i jut go straight to the attached work/site. i think what you have written there is good.

  honesty and approachability is key.

  

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  Dog-earJun 25, 08, 3:45 a.m. – Permalink