Good advice– on anything these days– is hard to find. But in no area is it so woefully inadequate as cover letters for creative professionals looking to thrive in creative careers.

What’s so wrong with cover letter advice for creatives? In general, it is a call to mediocrity. And for positions like marketing, design, writing, and social media, mediocrity is the kiss of death.

We live in an economy paying top dollar for ideas. No one wants a marketer less creative than their competitors, or a designer dependent on overused conventions. HR managers are sick of reading boring dreck: so pique their interest, command their attention, take a risk, and land that interview.

Here’s how…

This post was written by Ben Steele. A version of it previously appeared at Capitol Standard