What do movie trailers and cover letters have in common?

They are both advertisements. And their goal is to persuade you to take action:

• Go to a movie
• Read your resume

Could you use a more persuasive cover letter?  Take some cues from Hollywood movie trailers and you’ll be getting five-star reviews in no time.

Keep it short and sweet

Producers know that there is a limited attention span for previews. A good movie trailer has to be short to get its message across.

Limit your cover letter to one page. A short cover letter lets the reader focus on your message, and reduces the tendency to skim or ignore your letter.

For a standard cover letter, 3-5 paragraphs are usually plenty to get your message across. Limit paragraphs to 4 lines or less. Readers tend to skip paragraphs that are longer.

Make it visually compelling

Producers carefully edit movie clips to create previews that will entice moviegoers. Make your cover letter more enticing by using formatting to your advantage.

Visually encourage the reader’s eye to go down the page by using left-justified paragraphs and no indents. Bolding and bullet-points highlight key information and naturally “pull” the reader’s eye to the location.

Include a teaser

Movie trailers always include a “teaser” – some highlights from the movie – an explosion, a car chase, a love scene. Including a teaser in your cover letter is critical to having your resume read.

Include 3-4 highlights such as skills, experience or accomplishments that are key to success in the position and the company. Limit each highlight to 1-1/2 lines so it will be quick and easy to read.

Select your highlights based on the requirements of the position, your research on the company and your unique strengths.

Don’t give away the plot

Good movie trailers reveal just enough plot line so that you want to see the movie — but no more. The same concept applies to cover letters.

Disclose just enough of your qualifications and accomplishments that the reader will be compelled to read your resume – but no more.  Too much information and they may lose interest and never read your resume.

Coming soon to a theater near you

As an advertisement, the movie trailer’s purpose is to persuade you to see the movie. “Coming soon to a theater near you” is a subtle request for action: “come to the movie”.

The purpose of the cover letter is to read the resume. Its call to action is: “read my resume”. Examples of calls to actions include:

“After reading my resume, I believe you’ll agree that my background and experience complement the ABC position and will contribute to the ongoing success of XYZ Corporation.

“My resume, which is enclosed, demonstrates skills and experience key to the ABC position. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to the ongoing success of XYZ Corporation.”

For more information, visit your nearest movie theater or view a favorite DVD – purely for research purposes, of course. And don’t ignore the trailers. In this case, they’re the best part!