Write Your Best UXR Cover Letter Ever
A guide to writing cover letters that people want to read
*Quick reminder: I am on holiday from June 9th - June 22nd and will be pausing content in that time because I need a mental break! Because of that, this will be a free article for the month and you can expect content to resume regularly week of June 24th! Thanks!*
👋 Hey, Nikki here! Welcome to this month’s ✨ free article ✨ of User Research Academy. Three times a month, I share an article with super concrete tips and examples on user research methods, approaches, careers, or situations.
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Have you ever sat down to write something and stared at a blank page with that super annoyingly (and sometimes, I think mocking) blinking cursor staring back at you? Then you write a few sentences, thinking, “this is stupid,” and delete them?
Yeah. Same.
That was my vibe with cover letters for a really long time. (And also still sometimes my vibe when I sit down to write fiction).
I felt like cover letters were the stupidest thing invented. What was I supposed to say that was:
Interesting
Modest (while showing my accomplishments)
Unique
Concise
Blah, blah, and blah. Everything felt like a dried up formula.
I’m a qualitative user researcher with X years of experience and super interested about Y position at Z organization!
Me and everyone else applying (well, that might be a lie because sometimes we apply to things we aren’t super interested in). And then I got too creative (desperate, as well) with subsequent cover letters, one of which you can see below:
Idk. I don’t think it’s terrible, but…I didn’t get an interview. 😂
Saying I don’t run usability tests to find problems and bugs might have been a mistake.
Anyways, what I’m trying to say is cover letters are difficult to write. They can feel cumbersome and awkward, especially during a time when you are already stressed applying for jobs, getting resumes and case studies sorted, and prepping for interviews. Attaching a cover letter can feel like yet another hurdle to overcome.
So, do you need a cover letter? And, if so, how do you write one that:
Feels good and authentic
Actually helps to support your job application
Doesn’t bore the socks off someone
Do I Even Need a (Good) Cover Letter?
Lets start with the most used and generic answer of all time: it depends.
The reason I answer in this way is because it really does depend on a few different factors and can be very individually based on the job you are applying for. Here are some ways to help you figured out whether a cover letter is necessary:
Do they ask for one?
If no, then you’re off the hook!
If yes, proceed to step two.
Do you care about the job you’re applying to?
If no (and they don’t require one), then don’t bother with a cover letter
If they do require one and you don’t care about the job, then I would not put a lot of time into creating a cover letter
If you do care, then the cover letter becomes more important and time-consuming
Do you want to make a stand-out impression?
If you don’t really care about the job and are bulk applying, then you can get away with a more generic cover letter
If you really want to make an impression, you will have to put more time and effort into a cover letter
Cover letters, when done poorly, can actually hurt your chances of getting to the next step in the job application process. As a hiring manager, I’ve read some pretty grim cover letters (to be fair, I’ve written some bad ones too), that include a lot of mistakes such as:
The wrong role
The incorrect company name
Highlighting the wrong types of tasks/responsibilities
Addressing it to the wrong person (such as a hiring manager’s name — I’ve been called a lot of different names before)
And although I do mention, if you don’t really care about the job but are forced to upload a cover letter, writing a generic cover letter, I don’t mean one that sucks. You can write a generic cover letter that is still good, and then you can go the extra level of writing a fantastic cover letter that gets positive attention — it’s all about the amount of time and effort you want to put into it.
In this article, we will focus on writing two types of cover letters:
The “Generic” Cover Letter
The “Knock-My-Socks-Off” Cover Letter
Components of a Cover Letter
Before we go off into the land of putting together the two types of cover letters together, lets talk through the purpose of a cover letter and the different components you can include.
What’s the Point of a Cover Letter?
As I always say in research projects, start with the goal and all else will follow. That’s pretty much the same with, well, everything.
If you don’t know the goal of the thing you are trying to do then it automatically becomes next to impossible to move forward. The same is with cover letters. For a really long time, I didn’t really consider the point of a cover letter so, when it came to writing them, I struggled. I didn’t know what to include or why I was writing one.
Once I dug a little deeper and understand the purpose, it automatically became easier for me to write because I knew the point. When the goal is clear, the necessary information to include and the structure become more obvious.
