Cover Letter Toolkit - Cover Letters 4p3b1k

CONSULTING COVER LETTER TOOLKIT

TABLE OF CONTENTS Successful Cover Letters

Page 1 – 21

Top 20% Cover Letters

Page 22 – 42

Rewritten Cover Letters – Before vs. After

Page 43 – 56

SUCCESSFUL COVER LETTERS The following actual cover letters are from my students who successfully received job offers from one of the top 10 consulting firms. I have verified their job offer by retaining confidential copies of their offer letters. At the top of each letter, I listed the firms that invited the candidate to interview — a sign that the cover letter and resume were sufficiently interesting to warrant inviting the candidate to interview.

Page 1



Successful Cover Letter 101 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, Oliver Wyman (Undergrad Intern)

Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, I am a senior at [Harvard College] graduating with an A.B. in Social Studies in May 2014. I am writing to apply for the position of Associate Consultant in the [Company Name] Singapore office.

{BBN School ✔}

While at Harvard, I have maintained a [4.0 GPA] while taking challenging coursework across a broad range of social science subjects. My courses have taught me to think in highly analytical ways across and between various frameworks, to process and organize information efficiently, and to express my ideas in clear, concise writing. I have also taken [coursework in economics and statistics] and have put these skills to work as a [Research Assistant for Harvard’s Department of Government]. As recognition of my performance in my coursework and research, I was elected to [Phi Beta Kappa] as a junior, [one of only 24 students] in my class to receive this highest academic honor.

{GPA ✔} {Academic Credibility ✔} {Out of how many in class?}

I am interested in working at [Company Name] because I want to learn how to use the analytical skills I’ve developed in college to add value to your company. As Business Manager of one of Harvard’s premier a cappella groups, I worked closely with fellow musicians to generate US$30,000 in revenue and organize a ten-week-long, sixteen-country World Tour in the summer of 2012. My resume is attached for your review. Thank you very much for your time and consideration, and I look forward to speaking with you soon. Regards,



Candidate Name

Page 2

Successful Cover Letter 102 Interview Invites: BCG, McKinsey, Oliver Wyman (Undergrad Intern) Candidate Address E-Mail Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, I am applying for a full-time Associate position at the [Company Name] office in Montreal or in Toronto. Last year, after spending a semester abroad at [The Wharton School of Business], I found myself intrigued {BBN by the world of consulting after attending an endless barrage of information sessions and realizing that School ✔ } consulting offered everything I looked for in job – from meaningful work to networking opportunities to personal development. I also attended the [McGill] information session and thoroughly enjoyed speaking to {BBN ✔ } multiple [Company Name] consultants. I found [Person 1] especially entertaining and inspiring. Furthermore, I was extremely impressed with the presentation and what I learned about [Company Name] in of the people, the opportunities offered, and the emphasis on teamwork. I believe my focus on academics as well as my previous experience as an entrepreneur and small business consultant makes me a suitable candidate capable of contributing to your organization. I am especially interested in working at the new Montreal office because I find the entrepreneurial aspect to be particularly intriguing. Two years ago, I licensed the rights to operate a painting franchise under the name “Scholars at Your Service.” This experience shaped me into the person I am today and allowed me to acquire important leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Moreover, I was exposed to aspects of the business world not present in school and [managed relationships with clients many times my senior in of age and professional development]. On the other hand, my experience as a consultant allowed me to interact with senior executives to solve critical problems through extensive research and brainstorming. These two ventures have pushed me far [out of my comfort zone] and presented me with many challenges which have significantly contributed to my personal growth and development. From here, I wish to pursue a career in consulting – especially at [Company Name] where I will be surrounded by extraordinary people, have access to an abundance of structured resources and training programs, and be exposed to a variety of industries. Additionally, an important goal of mine is to one day get an MBA from a top business school and I believe that [Company Name] will be instrumental in helping me achieve this goal. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you and to learn more about [Company Name]. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Improvement Opportunities: - Academic Achievement - BBN.

Page 3

{Initiative ✔ } {Practical Experience ✔ } {People Skills ✔ }

Successful Cover Letter 103 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, Bain, BCG, McKinsey (Undergrad Intern) Candidate Address Company Name Company Address Dear Sir or Madam, My name is XXX, and I am applying for a business analyst position at [Company Name]. I am a Melbourne University [Copland Scholar] currently in my final year of my Bachelor of {Academic Commerce majoring in Actuarial Studies and Economics. I feel that I am ideally suited to a position at Skills ✔} [Company Name] as I identify strongly with your ion for results through collaboration, and my ability to solve complex problems will allow me to make a significant contribution to your client work. Creating a positive impact on the world drives almost everything I do. Whether I am lecturing or working with student societies, I aim to benefit those I interact with in some way. From my experiences I have discovered that the key to creating results lies in fostering close relationships with everyone involved. The best example of this is the work I have done with a Cambodian Microfinance Organisation (MFO) over the past 20 months. Due to the geographical difference, my team primarily worked by correspondence, and we found the inability to communicate freely frustrating at times. We wanted to increase the impact we could deliver and bring ourselves closer to the MFO, so we decided to organise a trip to visit them in Cambodia. On the trip we were able to gain a first hand understanding of the culture and operations of the MFO and build personal relationships with their key staff. This allowed our recommendations to become far more targeted and practical. More importantly, the trust and rapport we built with the MFO gave them the confidence to implement our solutions. Moreover, internally our team was able to develop significantly closer relationships due to the time we spent together. Having my work lead to real world results and enjoying the company of the people I work with are two things I value extremely highly. I am able to achieve both of these outcomes at [Company Name] and that is why I would be suited to and want to work at your firm. Additionally, my experience with solving complex problems will allow me to create those practical and sustainable results we share a ion for. Through my involvement with a range of activities, my full skillset, from communication to quantitative skills, has been honed. More importantly however, I have taken these skills and applied them to solve real problems. The best example of this is my participation in several case competitions including the recent Marshall International Case Competition where I represented my University in America, competing against the top 30 business schools in the world. At the competition my team was required to solve highly ambiguous and complex problems within a very short timeframe. Finding a way to frame a problem to make it more approachable was of key importance given the limited time we were allocated. By making judgments after constantly discussing and challenging each other we were able to solve these problems and place high within our division. I am confident I will be able to contribute positively to [Company Name]’s work, as I would bring my experience solving and deriving insight from complex problems to the company. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. [Company Name] is a firm that I would be proud to work with. I believe the combination of our shared ion for impact through collaboration coupled with my ability to work with and solve complex business problems would make me an excellent addition to your company. I look forward to discussing my application with you in more detail in the near future. Yours sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 4

Successful Cover Letter 104 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, Deloitte, L.E.K., McKinsey (Undergrad Intern)

Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone Number Dear XXX: I am applying for the Summer Associate position with [Company Name]. I am currently a third year Business Economics major at the [University of California Los Angeles], and am graduating in June 2013. I believe that my strong academic record, substantial leadership, and diverse experience make me an excellent fit for the Summer Associate position with [Company Name] As president of Bruin Consulting, my experiences as a [team leader] and detail-oriented {Leadership analyst have inspired me to pursue a career in consulting. As an Associate Consultant Skills ✔} for a project with UCLA’s John Wooden Center, I was responsible for deg and implementing a customer survey to gather and extract relevant data for my team to use in their analysis. From this data we were also able to [formulate hypotheses] about {Analytical consumer demand and [test them] against their actual usage patterns to increase Skills ✔} operational efficiency for our client. This role also required me to manage my time effectively between team and client meetings, develop my problem solving skills through critical reasoning, and meet rigorous deadlines. Having spoken with [Person 1] about his internship experience, I was most intrigued by the fast-paced project schedule and various resources [Company Name] provides for their consultants such as the mentorship program, extensive employee training, and the opportunity to interact with Partners. My interest in Media and Technology industries makes [Company Name]’s Los Angeles office a great place for me to gain exposure to the strategic challenges these industries face while developing my career as a consultant. Furthermore, [Company Name]’s ive environment paired with its strong team culture draws close parallels to my personal values and experiences – something that I feel will be of mutual benefit. I would like to thank you in advance for considering my application, and look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 5

Successful Cover Letter 105 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, Oliver Wyman (Undergrad) Candidate Phone Candidate E-Mail Company Name Company Address Dear XXX: My name is XXX, and I am greatly interested in becoming a consultant at [Company Name]. I am writing to you with the interest of becoming a full-time Business Analyst at the Dubai office. I believe that my experience as an undergraduate student in [Electrical and Computer Engineering] at the [American University of Beirut], as well as my experiences post university have prepared me greatly to take on this position.

{Scores?} {GPA???}

Having been a cabinet member in the AUB Consulting Club, I had the opportunity to network and work with students, alumni and professional consultants from different companies. This is when I realized that consulting would be the right environment for me. I am eager to discover multiple industries and functions and enjoy working in teams, and I am keen on surrounding myself with smart and ambitious people. Moreover, my final year as Chair of the IEEE Student Branch has allowed me to discover my leadership potential; I was able to pinpoint the strengths of each committee member and leverage them by asg the appropriate tasks. My time at AUB has prepared me to move on to the next stage in my professional life. One of my more recent experiences was successfully pitching, as part of a team, the digital strategy for Unilever’s global vision to the top MENA executives in Dubai. As a result, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Singapore where [Unilever] employees from all over the world gathered. Having this exchange in perspectives about business and having a conversation about leadership with the COO is an experience I would like to replicate. That is precisely why it is exciting to be in the Middle-East; companies have established themselves and now are looking to perform efficiently. Meeting top executives and collaborating with them to optimize their processes and have a scalable impact is more than fulfilling. I particularly appreciated the idea of “essential rightness” that Isabelle explained, and how [Company Name] strives by providing their clients with exactly what they need to empower them.

