This is the modern world you are living in and cover letters are considered to be dead. Companies are seeking talents that have the mental capacity to cope with the advanced technology and fast-paced industries. Which is why Liz Ryan, the CEO and founder of Human Workplace, says you should write a Pain Letter.
This guide will teach you how to write an effective Pain Letter that illustrates the pain points - which looks quite better than the boring cover letter that has been around for the past few decades. According to Forbes, Pain Letters are invented to give job-seekers a more powerful and immediate way to tell their story to hiring managers. If you want to write a Pain Letter and skip the obnoxious online-application chore, here are the steps to follow:
1. Research the Employer - Every Pain Letter is unique. Take time to research the employer by checking the website and learning about the business. Check the news, too. What kind of issues do you imagine the organization is dealing with?
2. Find Out The Pain Points - Everybody has pain points. A previous JobsNHire example featured a business with a slow moving product. What do you think the marketing manager is going through? Liz Ryan says, that if you want to send Pain Letters and generally to step into the new-millennium workplace with confidence, then stop focusing on your skills, and tell them how you can relieve their pain.
3. Who has that pain? Which employers are experiencing that kind of business pain? Read the news, check job sources that are experiencing that pain. It's unlikely you'll take the marketing manager's job but maybe he's hiring an assistant or a team.
4. You need a name - Unless you work in the same company, then finding out who the marketing manager is would be an easy game. Find out who you need to directly send that pain letter to or else your letter will be lost in the universe.
5. Find a hook - A hook is a news item about your employer. For example, they opened up a store in your area but no customers are coming in. Begin your Pain Letter by praising your reader (your possible next boss) on the company's accomplishment. Try not to talk about yourself in the next few sentences.
6. Make a Pain Hypothesis - Follow up your hook with a pain hypothesis. This suggests a type of business pain that manager may be experiencing. Pick one only. Mentioning multiple pain points can make your letter a blur. An example of a pain hypothesis would be: "I can imagine that opening a new branch isn't easy especially in a market that isn't open to that type of product category." Just remember - Don't teach in your Pain Letter. Don't tell the hiring manager what they should do. They know their job. Mention a possible pain point and stop.
7. Mention a dragon-slaying story - You need one story that saved the day that has a similar business pain. This will show the employer that you have the experience and was successful.
8. Closing - Make your pain letter short. The shorter the pain letter, the better. All your employer cares about is his or her own pain points.
Have you tried making a draft? Tell us how it went in the comments section!