The goal of cover letters became more clear to me when I started my journey as a hiring manager. Suddenly, I was trying to judge all these people for a position based on their resumes. A single piece of paper. Sometimes one page. I had to use THAT to determine whether or not someone might be a good fit for our organization and to move to next steps.
I massively struggled when trying to hire people off such a small amount of information so, when someone included a cover letter (especially a “Knock-My-Socks-Off” one, I was super greatly appreciative.
And that’s when it really clicked for me. Cover letters give hiring managers an extra layer to consider when determining whether to move forward with a candidate. Your cover letter can be the determining factor in whether you hear nothing from an employer or whether you get called for an interview. That's because you are more than just your work experience, and cover letters give hiring managers a peek into your sparkling personality.
Cover letters are additional insight hiring managers simply wouldn’t get from your resume and can give data that helps make a more informed decision.
The goal of a cover letter is to provide hiring managers with unique insights and detailed examples that go beyond the bullet points of your resume, offering them a richer context and a personalized understanding of how you might fit into their organization.
Some Dos and Don’ts
Now that the goal of a cover letter is clear, it will hopefully make the necessary content a bit more straightforward and obvious. If you need to provide hiring managers with more detailed examples of work and how you might fit into the organization, those are two major topics you can now focus on.
Before we get directly to those topics, let me go through some Dos and Don’ts I’ve encountered both in my cover letter writing and as a hiring manager.
Don’t: Summarizing Your Resume
Your cover letter is an opportunity to say something different about yourself. You get a small chance to grab attention in your application, and you should use every opportunity! If you repeat the content of your resume, you're doing yourself an enormous disservice. That doesn’t mean you can’t include anything from your resume, but rather than summarizing the same content (like in my examples below), say something different, more in-depth, or unique.
Don’t: Tell
Try to avoid just copying and pasting the job requirements and that you have those skills. Instead, show you have those skills. For example: "I have exceptional attention to detail and communication skills. I can prioritize and break down complex projects." These sentences don't tell me anything and do not convince me that you are detail-oriented, a good communicator, and skilled at prioritization.
Instead, try, "I am fantastic when it comes to details, especially when it comes to running workshops. In a recent workshop, I coordinated between 15 schedules, created an aligned agenda, formatted the resources needed, followed-up with detailed next steps, and planned the workshop down to the minute (with a spreadsheet!). The result? A successful workshop that allowed all parties to understand the purpose and expected outcome. Also, we created three successful innovative products to test. I believe in applying this same attention to detail to tasks as big as cross-functional presentations to making sure my calendar and capacity spreadsheets are up-to-date."
Big difference! This demonstration convinces me this person is, in fact, detail-oriented.
Do: Include Unique Information
Your cover letter should talk about things outside work experience that make you especially well-suited for the job. For example, if you're applying for a job that requires organization skills, talk about how you track your finances in a detailed, color-coded spreadsheet. We want to know how you embody traits outside of work because it says something about what you'd bring to the job. Or maybe your last boss told you that you were the best workshop facilitator she'd ever seen or relied on you as her usability testing go-to person. Maybe your co-workers called you "generative research expert" because of your skill in being able to interview anyone about anything. These stories illustrate what you bring to the job differently from your resume.
Do: Address Any Question Marks
Your cover letter is your chance to provide context for any question marks that might come up for hiring managers. You can answer any questions about if you're overqualified, under-qualified, all your experience being from a different field, a considerable gap in work experience, or if you were let go from a role. Use the cover letter to talk about why something occurred and how your experience will translate.
Do: Customize the Letter
Avoid sending the same cover letter to each job you're applying for (that's why we only send cover letters to jobs we care about). You don't have to write a new letter each time, but you should do your research and write about this particular position's specifics. The hiring manager should not doubt that you wrote to them because you're excited about this company and role, not wonder if they've received the same cover letter you sent to other jobs. The extent to which you customize will be covered below when we talk through the two types of cover letters you can write.
Do: Aim for One Page
Unfortunately, as hiring managers, we have limited time to look over your application. If your cover letter is over one page, you are writing too much and running the hiring manager's risk of not finishing the letter. However, if you are only writing a paragraph, you likely aren't making a compelling case for yourself. Give it about a page!