{BBN ✔ }

My internship at Bank Audi Saradar was the perfect transition to the business world. I went through the various steps in [analyzing] the financial standing of companies and the projects they wish to undertake when asking for a loan. I also got exposed to the trading activities of market securities and asked to spend the evenings in the trading room to witness the activities in the US market, while solving exercises on stock options and portfolios. Currently I am [interning at Unilever] in the Trade Category Management department. This experience is making it clear to me that my skills would best be employed in management consulting. I am conducting [data analysis] for the customers, and providing them with recommendations on how they can {Data grow in sales. This experience has taught me the importance of collaboration between the different parties Analysis involved in a business deal, from the supplier to the distributor to the customer. What I am noticing is that Unilever is also benefiting from the outside perspective brought by the interns; especially when I suggest some improvements after going on market visits with merchandisers and salesmen. These visits are essential if you want to have a good basis for a career in FMCG, which is why I would like to start my career as an analyst, because I believe that the same applies to consulting. I have ed my resume along with this letter. I genuinely hope that they provide you with valid reasons to schedule an interview with me so that I can meet your team and discuss with you how my skillset would be a great fit for a Business Analyst position at [Company Name] Middle-East. Sincerely yours, Candidate Name

Page 6

✔}

Successful Cover Letter 106 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, Bain, BCG, L.E.K, Strategy& (Undergrad) Ref: Graduate Position Dear XXX, I am writing to apply for an Associate Consultant position at [Company Name] as I believe that my diverse set of experiences and particular skill set make me an ideal candidate for this role. A career in consulting became my aspiration shortly after ing the University of Auckland Business Case Programme. I am excited by the intellectual challenge that each case presents to solve the current issues of a business and then persuade key stakeholders to implement your recommendations. To be effective problem solvers, consultants need to be able to think critically and communicate effectively. I have developed these skills through my heavy involvement in the Business Case Programme where teams of four are asked to come up with strategic and financially sound recommendations for real organisations in a time-pressured environment. My success in the programme has resulted in my selection to [represent the University in international business case competitions held in Montreal, Singapore, Auckland and Seattle].

{Leadership Skills ✔ }

I am also ionate about creating change in the world. Last year I was selected to be part of the Shoulder Tap community, an initiative under the direction of entrepreneur [Person 1]. The community’s task is to tackle some of the biggest issues facing New Zealand with the ultimate goal of “uniting people, planet and profit”. To do this, we have set in motion a number of projects that target specific domestic issues. I was part of the community’s first initiative, the ‘Virgin Voters Collective’. This was a non-partisan, umbrella effort to connect the many individual campaigns aiming to reverse the decline of young voter participation in New Zealand. My role was threefold; to identify the electorates with the lowest turnout, to assist in coordinating the organisations that fell under the umbrella, and to develop the long term strategy. Our efforts made a tangible impact, with the voter turnout among 18-29 year olds increasing by 23% since the 2011 election. It is the diversity of experiences within a team that allows [Company Name] to bring a fresh perspective to client problems and continually deliver value. I believe that I can bring this diversity, as I have a broad range of experiences to draw from. In particular, I am very ionate about music and the performing arts. I have previously made it through three rounds of [New Zealand’s Got Talent], and was selected to perform to a crowd of over 200,000 people at Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park. These experiences have provided me with a unique perspective, and I continually draw upon them as a source of creativity and confidence. There are many reasons why [Company Name] appeals so greatly to me as a firm. In particular, I am drawn to the firm’s dedication to both clients and employees. I have spoken to [Person 2] and [Person 3], as well as those who have previously gone through the recruitment process, and they have all highlighted the firm’s strong focus on the personal development of each employee; [Company Name]’s number one ranking in the Glassdoor Employee’s Choice Awards as the ‘Best Place to Work’ in 2015 is a testament to that. I would relish the opportunity to work in an environment where I would be continually challenged to find an innovative answer, and to make a difference on a global scale. Thank you for your time and consideration, I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Candidate Name

Candidate E-Mail XXX M Phone XXX Address XXX

Improvement Opportunity: BBN.

Page 7

{Different ✔ } {Interesting Person ✔ (Clients will like.)}

Successful Cover Letter 107 Interview Invite: McKinsey (Undergrad) Candidate Name E-mail Address Country Dear Department of Human Resource [Company Name] I would like to apply for Consulting Analyst position in [Company Name] Jakarta Office . I know this information from your company website. I have graduated from Department of Industrial Engineering Institut Teknologi Bandung. One of the thing that I love from my major is it allows me to apply system thinking in all problems that I want to solve. Applying system thinking helps me to produce better solution that will drive better impact to the stakeholder that I serve. I feel that your company has the opportunity that I have been looking for to develop my ion and skills. I believe I can be a great addition for your company because of three reasons. Firstly, I have a lot of working experience. I had three internship periods (in PT. [Unilever] Indonesia, PT. {BBN ✔ } [Towers Watson] Indonesia, PT. Aplikasi Sistem Bisnis) during my college life. During my internship, I worked in team with more senior people, solved real problems, and managed stakeholders. I believe this experience helps me to adapt faster to working environment thus enables me to contribute positively for the firm. Secondly, I always give my best effort to make my goal happen. I will not give up until it really happens. I have been ing parliamentary debating competitions since I was in high school and I finally won my first ever debating competition after involving for 5.5 years. My persistency led me also to be the [first Indonesian who won World University Debating Championship on English as Foreign Language Category {Interesting ✔} in 2014]. Thirdly, I have a lot of organizational and project experience. I was in charge as the President of ITB Student English Forum from 2012-2013. I was also involved as the project leader of Keluarga Mahasiswa Katolik Annual Easter Event and event coordinator of my student union charity event. This experience helps me a lot on how to work in group. To conclude, I believe that I can learn a lot from this company and contribute to this company as well. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to knowing the confirmation in the near future. Regards Candidate Name

Page 8

Successful Cover Letter 108 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, Deloitte, McKinsey (Undergrad) Candidate Name – Candidate Address – Phone – E-Mail Company Name Company Address Application as Fellow at [Company Name] Dear XXX, After completing an internship with [Booz] in 2012, I can say with confidence that strategy consulting is my {BBN ✔ } ideal career choice; it not only offers an excellent learning curve, but also the opportunity to collaborate with inspiring people on a wide variety of industries. Earlier in 2011, I obtained a deep insight into the value-based culture of [Company Name]. Participating in {Clearly the DIVE event in Rome, I was particularly impressed by the extraordinary integrity and honesty of Interested} [Company Name]’s consultants. This impression was confirmed by talking to [Person 1] at this year’s HSG Talents Conference. I believe that these distinctive [Company Name] values provide the ideal foundation to achieve personal fulfillment and team success on the consulting job. For this reason, I am applying for a Fellow position (generalist path) at [Company Name] starting fall 2014. During my graduate studies in Banking & Finance and International Management at the University of St.Gallen (HSG), I acquired valuable teamwork, business and analytical skills. Working for Booz, I applied and enhanced these skills in a consulting environment. Collaborating closely with experienced consultants, I was successful at delivering quality work in demanding and high pressure situations. My responsibilities included the development of a sales tracking model and the evaluation of a market survey. With great enthusiasm, I contributed to the project success by skillfully [analyzing large data sets], [drawing concise {Data/ conclusions] and [thinking in an integrative manner]. Analytical Besides, I am a dynamic, proactive and entrepreneurial individual. After my exchange semester in Brazil in 2013, I coordinated the Impact Investing Research Platform at the HSG Hub in Sao Paulo. To initiate a consulting practice, I conducted a first reference project for an organic soy supplier. Within the informal and less organized Brazilian business context, I demonstrated strong intercultural and planning skills to execute the assignment. Particularly, I overcame the challenge to communicate effectively with the Brazilian management. Finally, the completed project opened the door for future consulting activities at the HSG Hub Sao Paulo. After these influential consulting experiences, I am now eager to become a full-time consultant at [Company Name]. My constructive and reliable attitude, as well as my analytical and interpersonal skills would make a valuable contribution to [Company Name]’s unique culture and business. In return, I promise a relentless work ethic coupled with a particularly positive mindset. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to further exploring my opportunities and remain at your disposal by phone at XXX, or by email at XXX. Sincerely, Candidate E-Signature Candidate Name

Page 9

Skills ✔}

Successful Cover Letter 109 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, McKinsey (Undergrad) Company Name Company Address Dear Insight Healthcare Recruiter,

{Add Yale As a [medical student at Stanford University] I was excited to hear consultants reflect on their enjoyment of mini-MBA orientation, on-the-job lunches, and office social events of his first undergrad with year: such a ive and collegial environment is consistent with what I am seeking. In attending good GPA.}, last week’s on-campus information session, I confirmed how well aligned my interests in systemlevel improvements to healthcare are with opportunities in management consulting. I believe that my qualifications and experiences in healthcare are well suited for this career path, and I applied specifically for Insight Healthcare as I am particularly interested in the associate role at [Company Name]. [Company Name]’s excellent reputation, best-in-class healthcare systems and services practice, and welcoming environment for advanced professional degree consultants are an ideal match. The firm’s established payor/provider practices will allow me to leverage the analytical approaches that I have learned from implementing a free clinic’s electronic medical records system and hospital volunteer program’s quality improvement initiative. [Company Name]’s global clientele, ranging from national government providers to nonprofits, offers potential engagements for me to draw on prior experiences navigating the global health space in India. The opportunity to broadly impact patient care is what fundamentally motivates me. Besides providing a high-level view beyond that of the individual patient, management consulting will allow me to shape how healthcare is delivered through a data-driven, client-centric approach that I find appealing. Engagements to improve a hospital chain’s clinical operations, develop an integrated healthcare solution for a provider, or redesign a national healthcare system are all exciting, but to tackle those problems in a uniquely collegial, team-based setting is what I truly find galvanizing. No other industry, and no other management consulting firm, offers such an exceptional career experience. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to interview for Insight Healthcare. I look forward to hearing a favorable response from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 10



Candidate Address

Dear XXX,

Successful Cover 110 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, Bain, BCG (MBA)





E-Mail









Phone



I wish to express my interest for the Consultant role as I believe my ability in managing international projects and leading global teams, coupled with my experience in interfacing with C- level executives are a great fit for [Company Name].

{Academics?}



From the early stages of my career, I’ve been ionate ing customer analytics to generate insights that create impact in organisations and I always took pride in creating success for my firm.

For instance, when I ed GfK Equity Research as employee #10 I knew I wanted to leave a mark and I have been instrumental in the division’s growth into an accomplished 60+ people venture.

My role involved interfacing with clients on a daily basis, building and mentoring a global team of analysts and even setting up a new office in Asia, all of which required a huge amount of personal and professional commitment and plain hard work, but ultimately the gratification that came from having contributed to the success of an enterprise is something that is still with me.

{People Skills ✔ }



More recently at Quadrangle Group, I have managed several consulting projects in the technology and telecom industry, often combining customer and business data in order to drive change at my client’s organisations.

For example, I led a cross functional project with the aim to define the customer lifetime value for a major telecom player and convinced C-level executives that the group’s customer strategy should be radically redefined.

