Freelance: How to Write a Cover Letter
- Transfer
Today I found a very interesting article in the mailing list of one of the freelance exchanges about how to write a cover letter for your bid on the freelance exchange. I used the words “cover letter” as the translation for “cover letter”. I don’t really like this translation option, but I didn’t find another one. In any case, those who have ever been to freelance exchanges know what a cover letter is.
Despite the fact that the original article was called “Writing a Killer Cover Letter”, I called this post not so bloody.
The following is an alloy of free translation and my own thoughts:
There are thousands of ways to spoil your cover letter. Every day, customers look at a list of 30, 50, or even 100 candidates and any detail in which something is wrong can annoy the person reading the letter. This is your first and perhaps only way to impress a potential customer. Make a mistake and you will be immediately deleted from the list. A freelancer who understands this harsh reality can use this to his advantage. Want to write more effective cover letters? Here are some tips to help you stand out from the crowd (in a good way):
Even if you have done a good job on your profile, the client will never bother to look at it if your cover letter is not brief, effective and attractive. If Hollywood can squeeze a two-hour movie to the size of a 90-second video, you can also write your cover letter up to 300 words in size and be able to leave your customers wanting more.
Despite the fact that the original article was called “Writing a Killer Cover Letter”, I called this post not so bloody.
The following is an alloy of free translation and my own thoughts:
There are thousands of ways to spoil your cover letter. Every day, customers look at a list of 30, 50, or even 100 candidates and any detail in which something is wrong can annoy the person reading the letter. This is your first and perhaps only way to impress a potential customer. Make a mistake and you will be immediately deleted from the list. A freelancer who understands this harsh reality can use this to his advantage. Want to write more effective cover letters? Here are some tips to help you stand out from the crowd (in a good way):
- Brevity is the soul of wit. If your text is as long as this post, trim it by at least a third. All that the client wants to see is a polite greeting, a sentence or two that describes your most relevant abilities and maybe another sentence or two about things not listed in the profile - for example, you just finished two similar projects. At the end - a polite farewell.
- Follow the directions. If you were asked to answer certain questions or include some data in your letter, do so. Beware of typos: write a letter in a text editor and check for errors, and then read it out loud. Ask a friend to review it before sending it - two heads are better than one.
- Never use workpieces. Sophisticated customers will always recognize the workpiece and will never hire such a freelancer. Spend 5 minutes and write what the client requires. The tip is simple: write from scratch every time.
- Watch your tone. Even if the client writes a little frivolously, you should be serious, but not stressful. This letter is from one professional to another. Don't be funny, verbose, or overly flattering. Be helpful and confident, not arrogant, and don't look particularly needy.
- Take it easy with jargon. Use technical terms correctly. The client will not be delighted with your plans to “realize” your “proven potential” in order to “achieve maximum results” and “satisfy the client”. Contrary to some opinions, you cannot hypnotize a client with “exciting” smart words.
- Refer to the examples. List, provide links or attach examples of your work to the letter to demonstrate your professional suitability. If your portfolio does not yet include relevant line items, be sure to add them later.
Even if you have done a good job on your profile, the client will never bother to look at it if your cover letter is not brief, effective and attractive. If Hollywood can squeeze a two-hour movie to the size of a 90-second video, you can also write your cover letter up to 300 words in size and be able to leave your customers wanting more.