Do: Include Small Details, When Possible
If you can find the hiring manager's name, include it. If not, don't worry. Some small things you can do are renaming the file to have the company's name and your full name, making sure you customize the letter, and always thanking the person reading for their time.
What to Include
Now the goal is clear, as well as some best practices when it comes to cover letters, so lets look at those two major topics and other additional information to include.
A Hello
When it comes to writing a letter, we typically start with “dear…” and go on to that person’s name. We might not know the person’s name we are addressing, but we can’t just leave this blank and start off the cover letter — I’ve seen this and it felt really unpersonalized.
If you don’t know the person you are addressing, I recommend to include “Dear Hiring Manager.” This is generic enough but still has some personalization beyond “To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear M’am/Sir.”
Introduction and Context
You wouldn’t skip introducing yourself to someone in-person, so why would you do that in a cover letter? I’ve seen a lot of people go straight into why they would be amazing for the job before stating the role they are interested in, or even the company.
In this section, include the role you are applying for and the organization’s name. Briefly describe why you are interested in that role in particular. If you can include something that resonates with you, such as the company mission or values, this is the perfect place to briefly include that.
The Content
Now comes the hardest part, which I used to refer to as: “WTF do I write?”
Take the goal and the two main topics from above:
More detailed story-based examples of your work
How you might be a positive fit for the organization
Using this, you can more easily craft information that gives more insight into who you are and how you operate.
Detailed Examples of Your Work
This is where show, don’t tell really shines. I can easily tell a hiring manager I am a hardworking and passionate user researchers in a cover letter by saying just that. But should that person take my word for it? Would you take the word of a complete stranger?
I hate when I get cover letters telling me things like:
“I’m really hardworking.”
“I have great attention to detail.”
“I am great at translating user research to actionable insights and business metrics.”
Because, the thing is, as a hiring manager, I want to believe you. I want you to come and work at my organization and succeed. But, after seeing and experiencing horror stories myself, and those of colleagues, it’s hard to just trust someone telling you they are one thing (I mean, even looking at my personal life, it’s hard to do that).
So, when you have the opportunity in your cover letter to take those concise bullet points of your resume and expand on them with concrete, story-based examples take it!
For example, let’s say your resume included bullet points on stakeholder management, creating actionable insights, and facilitating workshops. You could turn those into stories, like:
"Stakeholder management is one of my superpowers. I recognize that my research is a user experience for my colleagues. Once I started asking what learning style my stakeholders have and how they like to digest user research, my research deliverables changed immensely. I started creating outputs tailored to my stakeholders, which led to a huge uptick in research insights being put directly on to the roadmap."
"Creating actionable insights from research is where I truly shine. I see my role as not just gathering data, but turning it into a story that drives action. In one project, I led a series of user interviews and usability tests to tackle a persistent issue with our product’s navigation. After meticulously analyzing the data, I identified recurring themes and pinpointed the root causes of user frustration. I didn't stop there—understanding that different stakeholders absorb information differently, I crafted a variety of deliverables: from concise executive summaries for leadership to interactive usability reports for the design team. I even organized a ‘gallery walk’ where teams could visually explore the insights. This comprehensive approach ensured that the insights were not only understood but acted upon, leading to significant improvements in our product’s user experience and a 20% increase in user satisfaction."
“I love organizing and facilitating workshops, but not just in the work setting! I also coordinate and run the Berlin ResearchOps Group, from picking speakers to hosting networking events.”
How You Fit Into that Organization
This is where the personalization comes into play. The organization you are applying for is looking for someone with a very particular set of skills.
Okay, I had to put Liam Neeson in there.
Jokes aside, they are looking for someone specific and if you give them a completely generic response, likelihood is, you won’t be hitting upon what they are actually looking for. When things aren’t personalized, people skim and become disinterested. As a hiring manager, I was frustrated when I read something super generic because I felt like the person had just wasted my time.