The magnitude of the intellectual challenge and the intricate political backdrop made this engagement particularly complex, but the reward I got from solving a difficult problem, combined with the satisfaction I experienced in driving improvements at my clients’ organizations, made it all worthwhile.

Two years later, top executives of the firm still point to this project as a striking success and this is in my opinion a strong indicator of the fact that I am going to enjoy working as a consultant.

So, why [Company Name]?

In doing my research on which consulting firm would be the best fit for me, I had the pleasure to speak with many consultants from the UK and Italian offices and I believe there are two main reasons why [Company Name] is a good fit for me:

[Company Name] is not afraid to re-invent the wheel if this means achieving a better solution for the client. While other firms may fit new problems to existing frameworks, I have learned that [Company Name] is not afraid to work a solution from scratch if this is the right thing to do. I ire this approach, as it is very much in line with my values;

[Company Name]-ers are the kind of people I want to spend time with. I’ve been surprised by how welcoming, friendly and sharp your people are. Specifically I ire your ‘fact-based’ approach, which resonates very well with my way of working. I know consulting is a team effort and working with the right people is extremely important to me.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss in a personal interview my qualifications and fit for the position, feel free to reach me at e-mail XXX or phone XXX at your earliest convenience.



Best regards Candidate Name

Improvement Opportunity: Academic achievement.

Page 11

{Analytical Skills ✔ } {Leadership Skills ✔ }

Successful Cover Letter 111 Interviews Invites: A.T. Kearney, Bain, BCG, Booz Allen (MBA) Candidate Address Company Name Company Address Dear XXX: Please accept the following as my application for the Consultant position with [Company Name]. After two years at [Teach For America], time as an analyst at Public Consulting Group, and a summer with the [Sam’s Club] strategy team, I am seeking a career in consulting in order to focus on problem solving in a data-driven, collaborative, and client-centered environment. Conversations with [[Person 1]] and [[Person 2]] in the Dallas office confirmed that [Company Name] shares my respect for data and my focus on results. The lessons and skills I learned at Teach For America, Public Consulting Group, and Sam’s Club, combined with the logical, structured approach to problem solving I gained through the legal portion of my [JD/MBA], have set me up for success in management consulting. The following skills will contribute to my accomplishments at [Company Name]: Analytical problem-solving: This summer, I estimated the lifetime value of four types of Sam’s Club . First, I developed a conceptual model of member lifetime by interviewing hip experts, gaining an understanding of the underlying variables of hip. I then plugged the pertinent data into the model, calculating the NPV of lifetime values for each segment. Finally, I used my findings to value the firm as a whole and validated this against other company valuations. I then ed the model off to Sam’s marketing-finance team to evaluate future initiatives to acquire new .

{Brand Names ✔ } {Did Homework ✔ }

{Which school? LSAT? GMAT?}

{Analytical Skills ✔ }

Leadership: As a summer advocate at the TASO AIDS Clinic in Entebbe, Uganda, I led a team of {Leadership four advocates to write over 300 wills for AIDS patients. First, I helped the team clearly define / People goals. Next, I invested each team member in the project by articulating the intersection between Skills ✔ } their interests and our goal. As we proceeded, I constantly communicated our progress. Finally, when our client pool began to dry up, I led the team to problem-solve and persist, ultimately achieving our goal of 300 wills. Influence and communication: As a strategy intern this summer, I was asked to brief the CEO of Sam’s Club on a rising competitor. Knowing that my report would touch on pain-points with several executives attending the presentation, I took time beforehand to identify those stakeholders, communicate findings to them, and seek their input on the topic. By being sensitive to and navigating the company’s complex social web, I delivered a well-received hour-long presentation/discussion with the leadership council at Sam’s. I hope to be placed on [Company Name]’s closed interview list. Feel free to me via email at XXX or telephone at XXX. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,

Wow. Excellent cover letter.

Candidate Name

Page 12

Successful Cover Letter 112 Interview Invite: McKinsey (MBA) Dear XXX, I am writing to apply for a consultant position at [Company Name], following the recent presentation at [Company Name] Singapore office. [Company Name] delivers value across multiple industries and markets around the globe. I ire [Company Name] not only for the quality of its people and the expertise it develops for clients, but also for [Company Name]’s inherent belief that every client’s challenge is unique and deserves a unique solution. This is exact what I want to pursuit in my future career. With over 10 years experience in the IT consulting and business software industry, I helped blue-chip customers from different industries harness technology to solve strategic issues and challenges. This has given me a strong ion for alleviating clients’ pains. I am eager to extend my experience to see how management consulting can bring real competitive advantage to clients. I believe [Company Name] will enable me to fulfill my ion and career target through its unique value creation and people development approach. I have worked in a broad set of roles across multiple functions at [SAP], including {BBN ✔} consultant, project manager, sales manager and general manager. This exposure has equipped me with three skills that are relevant for the role with [Company Name]: •

[Solid Leadership Experience – I managed an international team of 15 from

•

Strong Critical Thinking – My market entry proposals based on rigorous {Excellent, analysis lead to 20% service revenue increase, though it was wildly regarded as very clear.} not a common practice at the beginning

•

Stakeholder Management – With insights into implementation and a focus on practical solutions, I achieve buy-in from diverse stakeholders and provide the best to clients through a proven track record in delivery]

China, Australia, , and addressed challenging and ambiguous situations such as contract negotiation, senior customer relations and expectation management

I believe that these skills and experience can contribute to [Company Name] as well as its clients. Given my extensive market experience in Asia and Great China, I would like to choose [Company Name] Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong offices in order to make the best use of my knowledge for the company. Thank you for considering my application and I am very much looking forward to discussing my ion for [Company Name] and my experiences in more detail with you. Yours sincerely, Candidate Name



Page 13

Successful Cover Letter 113 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, McKinsey (MBA) Candidate Name Address Senior Recruiter for INSEAD Company Name Dear XXX, I am currently completing my MBA degree at [INSEAD] and I am writing his letter to present {BBN my interest in ing [Company Name] as an Associate. This letter is a response to the opening School ✔} position posted in INSEAD’s Careerlink website, and results from the previous s I had with the company through the presentations on campus, the coffee chats and the networking events, where I could appreciate the company culture. During my work experience, I’ve acquired expertise in the energy industry, developing projects in the oil & gas and renewables, and also in the manufacturing industry, working as a quality and project manager. I also had the opportunity to develop a wide functional expertise, from marketing and sales, to technical specialist, to project management. In the same way, I achieved, thanks to my managerial experience, some interpersonal skills that I consider as very valuable to work with clients and employees. Meeting the challenging client needs through team collaboration is one of the consulting facets I see the most interesting, and which make me want to aim to pursue doing this type of work. Therefore, my aim to be exposed to a broader range of business problems, industries and functions, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the company are the reasons why I believe that [Company Name] is the key right place for my professional development after INSEAD. For all these reasons, I believe that I am a good fit to [Company Name] and that I will be able to successfully help the firm’s clients achieve their objectives by providing new insights and committing to deliver lasting and impactful results. The office I want to apply for the Associate position is Santiago, since I think that my experience will be very valuable in the Operations practice in the medium and long term, and I think that Chile is the right place to do it, given its huge potential and amazing growth over the years. Thank you in advance for your time considering my application. I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to interview for a position as an Associate. Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to me. Sincerely, Candidate Name Phone: XXX E-mail: XXX

Page 14

Candidate Address



Successful Cover Letter 114 Interview Invite: McKinsey (PhD)

Phone E-Mail

Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, My name is XXX and I would like to be considered for the Associate position at [Company Name]. When [[Person 1]] and others came to [Caltech] in March to talk with PhDs about the {BBN [Company Name] Associate position, I was entranced. I [Person 1] telling us about School ✔} how the work he does in healthcare makes an impact. Consulting at [Company Name] would give me the opportunity to work on a number of different projects, focus on the big picture rather than on the details, and most importantly, do meaningful work. I want to work at [Company Name] because, unlike other consulting firms, [Company Name] encourages their consultants to “make their own [Company Name]” and gives them the resources they need to do so. The opportunity to grow both professionally and personally at [Company Name] is what makes the firm so attractive to me. I love asking the big questions about the world we live in, specifically about climate change, and I am less interested in the minor details. This is why, unlike other PhD applicants for the [Company Name] Associate position, I have been involved in [three different projects] with {Analytical three different professors during my time at Caltech, and have been successful in Background ✔} [publishing/presenting each project]. I think that being exposed to numerous projects and methods of solving them makes me a good fit for the [Company Name] Associate position. My graduate school experience has been much more than just research. Being an [RA] for the {People Caltech undergraduates for the past three years has been challenging and rewarding, and has Skills ✔} taught me numerous transferable skills, like [conflict resolution], that I would not have learned by doing research exclusively. I am also involved with the [Women] Mentoring Women program at Caltech, and I was thrilled when I found out about the [Company Name] [Women] program. I am ionate about encouraging, ing, and empowering women and girls, {Woman ✔} especially in STEM fields. Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon, and am eager to explore this opportunity with [Company Name]. I can be reached on my cell phone: XXX or by email: XXX.

Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 15

Successful Cover Letter 115 Interview Invites: BCG, McKinsey (PhD)

Candidate Address Phone Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, I am currently a [PhD candidate] in the Department of Genetics at [Harvard Medical School] and would like to be considered for the [Company Name] program as well as full-time positions starting in 2016. I enjoyed {Good connecting with several consultants at the recent Boston ADC Connection event, including [[Person 1]] and specifics, [[Person 2]]. After the event, I spoke with [Person 1] to hear more about the work he has done on alleviating payer-provider misalignments in the healthcare space. In my follow-up with [Person 2], I was able to get more hard to first hand details about the incredible preparation in business training that [Company Name] provides its fake.} advanced degree hires. My interest in [Company Name] was piqued two years ago when I attended a presentation given by [[Person 3]], who ed the firm when it consisted of only 13 people. Her captivating descriptions of her time at [Company Name] emphasized the creative and analytic skills that a PhD could bring to bear on difficult, novel client problems. Through my scientific work, I have been able to hone an ability to blend [rigorous analytic thinking] {Analytical with open-minded creativity. Prior to entering graduate school in molecular biology, I applied for an Skills ✔} internationally competitive scholarship, the Gates-Cambridge, which allowed me to acquire a [computational skill] set at one of the world’s premier institutes in applied mathematics. Now as a graduate student at Harvard, I have drawn on my orthogonal skill sets in computational and experimental biology to identify the genes critical for limb stem cell identity, a result that has pushed others in my field to consider limb regenerative approaches from a fundamentally new perspective. At [Company Name], I hope to apply a similar drive, curiosity, and open mind to help solve the challenging problems faced by clients. I have also been extremely impressed with the emphasis [Company Name] places on working together with clients to develop solutions that are truly tailored to their circumstances. This focus on client connection {Great} requires [strong interpersonal skills], which I have worked to develop. I took fullest advantage of writing and discussion intensive classes at Williams, a liberal arts college, and pushed these skills even further through a year of post-graduate study in philosophy at the [University of Cambridge]. Furthermore, during my time as the director of the Williams College Math and Science Resource center, I developed a ion for [helping others] who had difficulty thinking through scientific or mathematical concepts. Upon realizing that command of science alone was not sufficient to effectively help struggling students, I implemented a training program to help the center’s tutors better empathize with the conceptual perspectives of students. I believe that this practice in being able to appropriately frame and deliver concepts to a varied audience will serve me well when dealing with clients in consulting. At [Company Name], I would be thrilled to work in the biopharmaceuticals, healthcare payers and providers, and medical devices and technology sectors, but would also be interested in being immersed in other industries as well. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name Excellent cover letter.



