Cover letter advice you can read in 5 minutes.
Short guides on length, opening lines, keywords and referrals, written by the people who build Pithy.
Writing
2 min read
Write your opening line last
The first sentence is the hardest to write and the first one a recruiter reads. Write it after the rest of the letter, once you know what you are claiming.
Job search
2 min read
Match job-post keywords without sounding like a robot
Applicant tracking systems and recruiters both scan for the words in the job post. Here is how to use them in sentences a person would actually say.
Job search
2 min read
Career change letters that lead with the overlap
When you switch fields, the reader’s first question is whether you can do this job. Answer it in the first paragraph with the work that already overlaps.
Writing
2 min read
Referral letters should name the person in sentence one
A referral is the strongest thing a letter can carry, and many people bury it in paragraph three. Put the name first, then back it up with one result.
Job search
2 min read
No cover letter field? Send a note under 90 words
Many applications have no place for a letter. You can still make your case in a short note to the hiring manager, sent after you apply.