To combat this, look at the job description and pick a few points that resonate with you that you have stories for, and include those examples in your cover letter. For instance, if a company is looking for a mixed-methods researcher, point out those skills:
"One of my favorite elements of my previous jobs has been pulling together qualitative and quantitative data to create a holistic view of what is happening and why it is happening. Recently, I embarked on an extensive generative research project where I combined in-depth user interviews, ethnographic studies, and survey data. Over several weeks, I immersed myself in the users' environments, observing their interactions and capturing their stories. I remember one particular user who, despite being tech-savvy, faced significant challenges with our app’s navigation. This qualitative insight, coupled with quantitative data showing high drop-off rates at specific points, painted a clear picture of the usability issues at hand.
I then synthesized these findings into a comprehensive report, highlighting not just what users were doing, but why they were doing it. This holistic view allowed my team to empathize deeply with our users and understand their pain points on a granular level. The insights from this generative research were transformative, guiding our design decisions and sparking innovative solutions that truly resonated with our user base."
Or looking for a cross-collaborator:
"Working cross-departmentally as a user researcher has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. Recently, I led a project to understand our customers' journey from initial awareness to post-purchase engagement. Collaborating with sales and marketing, I gathered valuable data on customer behaviors and conducted user interviews to uncover deeper insights. It became evident that there was a disconnect between marketing promises and user experience, leading to early product abandonment. I facilitated a workshop with sales, marketing, product development, and customer support to address these issues. By aligning our strategies and making targeted improvements, we saw a 25% increase in customer retention and established a culture of continuous improvement. This project underscored the power of cross-functional collaboration in enhancing user experience and achieving business goals."
What I highly recommend doing is taking bullet points out of the job description that are really relevant for you and writing a few stories about those particular bullet points. Then, you can condense the information into a more concise paragraph. This ensures that the content you are putting into your cover letter is aligned with what the organization is looking for.
Also, please don’t make up stories. I’m saying it because I’ve seen it and done it myself. It never works out.
Addressing Question Marks
Because sometimes we have awkward stuff we need to talk about, like a lay off, a lot of time off between work, or a transition, I have found it is easier (and better) to just address it head on (despite HATING confrontation). Here are some examples:
"While my recent experience is in academia, my background includes bringing together qualitative and quantitative research and reporting to all levels of management, as well as a variety of internal and external stakeholders."
"Between 2020-2021, I took a step back from work to rest and explore my interests. I spent time with family and friends and reevaluated what it meant to be a great user researcher. I am excited to be back in the field and reinvigorated to take on [role.]
"From 2018-2019, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live in Copenhagen for a year. During this time, I explored my passions through reading and writing. Returning from this trip, I feel refreshed and reenergized to take on [role].
Please remember you don’t have to explain anything you don’t want to. However, if you want to address something, a cover letter is a great place to do it.
Closing
Closing out the cover letter is important because, just like in a presentation, it’s good to reiterate your passion for the role at that particular organization. Also, thank the person for their time and remind them you are excited to hear about next steps.
Also, please include your contact information, such as your email — it’s likely we have it but sh*t can happen and things can get lost.
Signature
Signatures are actually so difficult. Should you go with a standard “Best,” a more formal “Sincerely,” a confident “Speak to you soon,” or a lighthearted “Cheers?”
To be honest, go with what feels the best for you. I typically either sign off my cover letters with “Best” or “Cheers” because that resonates with my personality and the content of my cover letters, including my tone and language.
Pick whichever feels the most comfortable and is consistent with how you are speaking in the cover letter.
And please include your name at the end 😁
First Off: The “Generic” Cover Letter
Whenever I’ve been in more desperate situations, I’ve bulk applied to jobs. It happens. We’ve (likely) all been there, or will be there at some point. Which means, I’ve applied to jobs I don’t care as much about and haven’t had the time (or energy) to write the most amazing cover letter of my life.
So, what happens when you are in this situation? You can still write a good (enough) generic cover letter. Just don’t make it too generic. What does that mean? Don’t do this:
Literally, I wrote the SAME exact thing repeatedly and just replaced the position and the company. There was absolutely nothing in this cover letter personalized or targeted to New York Public Radio. You’ll see the same exact thing below:
And again:
Literally, copy and paste, and then replace the position and company name. When I say generic, I do NOT mean this generic. I didn’t get interviews for any of the positions in which I included this cover letter. And, while I can’t attribute that outcome directly to my cover letter, I know that it certainly didn’t help my case. In fact, it might have hurt it.