Page 16

Successful Cover Letter 116 Interview Invites: Bain, McKinsey, Roland Berger (Experienced Hire – 3 Years of Work Experience) Candidate Phone | E-Mail Candidate Address

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to introduce myself as a candidate for a business analyst position with [Company Name] in Moscow. I recently returned to Moscow after 14 years of study and work in the United States. I would like to translate my work experience into the field of consulting, and build my career here as a consultant, ideally with [Company Name]. I moved back to Russia because I have always felt that this was my home. I had the opportunity to keep this connection in my work in the US as part of RiskMetrics Group. There, I led a [team of three analysts] in formulating solutions to a wide range of business issues, from board balance to M&A, at the largest Russian companies. The work has given me experience finding solutions, structuring arguments, leading a team, and interacting with senior executives, all of which, I believe, are directly applicable to management consulting. This year I realized a long-held dream of returning to Russia. Professionally, I realized that Russia emerged as a challenging and rewarding business environment, with many opportunities on par with the West. Personally, I wanted to live and work in a country that I felt kinship to, and for me, that was always Russia. I would like for what I do to positively impact my country. To this end, I believe that I can do no better than helping Russian businesses solve their problems and run more efficiently as part of a global consulting firm. Russia has a great deal to gain from the expertise of global consulting firms, and it would be a privilege to be part of the world's premier consulting firm, [Company Name], as it helps Russian businesses realize their goals. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss my qualifications for a business analyst position with your firm. I believe I would perform strongly in the role. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Improvement Opportunity: Address relocation.

Page 17

{People

Skills ✔ }

Successful Cover Letter 117 Interview Invites: Bain, BCG, McKinsey (Experienced Hire – 4 Years Work Experience) Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone E-Mail Company Name Company Address RE: Candidate At the head of Recruiting. I hereby submit for your consideration my curriculum vitae. My academic and professional credentials are excellent: I am a telecommunications engineer graduated in five years [summa cum laude] from the University of Trento, in which I spent several years after my graduation as a [researcher] in the Department of [Engineering and Computer Science]. I'm also about to graduate in [Theoretical Physics] from the same university. I worked at the Italian branch of the [European Space Agency (ESA)] in Rome, I [founded two companies] one of which, a software start-up has been [acquired] by an international industrial group in 2010, after collecting €580,000 of funding. I was in the [top 1%] of my undergraduate degree, awarded with the “excellence path”. During my work, I showed strong problem solving skills and a clear orientation to results, as well as leadership and consistent communication skills. I have been elected president of the young engineers, vice president of young professionals and a member of the national commission for the reform of the profession at the National Council of Engineers. I am used to teamwork, I have a strong ability to adapt to multicultural environments and I’m keen to travel comparing with different cultures. I am extremely determined and inclined to assume increasing responsibilities, I am used to work and take decisions in high-stress situations. My career goals include increasing my experience of leadership in strategic consulting and working in an stimulating environment to improve my skills in business problem solving. For these reasons, the focus on training, the highly stimulating environment and the globally expertise on all types of industry in which it operates, your company represents an excellent match for my skills and my interests. In particular, I believe that my analytical and quantitative skills fit very well to management consulting, I am highly motivated to take up a job in consulting and are confident he can be an excellent resource for you. Should you have questions about my resume or should you require further information please do not hesitate to me.

Best, Candidate Name

Page 18

{Academic Credibility ✔} {Analytical / Math Skills ✔} {BBN (ESA) ✔} {Entrepreneur & Sold Company = Driven ✔ = Initiative ✔}

Successful Cover Letter 118 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, Bain, BCG, McKinsey, Strategy& (Experienced Hire – 4 Years of Work Experience) Dear Recruiting Coordinator, I would like to express my interest in Consultant position at [Company Name] Indonesia. I have an avid interest in management consulting, and when I researched your company, I was impressed with the value proposition, with adherence to the highest professional standards, that [Company Name] offers to clients. And also, the impacts to both social and clients have further inspired me to believe [Company Name] will provide and equip me with remarkable exposure and unparalleled opportunities to achieve my ultimate goal. My four-year experience as a Manager at [Citibank N.A.], Indonesia has prepared me for this {BBN ✔} role. As Lean and Reengineering Project Manager, I have developed various practical and creative solutions for banking processes and services improvements that resulted cost saving more than USD 200,000 per annum. I am also assigned in leadership position, as an Operations Cluster Head, and [manage 20 direct staffs] to serve Corporate and Consumer Clients. In this {Leadership role, with a strong leadership, I successfully reached 100% staff retention rate and 85% manager Skills ✔} effectiveness. Given with those extreme achievements, in 2014, I was rewarded with [Citi Asia Pacific Pinnacle {Professional Award], an award that is given to individual that has demonstrated outstanding performance, Credibility ✔} initiative and commitment to ensure that client experience has been delivered.

{Academic

Apart from my experience, my ing degree with [Cum Laude] title from Gadjah Mada Skills ✔} University has also equipped me with advanced business writing and strong analytical problem solving. Together with my extensive skills and ion, I am confident [Company Name] will find my contribution to drive the distinctive client impact and to maintain a diverse value in delivering practical, positive-change, innovative and creative solutions to clients. I look forward to the opportunity of being interviewed in order to share more about my experience and skills that I could bring to your company. Please find my CV and Official University Transcript attached. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully, Candidate Name

Page 19

Successful Cover Letter 119 Interview Invites: A.T. Kearney, BCG, McKinsey (Experienced Hire – 8 Years of Work Experience) Candidate Address | E-Mail | Phone

Company Name Company Address Dear Sir / Madam:

I am a native Indonesian who is currently a Manager with [HP] Singapore. Having met with [[Person {BBN ✔} 1]], a Consultant in [Company Name] Singapore and [[Person 2]], a Consultant in [Company Name] Jakarta, I {Did have developed a strong interest in ing [Company Name] Jakarta as a management consultant. I am Homework ✔} therefore writing to request for an interview with [Company Name]. Having delivered on several ground-breaking projects in HP, I realized I particularly enjoyed problemsolving and working in cross-functional teams. To do this regularly across different industries, management consulting is the ideal and logical career choice. I am especially interested in [Company Name] through my exposure to [Company Name]’s work for [Company]. In particular, I was very impressed by [Company Name] consultants’ breakthrough thinking backed by solid data-driven analysis to improve our supply chain. Through my interactions with [Person 1] and [Person 2], I found them not only to be highly intelligent but also humble and helpful. I believe that [Company Name] will provide me the most conducive environment for my professional development – working with high performance people like [Person 1] and [Person 2] in a collaborative culture. I believe I am well suited for the management consulting role due to my intellectual curiosity, resultorientation and desire to make a lasting impact. During the course of my study, I graduated as the [top student of the cohort from National University of Singapore]. As the [fastest promoted manager in HP], I have consistently contributed quickly to my organization and extended my comfort zone. I have also recently hosted the Leadership in HP’s top 100 executives meeting, where I had the opportunity to share my views on how the company should adapt to the growing population of younger employees.

{Academic Skills ✔} {Practical Experience ✔}

In addition, my international work experience in United States and London has equipped me with strong {Additional cross-cultural skills and teamwork. Coupled with my [native fluency] in Bahasa Indonesia, I am excited about Skills ✔} the vast opportunities available in Southeast Asia to make an impact through consulting. I look forward to discussing my potential fit with [Company Name]. You can me at phone XXX if you have any enquiries on my candidacy. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 20

Successful Cover Letter 120 Interview Invite: McKinsey (Experienced Hire – 10 Years of Work Experience) Candidate Name Candidate Address E-Mail Phone

Dear Recruiter In am very interested in your Pricing Expert role. In it, I believe I would repeat my previous successes in substantially increasing revenue and profits for [Company Name]’s clients. My confidence is based on the following: •

•

• • •

Extensive pricing experience in progressively senior roles. I pioneered pricing at Medtronic International, then consulted to medtech and pharmaceutical companies globally and am now {Leadership the [Director of Product and Portfolio Pricing at Scotiabank]. Proven results in generating tens of millions of dollars of profit in multiple businesses in over Skills ✔ } twenty countries. At Medtronic I won the Marketing Excellence Award for my accomplishments. A highlight was setting the price of the first transcatheter heart valve at ten times the price of regular valves. Proven strategic capabilities and the ability to integrate pricing into the full business strategy. Best of class training workshops, including online eLearning modules. Proven pricing thought leadership via [published articles] and multiple conference presentations, including PPS’ Chicago conference this last May.

Through my consulting I have learnt the critical importance of delivering the highest value to clients and the team effort involved in this. This has been reinforced at Scotiabank, where I lead a team of nine. As a former strategic sourcing consultant I bring your clients a keen understanding of the tactics and viewpoint of professional purchasing, allowing me to optimize sales and price negotiation tactics. I round out your background requirements of an ideal candidate with an [MBA from IMD] and a Masters of Science from [MIT]. I also ed the three levels of the CFA exams in succession. Given my skills, background and experiences, I believe I would add significant value to [Company Name]’s clients and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this opportunity with you.

Best regards, Candidate Name

Page 21

{BBN School ✔ }

TOP 20% COVER LETTERS The following cover letters were in the top 20% of what I received from actual candidates. These represent the candidates whose cover letters were interesting enough to me as a recruiter that I would read their resumes to learn more. I did not feel the need to read the resumes of the other 80% of candidates because their cover letters were not sufficiently compelling. I have highlighted the areas that stood out to me as a recruiter.

