I switched from writing long cover letters to a 3-sentence email template last year

I used to spend hours on custom letters for each job in San Francisco, but my response rate was maybe 10%. After a hiring manager told me they only skim them, I started sending a short email with my top skill, a link to my portfolio, and my availability. Has anyone else found a better way to handle first contact without wasting a whole afternoon?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan_jenkins902mo agoTop Commenter

Did your friend get more interviews after trying that short email trick?

zarak187d ago

3 times my friend tried that short email approach and actually landed 2 interviews out of it, so it wasn't a fluke. But for @morgan_jenkins90 credit, it's not really an "elevator pitch" thing - more like a "please don't waste my time" filter. Recruiters told me they appreciate when candidates cut the fluff, but the real trick is making those 3 sentences actually stand out, not just be short. My friend's first try was too vague and got ignored, so she had to tweak it to mention a specific project she worked on. Did she share the exact wording she used, or just the general idea?

noraj792mo ago

Saw a career coach on LinkedIn say the same thing. She called it the "elevator pitch" method for job applications. Most recruiters just want the basic facts upfront to decide if you're worth a closer look. Your three-sentence template probably hits all the key points they scan for in those first few seconds. It makes total sense to stop overthinking it.