User research is about storytelling and personalizing actionable information for your teams. If I can’t demonstrate at least some of those skills in a cover letter, that’s not a good sign for any hiring manager.
So, then, how do we toe the line between investing 100 hours into our resume and applying to lots of different jobs? If you are bulk applying, you certainly don’t want to heavily personalize each and every cover letter because, well, then applying for jobs becomes it’s own full-time job (although it already usually is).
The Middle Ground
When it comes to the more “generic” cover letter, I usually have a template that I follow that includes most of the components covered above.
Hello
Introduction and Context
Two detailed stories based on resume bullet points
Closing
Signature
With this, I am not really digging into the details of exactly how I fit into an organization and giving super specific examples in that case. Of course, I always use the role I’m applying to as a helpful guide — if they are looking for a qualitative researcher, I will use more of those examples versus a mixed-methods researcher, where I will use mixed methods examples.
Typically, however, I pick two detailed stories that are more on the “generic” side that can be used repeatedly regardless of the role and organization, such as skills that are highly regarded in the field. These are typically soft skills like:
Workshop facilitation
Stakeholder management
Business and strategy focus
Collaboration
Time management or organization
Teaching, mentoring, or educating others
By choosing two of these skills and detailing really nice stories with them, you will be able to craft a more generic cover letter that you can spend less time on but still highlights stories beyond your resume.
“Generic” Template
So let’s now see what that could look like as a template:
Dear Hiring Manager
I’d love to be considered for [role].
I was particularly excited to see [role/position] open at [company name], as I [admire/am a fan of] your work.
I am a user research with [years of experience], doing everything from recruitment to activation workshops. One of my superpowers is [your “generic” detail.] In my past role, I [concrete example of why that is your superpower].
I am also a [your “generic” detail]. About two months ago, I [concrete example of how you embody detail].
I believe my [skills from above] and experience are an excellent match with [company name], and I am excited about the chance to work with you.
Thank you for your time reviewing my cover letter, and I hope to hear from you soon.
[Signature]
[Name & Contact Info]
“Generic” Example
And now an example using that same template, but not going to far into the weeds to look up specific bullet points from the job description:
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am excited to apply for the Senior User Researcher role at [Organization]. My background includes extensive user research experiences, from the end-to-end research process, reporting to all levels of stakeholders, and working with a large variety of departments. I love to dive into my role to empathize with users and understand how I can support and enable product teams to make better decisions.
One of my favorite elements of my previous jobs has been pulling together the correct type and amount of qualitative and quantitative data to create a snapshot that's easy for my audience to understand. I make everything from a monthly user research newsletter to highlight significant high-level themes to very in-depth reports that focus on a particular product or team's goals. To ensure the teams are getting the insights to answer their questions, I meet with stakeholders to define the process and clarify the information they need.
To ensure we are doing the proper research for the user and the organization, I love the opportunity to flex my prioritization and strategic muscles. In my current role, part of this manifests setting the strategy for the research team. I have a $$ budget allocated per year, where I plan out the type of research we will do and how it aligns with the company's strategic direction. Also, I am part of the quarterly roadmap planning with teams. I engage with them to make sure they are dedicated 20% of the roadmap to discovery research and dedicate 20% of each sprint to fixing the most critical usability issues found in our research.
I worked through the entire end-to-end process of user research both with and without external tools for help in my previous roles. I have worked closely with account managers and customer support to recruit hard-to-reach participants. Working closely with product teams, I intake their requests and engage them throughout the process with daily research summaries, gifs of pain points, updates through our messenger software, and fun share outs that include role-playing. I love collaborating with others and have even managed to help a sales team refine their pitch to speak to customer needs and pain points.
I look forward to speaking with you to learn more about your organization, the career opportunities it offers me, and how my skills can help [Organization] succeed. Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
[Name & Contact Info]
The above still highlights details and examples, but they are a bit more “generic” in terms of skills. It is a lot easier to copy and paste something like this, making sure to tweak the organization and you can also tweak the introduction slightly to talk through admiring the organization (with a sentence on why if you feel compelled).