Page 22

Top 20% Cover Letter 201 (Undergrad Intern) Candidate Name Candidate Address Company Name Company Address Dear Hiring Manager, As a rising senior at [Haverford College], I am writing to express my interest in the Associate {Non-Target} Consultant position at [Company Name]. As an Economics major, with strong analytical and quantitative skills developed through internships at [Cantor Fitzgerald] and [Deloitte Consulting], I {BBN x 2 ✔} believe I am well suited for this position. After speaking with [Person 1] in the Atlanta office, I also feel that this position with [Company Name] is a good fit for my interests and goals.

{Interesting} I first developed an interest in management consulting after a summer internship with an [NGO in Ghana] . During this internship, I analyzed an employee retention issue for the organization, isolated the problem through a survey of all employees, and then proposed recommendations to solve the issue. This experience piqued my interest in consulting, and I followed it up with a winter externship at Deloitte Consulting. I am drawn to this kind of client-facing analytical work, and I feel that [Company Name], as a premier strategy consulting firm, will allow me to continue to apply my skills. I believe my experiences will be an asset to my team at [Company Name]. I am bringing an ability to create impact in every organization I am part of; my results include $100,000 worth of trades at Cantor Fitzgerald, and cost savings of $45,960 annually for the firm. I have a global mindset, built through projects developing a digital strategy for the Chinese market, and a yearlong study abroad in India. I have acquired leadership and teamwork skills, through serving as president of the Model United Nations Association, after founding the organization in my first year of college. Much of my Economics coursework has also involved analyzing large data sets, including an econometric research project on the impact of winning a Nobel Prize upon the winner’s expected lifespan. I feel that the skills developed through this work will be useful in my role as an Associate Consultant at [Company Name]. I believe that the culture at [Company Name] fits my style of work. I work best in collaborative teambased environments, and feel that [Company Name]’s ive and non-hierarchical environment will be a good fit. I learned from [[Person 1]] about [Company Name]’s collegial environment, and I appreciate the more limited amount of travel compare to other firms. Given my previous international experiences, I also value [Company Name]’s global flexibility, with opportunities to work on projects across borders, or spend time in an international office through the “Experience Share” program. I look forward to hearing back from you, and the possibility of interviewing with your company. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Well written letter.

Page 23

Top 20% Cover Letter 202 (Undergrad Intern) Company Name Company Address

Dear XXX: I am a coterminal Masters student at [Stanford] in Management Science and Engineering (expected August XXX), and I am applying for the Business Analyst (BA) position at [Company Name]. After speaking with former and current [Company Name] consultants, [[Person 1]] and [[Person 2]] , about their experiences, I believe my past work experiences and skill set has prepared me to become a valuable contributor to your company.

{BBN School ✔ } {Personal }

{What’s this?} Through the [Public Policy practicum], I led a group of three other classmates to solve a problem for the [California Public Utilities Commission] on how to best release electricity consumption data to the public, balancing privacy issues against public benefit. This past summer, I worked at [Qualcomm] building a business case for a potential billion dollar {BBN x 2 ✔ } emerging market opportunity by creating a market forecast, conducting an external and internal landscape, and proposing and presenting my recommendations to Senior VPs and other executives. These were difficult problems with no simple right-or-wrong answers, and the way they were resolved could affect millions of people. I am applying to become an BA because I found this type of work fun, and I want to solve more problems like these. Subsequently, I am focusing the remainder of my studies on business, specifically on how and why organizations make decisions. I plan to take more classes on strategy, organization theory, and decision analysis to round out my skill set. Thus, based on my experiences, my coursework, and my certainty in my desire to become a consultant, I believe I am a good fit for the position. When I spoke with [Person 1] and [Person 2] about [Company Name], I was particularly impressed by the [Company Name] way of thinking--in addition to the unparalleled resources, tools, and extensive alumni network. [Person 1] and [Person 2] emphasized that [Company Name] taught them how to think, structure problems, and process information such that even in the rare instance when they were wrong, their reasoning, logic, and process in reaching their conclusions were clear and unfaultable. This is a skill I want to acquire, and [Company Name] is the best place to learn that skill. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 24

Top 20% Cover Letter 203 (Undergrad Intern) Candidate Name Address Phone E-Mail Dear XXX, I was excited to see the opening of Business Analyst position at [Company Name], Chicago Office. My name is XXX, and I am a senior majoring in ing and Economic Consulting at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University graduating in December 2016. I would like to apply my professionalism, analytical, and client-friendly and communication skills as a Business Analyst for the bigger success of [Company Name].

{Clear and concise.}

I have professionalism learned from my aircraft maintenance experience at Republic of Korea Air Force for two years. Because of my professionalism and superior work performance that I displayed at Air Force, I was recognized as an [“exemplary soldier” among 140 soldiers]. It was not based on one project that I completed, but on my entire military career. In addition, I believe I can provide comprehensive analytical advice to your clients as part of [Company Name] team utilizing my analytical and research skills. For example, as an assistant to the Director at Woosung I.B. – public company in the watersports market with $30,000,000+ annual revenue – I had an opportunity to analyze the company brand’s 6 stores in areas of revenue & cost, customer , and then-economic environment to provide quantitative and qualitative information to the board of directors. I also developed a benchmarking report on top 10 competitors to analyze the market condition and competitors’ business situation. Furthermore, my work experience at Soapy Soap Company enhanced my communication and interpersonal skills; I generated $2,000+ in sales by promoting company products to 250+ customers. When customers visited the company booth, I did not start with explaining about products but listening to what the customers were looking for. I tailored my pitch to the needs of the customers and helped customers find right products for their needs. I am certain that I will be able to maintain good relationships with clients of [Company Name], building firm foundation of trust. A copy of my resume is enclosed for your reference. I feel excited to have an opportunity to apply my skills toward strategy consulting field and look forward to further discussion about my qualifications with [Company Name]. Please me at Phone XXX or E-Mail XXX if you have any further questions. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Candidate Name Enclosure: Resume

Page 25

{Good}

Top 20% Cover Letter 204 (Undergrad Intern)

Candidate Name

Candidate Address ! E-Mail ! Phone

Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, I am excited for the opportunity to apply for [Company Name]’s intern position as posted at [Dartmouth]. Unlike many other applicants, I have had experience researching business models and potential company growth opportunities through my work at [Cato Partners], a private investment management firm. From my conversation on the phone with a few [Company Name] consultants and other research, I have gathered [Company Name]’s strong position among management consulting firms and the strong collaborative culture.

{Be more explicit about being a Dartmouth student.} {Explains firm without a recognizable name, good.}

I believe I have [three key qualities] that can help me succeed at [Company Name]: 1. Strong quantitative and analytical skills – My coursework in mathematics and economics requires strong quantitative skills. I have applied this to my internship at Cato Partners, using [regression] in Excel to [predict advertising] spending for the 2014 election cycle. 2. Inter-personal skills and leadership capabilities – As the summer president and the recruitment chair of Zeta Psi Fraternity, I’ve worked to greatly improve the recruitment process and deliver results. Furthermore, I’ve been engaged in the Dartmouth community as an Undergraduate Advisor (Residential Advisor Equivalent) and a volunteer big sibling in the “SIBS” program. 3. Proven communicative skills – At Cato Partners, I was entrusted to participate in conference calls with senior management to help evaluate companies and have been responsible for constant with the Dartmouth istration as the president of Zeta Psi. I also have experience presenting research, which will reinforce my confidence in team meetings. Thank you in advance for taking the time to consider my application. Please do not hesitate to me over the phone. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Good letter, to the point.

Page 26

{Good}

{Good Example}

{Good Example}

{Clear organization in this section.}

Candidate Address

Top 20% Cover Letter 205 (Undergrad) CANDIDATE NAME

DOB E-Mail Mobile: XXX



Application for position as Junior Associate at [Company Name] Soon to graduate with an MSc in Brand and Communications Management (cand.merc.) from [Copenhagen Business School], I am writing to apply for a position as [Junior Associate] at [Company {Clear} Name] in Copenhagen. {Good, shows [I have seized chances to meet current and previous consultants from [Company Name] offices in interest.} Shanghai, Dubai and Copenhagen] for talks about the work and the values at the firm. The conversations have reinforced my belief that I would enjoy working for [Company Name], which to me {Good intro to is not just a prestigious firm with outstanding people, but also a place where I can see myself grow evidence personally and professionally. [The following outlines my key qualifying characteristics for the section.} position:] Intellectual abilities. I am graduating among the best in my class, and I achieved a [perfect GPA] as an {Academic exchange student at {Kelley School of Business}, Indiana University. Next to my studies I have obtained Skills ✔} more than three years of work experience, which has allowed me to understand processes and drivers of success in complex organizations like [ECCO Shoes] and Maersk Line. In my current role at ECCO {BBN ✔} Shoes, I lead complex strategic and financial projects, including the preparation for a large t venture in China, requiring [Excel-based] scenario modeling and financial due diligence. {Data Analysis Determination. I am ionate about learning, and enjoy doing so through challenges. To maximize Skills ✔} my learning, I completed my master degree studies from China, while studying Mandarin and working, only interrupted by my exchange semester in the US, where I was not only the student taking on most coursework in the MBA-program, but also participated in several case competitions and organized social events. Interpersonal and communication skills. Having lived abroad for three years and worked in several multi-cultural organizations, I have gained different perspectives and refined my abilities to understand and communicate with people from backgrounds different from my own. Building upon my ability to understand others, I have also improved my ability to influence people. As an example, I convinced the Chinese management of Maersk Line in China about the value of communication through social media. Leadership skills. During my undergraduate studies I founded and led Moment Talent Marketing to become the most successful of the Moment Talent subgroups in of and events hosted. I am currently volunteering at the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, organizing monthly careerrelevant events for Danish students and interns. I would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate my professional and personal fit with [Company Name] through a personal interview. Please feel free to me at phone XXX or e-mail XXX. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Most sincerely, Candidate Name

Good letter.

