Cover Letters Do Matter

Cover Letters Do MatterAndrew Lamberson doesnt work for The New York Times Magazine in Brooklyn. And his titelbild letter didnt get him a job. So whats the point here?Well, Andrew always believed that titelblatt letters were essentially uselessand so he wrote boring cover letter after boring cover letter for jobs that he didnt getand wasnt all that interested in anyway.Then he saw a posting on Facebook for NYTM, a publication that he loved and read religiously. He decided to get a little crazynothing ventured, nothing gained, right? He really wanted the job, and he had to find a way to convince the head photo editor, Kathy Ryan, that he was exactly the right person for their photo division.Lamberson chose a photo that really spoke to himan image that photographer Eugene Richards took of Joan Didion. He sent Ryan a letter telling her how the image had affected him, and how Didions personality really came through in the photo. He talked about how the photo had turned on its edge everyt hing hed learned about photography in college and had given him an entirely new perspective. Then he expressed his desire to contributeand his belief that he could.Lamberson worked hard on his cover letterand even had a copy editor look it over. He didnt worry overly much about his resume, counting on the cover letter to do the work for him. Then, something amazing happened Within just an hour of receiving Lambersons letter and resume, Ryan responded she invited him to come in for an interview.If youre expecting a totally happy ending, you wont see that here. Lamberson didnt get the job because, in the final analysis, he didnt have enough magazine experience. His cover letter got him an interview, not a job. But heres the thinghe did get the interview. And when he does have enough experience, you can bet that Ryan will remember him.Ryan told Lamberson that out of all the applicants for the position (and there were a great many), his cover letter was the best, and she asked him to ke ep in touch.So, what have we learned from this? Cover letters matter even if you dont immediately get the job. Properly done, they DO get you noticed. The job might not happen today, but a stellar cover letter can get you noticed and get you on file. Never give up on your dreams. Dream big. Your dreams might not be realized immediately, but down the road, who knows what could happen? Never assume that a job is out of reach. Give it your best shot, and the job that you dont get today could very well be yours tomorrow.