However, as you might be able to tell, while this is a good cover letter that gives deeper and richer context into strengths and personality, it still lacks personalization to the actual organization. Again, this is great if you are bulk applying to a bunch of jobs and still want to be considered, but not as great if you are looking to pack a punch.
So, now, let’s dive into the other type of cover letter.
The “Knock-My-Socks-Off” Cover Letter
Now it’s time for the cover letter that takes more time. Again, I recommend using this type of cover letter if you really care about the job, want to stand out, and want a higher likelihood of moving to the next phase of the process. With this cover letter, I include everything from above:
Hello
Introduction and Context
Two detailed stories based on the job description
How I would be a good fit
Closing
Signature
Of course, this takes more time. Instead of just picking those more “generic” skills, you have to go through the job description to pick two to three points that resonate that you have examples/stories for, and then highlight why you are a good fit for the organization.
The “generic” one is copy and paste, while this one isn’t. Trust me, I’ve tried.
Generally, it takes me about 30-60 minutes to write a more personalized cover letter these days. And, if I am really obsessed with the job, I will work on it over the course of a few days, tweaking and optimizing it.
It’s a lot more time than the above, however, it is hugely worth it as it can really make you stand out from a crowd of other “generic” cover letters. I do recommend it if you are really looking to get the attention of a hiring manager (just make sure to adhere to the best practices).
Since it sucks starting from a blank page, here is the template and two examples using the template for Etsy and Netflix.
“Knock-My-Socks-Off” Template
I created and use this template as a starting point so that I remember to take the time to personalize each of the pieces of content within the cover letter:
Dear Hiring Manager
I’d love to be considered for [role].
I was particularly excited to see [role/position] open at [company name], as I [admire/am a fan of] your work. I am impressed by [concrete reason & why it's important to you] and would love to be a part of your work.
Reading over the job description for the position, I recognized myself. I have [years of experience] as a [title], doing everything from recruitment to activation workshops. One of my superpowers is [important bullet from the job description.] In my past role, I [concrete example of why that is your superpower].
I am also a [important bullet from the job description]. About two months ago, I [concrete example of why you embody that bullet point].
I believe my [skills from job description] and experience are an excellent match with [company name], and I am excited about the chance to work with you.
Thank you for your time reviewing my cover letter, and I hope to hear from you soon.
[Signature],
[Your Name & Contact Info]
“Knock-My-Socks-Off” Example - Etsy
Here’s an example for a position at Etsy, using the template from above:
Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],
I’d love to be considered for the Qualitative User Researcher role at Etsy. I was particularly excited to see this position open, as I have long admired Etsy's commitment to empowering small businesses and fostering a unique, creative community. Your dedication to supporting independent sellers and promoting sustainable practices is not only impressive but also deeply resonates with my own values, as I am a small business owner.
Reading over the job description for the position, I recognized myself. I have over five years of experience as a User Researcher, doing everything from recruitment to activation workshops. One of my superpowers is conducting in-depth generative research, a skill that aligns closely with your job requirements. In my past role at Creative Innovations, I led a generative research project where I combined ethnographic studies and user interviews. By immersing myself and stakeholders in users' environments, I uncovered critical insights that informed the design of a new product, ultimately increasing user satisfaction by 30%.
I am also highly skilled in creating actionable insights, another key requirement for this role. About two months ago, I led a project that aimed to improve our product’s onboarding process. By synthesizing qualitative data from user interviews and quantitative data from user analytics, I identified the root causes of user drop-offs. I then organized a cross-departmental workshop with teams from sales, marketing, and product development to brainstorm solutions. This collaborative effort led to significant improvements and a 20% boost in user retention.
I believe my skills in user recruitment, data synthesis, and cross-departmental collaboration are an excellent match with Etsy. I am excited about the chance to bring my expertise in qualitative research to help Etsy continue to create meaningful and delightful user experiences.