Page 27

Top 20% Cover Letter 206 (MBA Intern)



Attention: HR Manager Company Name Company Address Subject: Application for the Position of Full-Time Associate Dear XXX. I am pleased to apply for the role of Associate at [Company Name]. I am an engineer and reform consultant with 7 years’ experience implementing major projects within Defence procurement and Healthcare operations. Having recently completed my MBA with [First Class Honours], I possess the ion, skills and experience to excel at this role. [As an entrepreneur, I have recruited and led high performing teams with an emphasis on delivering long term value for clients in the most cost effective manner.] Since last year, I have acted as a pro-bono consultant for Helping Hands, a not for profit farm that helps disabled individuals. I developed the Helping Hands business plan by engaging diverse stakeholders and collaboratively developed solutions. [Company Name] interests me because of the opportunity to further this learning and act on my genuine ion for consulting amidst an honest culture that emphasizes collaboration and fresh thinking. In my meetings, I have found [Company Name] consultants to be friendly and ive. I would love the opportunity to work in such a team. I have developed the following core skills during my professional experience and academic career:

{Which School?} {Proof?}

{Good}

Analytical Ability • Re-engineered Defence business processes, identifying 30% savings in cycle time and 3% savings in procurement spend. I was thus promoted to lead the 2014 Lean Six Sigma reform. • Shifted ABC Web from selling services to selling off the shelf products, saving 71% in delivery time per implementation.

{Good}

Communication Skills • Led Department of Defence teams of 10+ staff in $5M worth of procurement evaluations. • Authored 12 monthly newsletters with over 10K national subscribers for the largest organization of young Victorian engineers.

{Good} {Good}

{Good}

Leadership • Founded ABC Web, a web development agency and enlisted over 15 clients, delivering $30K in Year 1 revenue from a starting capital of $200. I successfully sold the business in 2011. • As elected secretary of the largest Australian Biomedical Engineering Society, I increased hip by 25% through improved event planning and drafted the first ever committee succession plan. I was subsequently awarded the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. Founded the Swinburne International Student Group, organizing 6 events that promoted cultural exchange between International and Australian students. I was among 1% of students thus inducted into the ViceChancellor’s (VC) Leadership Program. XXX, I thank you for taking the time to evaluate my application and I look forward to hearing from you about an interview. I may be ed on phone XXX or by email at XXX Sincerely, Good letter; especially evidence section. Candidate Name Improvement opportunity: Add school name.

Page 28

{Good Quantification} {Good evidence section.}

Top 20% Cover Letter 207 (MBA Intern) Candidate Address

Company Name Company Address Dear {Company Name] Team: I am writing to apply for the [Company Name] MBA Brand Management Camp. My interactions with [Company Name] brand managers, CMK, and Finance throughout my tenure across two continents at Nielsen solidified for me my desire to [Company Name] post-MBA. My interest in brand management began when I started to understand the strategic problems brand managers try to solve and how they merge a myriad of data to build brands and drive topline growth. {Good at Conversations with multiple such [Company Name] employees as [Person 1] and [Person 2] and [Person 3] showing impressed upon me [the collaborative and teamwork driven [Company Name] culture to which I would love to interest.} contribute]. [The following experiences and characteristics mesh with my understanding of [Company Name] values and {Nice segue desired capabilities.] to evidence section.} Large Organization Analytical Work Experience: I have worked for Nielsen in both the US and China consulting for brands such as Gillette and Olay on new product innovation. Through building volume models and analyzing custom questionnaire data, I have tackled such strategic problems as market entry and such execution problems as launch strategy. I’d like to [Company Name] to solve even more complex problems and use data to drive results. Leadership and Team Building: Through both my work and extracurricular experience, I have learned how to lead and motivate a variety of teams – from one direct report to 5 cross-functional business units totaling 20 people to 100+ players in the ultimate Frisbee community. Initiative: My career move to China and initiation of various successful initiatives that affected both top and bottom lines are just some examples of how I am comfortable leading the charge in a large organization and galvanizing others to move forward with me. Interest in [Company Name]: I have a sincere interest in [Company Name] and that is why I am attempting to take every opportunity to learn more about the company. For 3 years, I was able to experience interact with [Company Name] clients on a daily basis through my work at Nielsen and the cross-functional experience each of my clients seemed to have and the way they are able to build consensus across a variety of business interests exemplify for me the perfect post-MBA role in which I can apply the skills I will learn. Post the Camp, I hope to have gained a deeper understanding of the types of issues [Company Name] brand managers face, how they drive the organization forward, and the overall [Company Name] culture. My hope is to walk away from the Camp with my interest in [Company Name] re-confirmed. I wish to contribute both at the Camp and beyond. Thank you for taking the time to consider me. Good letter. Clear. Sincerely, Shows personal interest and s. Candidate Name Shows evidence.

Page 29

Top 20% Cover Letter 208 (MBA Intern) Company Name Company Address Candidate Name Candidate Address Dear Sir/Madam Learning about [Company Name]’s planned expansions in Vancouver after meeting with the leadership team at the Calgary practice reflects the firm’s ambitious culture and focus on entrepreneurship. These are the values I want to immerse myself in for my internship as a [first-year MBA student] at the [London Business School (LBS)]. I believe my engineering experiences in the oil and gas industry, combined with my client-facing roles and my aspirations to continue with consulting post-MBA, establish me as a qualified candidate for the summer associate program for several reasons. [Firstly], my technical experience in developing oil and gas assets around the world has helped me [develop sound analytical skills] that will allows me to recommend solutions to the toughest business problems that face [Company Name]’s clients. From auditing reserves for conventional oil assets in Canada, to creating field development plans for emerging unconventional plays in Australia, I have experiences of technical and commercial analysis requiring an astute attention to detail and consideration of overall strategy. Such experiences coupled with my intellectual curiosity will enable me to serve [Company Name]’s clients very effectively. [Secondly], my experience [growing a consulting practice] for a start-up software in Australia has helped me develop strong interpersonal skills that will be critical to the client-facing interactions required of [Company Name] consultants. As a senior consultant with Enersight, I helped start their Asia Pacific practice in 2013. From preparing proposals to implementing technical solutions, I strengthened not only my problem-solving skills, but also my ability to communicate solutions to clients. These skills and experiences will help me strengthen relationships with [Company Name]’s existing clients and build new ones in emerging practices. [Lastly] , I [enjoy empowering people]. My experience mentoring new consultants in my previous role and coaching team sports at inner city schools in Calgary highlight my ion for developing others. These ions would be a great fit with the collaborative and team-based environment expected at [Company Name]. The opportunity to intern with [Company Name] in an environment that fosters initiative and drives business innovation around the world is an exciting prospect and one that I would truly enjoy. Thank you for your consideration. To arrange an interview please me at E-Mail XXX. Yours sincerely,

Candidate Name

Well organized letter, each paragraph has a clear topic sentence on one idea and is followed by ing examples. Very cleanly written.

Page 30

{BBN School ✔ }

{Replace “Firstly” with “1.”}

{Replace “Secondly” with “2.”} {Practical Experience}

{Replace “Lastly” with “3.”}

Top 20% Cover Letter 209 (MBA) Diversity Recruiting Company Name Dear XXX: It was a pleasure to meet with a representative of your firm, [Person 1], at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Conference in Anaheim, California last month. After my conversation with your colleague, I believe that [Company Name] would be an exciting and challenging firm in which to further develop my management and leadership skills. {BBN My background fits well with a position in technical or operations consulting. As an MBA candidate at [Georgia Tech], I enhanced my strong analytical problem solving skills by School ✔} building a cross-functional understanding of operational processes, technology requirements, and business strategy. I applied these skills to real-world situations as an engineer at [Delta {BBN ✔} Air Lines] where I focused on making operational processes faster, more effective, and more efficient from both the planning and execution phases. Creating these results for maintenance technicians, product line managers, and senior leaders taught me how to effectively partner with internal customers throughout the operational life cycle. In addition, I gained valuable leadership experience by guiding process improvement projects through successful design and implementation. {BBN ✔} As a senior systems engineer at [Lockheed Martin Aeronautics], I apply my skills to technology integration and confirmed that consulting is indeed the right career for me. Our team is ing the development and life cycle maturation of an integrated global sustainment solution for the t Strike Fighter (F-35 Lightning II) air system. Specifically, I provide design implementation leadership for the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) in such areas as requirements development, capability definition, system architecture design, testing, integration, and system verification. This experience shows me that I am an effective contributor in a consulting environment, where industry knowledge, creative problem solving skills, fact-based analysis, and customer focus are rewarded. [Company Name] appeals to me over other firms because of its focus on federal government integration projects and industry leading expertise in systems engineering, project management, and acquisitions . Furthermore, I am impressed by the genuine commitment to diversity exhibited by [Company Name] in that the firm seeks diversity within its senior leadership as well as the general workforce. I would love the opportunity to further discuss how I can contribute to [Company Name] and have enclosed my resume for your review. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name Candidate Address E-Mail

Page 31

Top 20% Cover Letter 210 (MBA) Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone, E-Mail Dear Company Hiring Manager, I am enthusiastic about pursuing a career in consulting after graduating from [University of Notre Dame’s MBA] program in May 2015, where my concentrations are Consulting and Corporate Finance. After talking with alumni and friends at [Company Name], I am particularly impressed with the consultant opportunity at your company, especially the China Office. Prior to MBA, I was a senior manager in strategic planning and national Top 10 consultant at [China Life Insurance]. At this [Fortune 100 and the largest insurance company in China], I devised strategic planning for the biggest sales channel to generate $30B revenues annually. I believe that my four-year strategy and consulting experience leading nationwide projects ensures that I would greatly add value to [Company Name]. [Here are the skills and qualities that I have to offer]: •

•

•

Client-Focused Strategic Thinking: As one of 80 national consulting leaders from 142,000 employees, I kept close eyes on the market and continuously innovated products to ensure the competitive edge. [After interviews, I designed the first flat-rate insurance that keeps dividends and death compensations until 70-year old after principal withdrawal]. [The product strategy was so successful that our market share rocketed up to 34%, twice as much as that of the closest competitor.] In 2012, I was awarded the May Day Labor Medal, the highest employee honor, as the only one in insurance in the province. Analytical Problem Solving: I was proficient in using analytical tools such as SPSS, MS Access and SAS to effectively define the problem. As a consultant, I can always find evidence from data to my proposals. For example, I was able to draw a counterintuitive conclusion through data analysis that the average promotion sales were negatively related to the average customer income. This result inspired me to redesign the promotion event for better customer segments to double the promotion sales to $300M and save $2M marketing expense.

{BBN School ✔} {Good Clarification}

{Good Transition}

{Confusing} {Excellent}

{Good job quantifying results.}

Result-Oriented Leadership in Complexity: When I was the business development manager leading 45 salespersons, the market shrank due to the new regulations. It was such an unprecedentedly ambiguity that even the whole industry felt helpless. After research, I was able to motivate the team and figure out new growth strategy by relocating resources to channels with growing customers and actively negotiating with 16 additional banks to establish new partnership. As a result, I achieved 29% {Excellent growth in sales and 60% in profits.

Quantification}

Please find enclosed my resume. I am looking forward to discussing my core capabilities further and can be reached at the information above. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

With one exception, a very CLEAR letter.

Page 32

Top 20% Cover Letter 211 (MBA) Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone | E-Mail Company Name Company Address Dear Sir or Madam: I completed my [MBA] from [Villanova University] and would like to express my interest for the Associate position with [Company Name]. Over time, I have had an opportunity to work on a variety of IT and management consulting engagements ranging from advisory to implementation. I would like to build upon this platform by being in a place where I would be continuously pushed out of my comfort zone, receive access to endless learning opportunities, and make a distinct impact at clients and in the society. During my conversations with [Company Name] consultants, I was fascinated by their camaraderie as well as the quality of experience that they have acquired which have led me to believe that only [Company Name] will enable me to achieve my goals. My 11+ years of consulting experience has empowered me to assist clients in addressing their strategic, operational, and technology issues while providing data-driven recommendations to stakeholders across all levels, including CxOs and BoD. Overall, I have not only acquired core consulting skills but also learned to think big-picture. I believe that my education, experience, and ion for solving client issues would allow me to add value at [Company Name]. [Below are a few examples from my experience that show the desired traits for [Company Name]]:

{Business Background ✔ }

{Good intro to evidence section.}

• Personal Impact: The management team at an entertainment client wanted to amplify CRM usage while several groups pushed back. I interviewed leaders of these groups to discuss current pain points, defined CRM strategy and roap, and communicated benefits that would be realized to receive their buy-in • Entrepreneurial Drive: Having frequently experienced subpar music at Indian events, I started my own DJ business in 2005 and have made it thrive mostly on word-of-mouth advertising. I also stepped out of my comfort zone by taking on MC responsibilities to entertain the crowd {Good • Problem Solving: During a merger integration project at an entertainment client, 20,000 music releases failed to quantification of transfer from acquiree’s system. I segmented data into multiple layers to identify patterns and conducted results.} meetings to derive a solution, allowing client to recognize $50K in monthly revenues without delays • Achievement: Led rationalization of application portfolio for a pharmaceutical client to identify $4M+ in annual savings, while contributing to strategic cost reduction and allowing the newly created Enterprise Architecture department to deliver quick-win and show credibility • Leadership: Persuaded CEO of my current employer, LiquidHub, to transform an IT Enterprise Architecture artifact to a service offering. I successfully led the transformation by working with several executives and an offshore team. Received company-wide recognition and an award from the CEO I am confident that [Company Name] will provide me an unparalleled opportunity through its collaborative and diverse culture, best-in-class training and mentorship, and global staffing model. Through this unique value proposition, I will be able to push myself beyond limits while shaping my own professional and personal career based on the “Make your own [Company Name]” motto. I would appreciate a chance to interview and would be honored to be a part of [Company Name]. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name Good letter format.

Page 33

Top 20% Cover Letter 212 (MBA) Candidate Name E-Mail / Phone Company Name Dear Sir / Madam, I am an [INSEAD] MBA student applying for a full-time Associate position at [Company Name]. I am confident I will thrive in consulting because I am energized by the challenge of solving non-obvious problems, daily variety of work, and having an impact through helping people to make things better. This was confirmed through my [internship with Monitor Deloitte] in London, [where I received an offer]. I believe I would enjoy working at [Company Name] in particular, after speaking to [Company Name] consultants and reading publications on [Company Name]. From this research I have especially liked the international culture, focus of partners on delivering the best client service free of short-term financial KPIs, and the fact-based, highly structured and hypothesis driven approach to tackling issues. [I have also been impressed by [Company Name] representatives including [Person 1] (ex-London), [Person 2] (Shanghai), and [Person 3] (Warsaw) – I have never experienced such a high degree of honesty and

{Good Evidence}

consistency in describing their firms from employees of any other firm.]

{Good, personal without being too wordy.}

My office choices of London and Shanghai may appear disparate but I am convinced of my choices. My mother is settled in the UK and my father in China. I have lived and worked in both cities, and believe I will be equally effective and happy in either location.

{Very concise and clear.}

Finally, I believe I will be successful at [Company Name] due to possessing the following salient attributes: !

!

!

A track record of leadership, in academic and work contexts, across levels, internationally. This includes founding the Warwick International Current Affairs Society, leading due diligence teams of 20+ when an analyst at Ondra Partners, and leading execution of the INSEAD “Dragon Week” where I organized a 64-participant table-tennis tournament including the Dean of INSEAD. Strong team-work and analytical ability, demonstrated by two early promotions, delivering excel and financial modelling training to 40+ employees from intern to manager levels, and managing project teams of 10+, sometimes as the youngest member in London and Shanghai. Developed and emerging market experience, bi-lingual and bi-cultural capability. I have {Nice evidence worked in London and Shanghai on mature and rapidly growing industry issues. I am a native section, good English speaker, fully fluent in Mandarin, and have studied in the UK, Singapore, and the US. examples.} These factors will allow me to be effective in a rapidly globalizing business environment.

I would hugely appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate my fit for consulting and commitment to ing [Company Name] through interview and look forward to receiving a response. Sincerely, Candidate E-Signature & Name

Good letter and strong candidate.

Page 34

Top 20% Cover Letter 213 (PhD)



Candidate Name | Address | Phone | E-Mail Company Name Company Address

Dear Sir or Madam: I am applying for the CONSULTANT position at [Company Name]. I first learned about the position through the recruiting email sent from my department. I am currently a fifth year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. My skills in creative problem solving and leadership would be an excellent asset for your team.





[I aspire to a career in life science consulting because it involves problem solving with a highly structured, and data-driven approach.] As a PhD student, I have honed my problem solving skills by building medical devices that can be commercialized and mass-produced. My two main projects focused on rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Ebola, and others) and a counterfeit drug detector, which I developed from idea to device prototypes. In addition to my scientific contribution, I engage in strategic business planning to find markets for the products. In the course of my graduate studies, I have learned how to present ideas to people from diverse backgrounds; in forums such as lab meetings, international conferences and peer-reviewed research articles. Another skill I can contribute to [Company Name] derives from my [leadership experience]. As the team leader in the consulting group for Securus Inc., I am responsible for our goal to assess market viability for a mobile health app aimed for college students. To fulfill this, I conduct surveys and interviews with stakeholders, lead team meetings and report to the CEO of the company. Additionally, I am in charge of organizing global health and engineering meet-ups that inspire novel approaches to global health problems. My duty is to fundraise for the annual go-to-market expo and monthly meet-ups; invite speakers from academic and industry backgrounds; encourage student participation; and organize networking events. Finally, I have been a mentor for BME senior design project teams for the last 2 years. One of my senior design project team came in second for the BU Societal Impact Capstone Project Awards and a second honorable mention at the NIH/NIBIB DEBUT Challenge. Through this experience, I have gained valuable experience in mentorship, team-work and developing a research strategy. My success in the classroom, laboratory and beyond are a testament to my dedication, diligence and time management abilities. I firmly believe that being part of a well-established company like [Company Name] will provide an enormous opportunity to grow and accelerate my career at full potential. I look forward to hearing from you. Please call me at XXX or email XXX to arrange for an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 35

{Good, clear.}

{Good}

{Reasonable Example}

Top 20% Cover Letter 214 (PhD) Candidate Name

Candidate Address Mobile XXX E-Mail Linked In {PhD, good} {BBN School x 2 ✔ }

Dear [Company Name] recruiting committee, My name is XXX. I earned my [PhD] from [Cornell University] (Weill Medical College) in June, XXXX. Currently, I’m a postdoctoral fellow at [NYU] Langone Medical Center. I’m writing to apply for the [Life Sciences Specialists position PhD] at [Company Name]. I want to become a consultant because I enjoy working in a team environment where I can learn from intelligent teammates, solving problems that can have an immediate impact, and learning a wide range of topics and developing marketable skills. I choose LSS role at [Company Name] because of the role’s focus in life science industry, [Company Name]’s commitment to professional development and its collegial environment. My interaction with [Company Name] started with an informational interview with [Person 1] back in 2013, who shared his experience at [Company Name]. Later on, I spoke with [Person 2] and [Person 3] over the phone. I was amazed by both the scope and the impact of the work they did at [Company Name]. I believe [Company Name] will be an ideal place to enrich my professional experience in life science industry. To make myself more valuable to [Company Name], I have taken steps to develop my business acumen, improve my communication skills, strengthen my teamwork and leadership skills, and broaden my knowledge in biotech industry. Among many other achievements, I am particularly proud that our team was one of the 14 finalists chosen from 249 entering teams and received a Microsoft Award in 2015 $200K Entrepreneurs Challenge hosted at NYU Stern School of Business. More recently, [our team was awarded first place] for our opportunity analysis for a prostate cancer diagnostic biomarker at a two-week long course called Managing Science in Biotech Industry sponsored by Keck Graduate Institute and American Society for Cell Biology. The 40 course participants were selected out of 591 applicants nationwide and received free tuition, housing, meals, and 50% travel . I believe my ion for consulting and my past experience prepared me to be a strong candidate who can add value to [Company Name]. I hope I can have the opportunity to meet you in the interview. Thank you for your consideration! Sincerely, Candidate Name

Good letter.

Page 36

{Lists specific job, good.} {Excellent, clear paragraph.}

{Good, shows sincere interest.}

{Good}

Top 20% Cover Letter 215 (PhD) Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone: XXX Email: XXX Company Name Company Address Dear XXX, I am a [PhD candidate in Biochemistry at Cornell University] and expect to graduate in [December 2015]. Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to learn about [Company Name] through the Cornell-NYU 2015 Case Competition and the informational session at the Cornell career fair. I am very impressed by [Company Name]’s commitment to advance life sciences and healthcare. Based upon the conversations with present [Company Name] employees, including [[Person 1]] and [[Person 2]], I have developed a better understanding of the character and quality of professionals at [Company Name], which I believe would not only be a strong personal fit, but would also allow me to contribute meaningfully to the company. Therefore, I would like you to consider my application for the position as [Associate Consultant at [Company Name]].