Thank you for your time reviewing my cover letter, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers,
[Your Name & Contact Info]
“Knock-My-Socks-Off” Example - Netflix
Here’s an example for a position at Netflix, using the template from above:
Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],
I’d love to be considered for the Qualitative User Researcher role at Netflix. I was thrilled to see this position open, as I have long admired Netflix's innovative approach to entertainment and its commitment to delivering personalized, engaging experiences to its global audience. Your dedication to understanding and delighting users through data-driven insights is both impressive and inspiring.
Reading over the job description for the position, I recognized myself. I have over six years of experience as a User Researcher, with mixed methods research expertise including hands-on experience leading end-to-end quantitative and qualitative research studies. One of my most memorable projects involved conducting an exciting mixed methods study for a new feature on our platform. I combined surveys, in-depth interviews, and usability testing to gather comprehensive insights. This approach helped us evaluate our hypotheses and also uncovered unexpected user behaviors that significantly informed our design decisions. The positive feedback we received in the post-study stakeholder satisfaction survey highlighted the value and impact of our research, as well as how comprehensive using both qualitative and quantitative data felt to the stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of a mixed methods approach.
I have demonstrable experience in informing growth and monetization strategies through user research. In my past role at Streaming Solutions, I conducted a series of studies to explore new subscription models and ad-supported features. By analyzing user feedback and behavioral data, I identified key factors that influenced subscription conversions and ad engagement. These insights directly informed our growth strategy, resulting in a 20% increase in subscription rates and higher ad revenue.
Identifying, prioritizing, and leading research roadmaps that generate insights to inform monetization strategies is another area where I excel. Recently, I spearheaded a research initiative aimed at understanding motivations and pain points related to our pricing tiers. I developed a research roadmap that included competitive analysis, user interviews, and A/B testing. The findings from this research were instrumental in reshaping our pricing strategy, leading to increased user satisfaction and revenue growth.
I believe my skills in mixed methods research, product and UX research, and strategic research planning are an excellent match with Netflix. I am excited about the chance to bring my expertise to help Netflix continue to innovate and provide exceptional experiences for its users.
Thank you for your time reviewing my cover letter, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers,
[Your Name & Contact Info]
Final Thoughts
Writing cover letters can feel like pulling teeth, but understanding their purpose and tailoring them to your unique experiences and the job you're going for can make the process less painful and even a bit enjoyable.
So, to wrap up, here's what we talked about:
Nailing the goal: Cover letters give hiring managers more than just your resume, offering a fuller picture of who you are and how you'd fit in.
Deciding if you need one: It depends on the job and how much you care about it. If they ask for one and you’re into the job, go for it. If not, don’t stress it.
Avoiding the pitfalls: Don’t just rehash your resume, don’t list skills without examples, and don’t use the same letter for every job.
Using detailed, story-based examples: Show, don’t tell. Use specific stories to highlight your skills and experiences.
Addressing question marks: Explain any gaps or transitions in your work history directly and confidently.
Personalizing your letter: Make sure your cover letter speaks directly to the job and company you’re applying to. Show them you’re genuinely interested.
Practicing and Getting Feedback
It took me a lot of time to nail down my cover letter process and to feel comfortable/confident when I wrote a cover letter. A lot of that was through practice, experimenting, feedback, failure, and iterating. As you could see, my first cover letters were generic blobs and now they are much more aligned with how I operate, and filled with more personality and stories.
Here are some ways you can get better (also don’t forget to give yourself time!):
Practice makes perfect: The more you write, the better you’ll get. Try drafting cover letters for different jobs to get comfortable with the process.
Get some feedback: Ask friends, mentors, or colleagues to look over your cover letters. They can spot things you might miss and give you tips to improve.
Use online tools: Tools like Grammarly can help with grammar and style, while LinkedIn and other sites offer tons of examples and inspiration.
Join writing groups or workshops: These can provide a supportive environment to share your work and get constructive feedback.
Revise, revise, revise: Don’t be afraid to tweak your cover letters multiple times. Editing is key to making your letter shine.
By keeping these tips in mind and following the advice we’ve covered, you’ll be able to craft cover letters that not only get noticed but also show off your unique personality and strengths.
I hope these templates and examples help you feel more confident in your cover letters and give you the boost you need to write those “knock-my-socks-off” types of cover letters — and also help you feel good about all your accomplishments! Sending all the good vibes.
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