{PhD} {BBN School ✔}

{Good Paragraph}

My strong analytical skills and background in life sciences would be valuable resources in analyzing complex problems and delivering recommendations for clients in the life sciences and healthcare industries. I have had direct experience in healthcare by working at the National Medical Biotechnology Research Lab in Thailand where I conducted research on kidney disease in a hospital setting. At Cornell, I have become adept at formulating insightful questions and interpreting information from different sources to solve complex problems through my research on bacterial pathogenesis, which led to paper publications in top scientific journals. Moreover, my work in collaboration with Cornell Geeks and Cornell Graduate Consulting Club has helped me develop strong teamwork, leadership, and communication skills in non-academic settings. Also, I have strengthened my time management capability through those academic and extracurricular responsibilities. Finally, I have further developed knowledge in consulting through [courses in the {Business MBA program at Cornell]. Background ✔} I am confident that my skills and deep expertise in life sciences, along with the consulting base I am establishing at Cornell, will enable me to make a valuable contribution to [Company Name]. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my candidacy further when your company interviews on campus. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Candidate Name

Page 37

Top 20% Cover Letter 216 (PhD) Candidate Name Candidate Address

Phone

Web: XXX Email: XXX



Company Name Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team, My name is XXX, a [PhD candidate] in Financial Economics at the University of [Toronto (UofT)], and I am thrilled to be presenting my candidacy to [Company Name]. I’ve had the pleasure of inviting [Company Name] consultants such as [ Person 1] as presenters to UofT’s Graduate Management Consulting Association’s sessions – through them I was able to get a look into some of your firm’s culture and core values. What impressed me distinctly is [Company Name]’s focus on teamwork and leadership, collaboration and connectivity, creativity and innovative thinking – all important to foster thought leaders. I am confident that I fit competencies you look for, and I would like that [Company Name] be my next employer. Like other stellar candidates, I am driven and strive for high impact and excellence. In academics this is articulated by strong grades (being in [the top 5% in all my degree cohorts] in financial engineering, economics, and financial economics) and [24 awards valued at $162,174] (including competitive ones like the SSHRC CGS Doctoral Scholarships). Unique to me, is that my successes were achieved amidst a slew of activities – I have always worked in [2-5 positions yearly as I studied]; I assumed TA-ships and received recognition for leadership excellence in these; I have introduced innovations in a number of clubs and associations, as a member or executive. Most noteworthy though, is that by maintaining intense focus despite my commitments, I am one of the [very few] of my cohort’s PhDs to have [three publications] pregraduation. My performance is best when challenged – in achieving excellence despite multiple shifting priorities, or with an intense focus on complex imes in my research. Regarding specifics of effectiveness and impact, I secured an IMF internship in 2014 [(awarded to 1 in a few hundred)]. Making headway in my projects and research involved securing information via databases which I had little understanding of. I learned the art of influence and successfully developed relationships and motivated others to share information and lend assistance which was critical for me to complete my research. My publication on global supply chain and how countries should adjust their domestic policies to capture greater market share, not only resulted in a timely publication, but a return invitation to present my paper in the fall, and my research was utilized by IMF senior management at advisory meetings with leaders of designated countries. My [track-record for impact] is also true in non-academic work. As Volunteer Coordinator in 2008, for Victoria’s Ska (music) week-long summer festival (of 10,000+ attendees), I successfully recruited, hired, trained and [mobilized 60 volunteers] to work at multiple stations and venues, and developed two alternate risk contingency plans. The event was executed seamlessly, with adequate people at all stations. I attribute this success of this event, to my love of problem solving (dissecting convoluted problems into manageable tasks), effective communication style, and [interpersonal skills] to instruct with clarity, engaging others, and diluting conflicts. I am confident in my well-rounded skill set, knowledge base, and potential for effectiveness at [Company Name]. I would be thrilled to a firm where I will be challenged, and whose culture and values resonate well with me. I humbly thank you for your time, and hope to discuss my qualifications in an interview. Excellent candidate and excellent letter. Makes explicit Yours sincerely, Candidate Name arguments. Clear examples. Quantifies results and

achievements.

Page 38

{Good} {Good}

{Good}

{Good quantification of selectivity.}

Top 20% Cover Letter 217 (Experienced Hire – 2 Years of Work Experience) Candidate Name Candidate Address Phone E-Mail Company Name Re: Application for Associate Consultant Dear XXX, I am writing to apply for the Associate Consultant position at [Company Name]’s office in Singapore. In my current role, I am an experienced hire at SPRING Singapore (SPRING), a leading economic agency in Singapore growing local businesses that are below $500 million in revenue. I work directly with CEOs in the food processing industry to drive growth and create jobs, and formulate strategies for industry upgrading My motivation for pursuing a position with [Company Name] was the result of working alongside [Company Name]’s consultants as a client to execute a benchmarking study for 38 local food companies in 2013. I was deeply impressed by their analytical ability and strong client management skills to my work with CEOs of participating companies. A career in management consultancy is also a natural progression from my current role at the industry level, to develop my keen interest in strategy at the firm level.

{Very clear paragraph.}

{Again, clear and concise.}

[I have demonstrated analytical skills and results-driven qualities] required of management consultants. In SPRING, I worked alongside CEOs where I evaluated, advised and selectively ed strategic projects through co-investments, generating over $120 million in realized profits and 150 jobs for Singaporeans over a period of 30 months. With little industry experience to aid, I led the formulation of growth strategies for the food industry where I analyzed and identified key growth drivers in the sector, recommended prioritization of high potential companies for growth, and received endorsement from senior management.

{Good topic sentence and ing evidence.}

In my role with SPRING, [I also displayed leadership and client management skills] that are required of consultantsI was tasked to manage key trade partners who were predisposed against working with state agencies. I built trust with these partners through regular dialogue, resolved disagreements promptly, listened and reframed problems, and persuaded change in a clientfriendly manner. My experience in working with CEOs directly has also humbled me to work to understand their reality, act as business partners, and align SPRING’s incentives with their objectives, which is critical to being an outstanding consultant.

{Another good topic sentence and ing evidence.}

After speaking to [Person 1], [Person 2], and [Person 3] recently from [Company Name]’s Singapore office, and having worked with them on two separate projects, I understand [Company Name] is a place that prides itself on winning with clients. I have demonstrated my ability to achieve results in a manner that allows me to make strong contributions to [Company Name] and it’s clients. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Good letter. Improvement opportunity: Add university name. Page 39

Top 20% Cover Letter 218 (Experienced Hire – 3 Years of Work Experience)

Candidate Name Candidate Address

Phone E-Mail

Dear XXX, I am an IT operations professional with 10 years of experience, including 3 years in upper management roles, and I would love to bring my skills and energy to [Company Name]’s Business Analyst position in Los Angeles. I am relocating from Boston to further a consulting career, and [Company Name] stands head-andshoulders over other firms with its positive, team-oriented culture. I understand that major responsibilities in this role include managing complex analysis projects, modeling future performance, and driving process improvements. I have extensive experience in these areas and would make a valuable addition to [Company Name]’s team.

{BBN After earning an [MBA from Northeastern University in 2012,] I created the Financial Planning and Analysis School ✔}

Manager role at Tech Superpowers, an Apple-focused IT services provider. Our CEO faced ongoing losses {Business after diversifying the company in the wake of the Great Recession. Through my analyses I discovered that our computer retail store wasn’t recovering its own direct costs and recommended closing the store. In doing Background ✔} so, [we cut losses by 31 percent] while preserving jobs for all full-time staff. {Good

Example}

[Financial performance modeling] was critical to my role in modernizing Tech Superpowers’ business model. In 2013, the company’s core Professional Services practice was underperforming. Our competitors were adopting a Managed Services approach—using all-inclusive service contracts and eliminating a la carte services—but my fellow managers feared losing revenue under such a structure. Building an in-depth model of the company’s financials with the various changes in place, I brought the team on board and helped execute the transition. After three consecutive years of losses, [we returned the company to profitability] in {Good Example} 2014. Throughout my career, I have always looked for ways to improve my teams’ processes and workflows. With my promotion to Chief Operating Officer in 2015, I was given a mandate to drive such improvements companywide, and tackling our help request process was my top priority. We had overloaded our help desk by allocating client requests in real time, forcing engineers to switch between technical work and new appointment scheduling throughout the day. Working with the team and incorporating best practices from {Good other companies, I created a centralized scheduling system that reduced workload while [increasing technician utilization by 68 percent]. Example} As I have learned in the IT field, happy employees yield happy clients. I have used my commitment to staff engagement and strong communication skills to build a rewarding work environment, and I am glad to learn that [Company Name] shares this approach. It is easy to see why [Company Name] continues to grow an average of 37 percent each year while maintaining a workplace recognized as one of the best. [Company Name]’s model is the future of consulting, and I would be thrilled to be a part of it. Please don’t hesitate to me should you have any questions. I will be happy to provide references upon request as well. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Good letter. Each paragraph focuses on a single, ideal example. Each example lists quantified results.

Page 40

Top 20% Cover Letter 219 (Experienced Hire – 5 Years of Work Experience)

Candidate Name Candidate Address Subject: Application for Fellow Position at [Company Name]

Dear XXX, I am writing to express my interest in applying for a Fellow position at your Zurich office. After working at [Credit Suisse] for over three years, I am looking for new international challenges and the possibility to broaden my experience beyond banking. Therefore, I would like to embark upon a fast-paced and intellectually challenging career in consulting to accelerate and deepen my personal development. I am certain I have the skills, ion and determination [Company Name] looks for in a candidate. I graduated from the [University of Toronto] in 2009 with a t Honors B.A. in Economics and Political Science. Upon graduation, I gained my first work experiences in the chemical and healthcare industries, through internships at [The Dow Chemical Company] in M&A and [Johnson & Johnson] in Financial Management. Following my internships, I ed Credit Suisse Private Banking Latin America as an inhouse consultant, where last year I was awarded the [highest performance review] rating within the COO organization and was nominated for promotion one year ahead of the normal cycle. The breadth of my assignments at Credit Suisse allowed me to develop strong problem-solving skills as well as to prove my versatility and ability to gain new knowledge in a fast-paced environment. My work encomed a mix of highly conceptual and analytical topics that ranged from: a) redefining the entire market’s value proposition and driving a market-wide risk reduction initiative, to b) conducting a deepdive analysis on our product offering and synthetizing the results, in order to drive sales initiatives and advise management on how to best meet their sales targets. Moreover, my role led me to team up with numerous cross-functional stakeholders at all seniority levels throughout the firm in Switzerland, the Americas and Asia Pacific. As a result of my strong track-record, I was entrusted by my line manager last year during her 6 month maternity leave, to act as the primary team liaison to our CEO, COO and internal stakeholders. Additionally, I was also commended to lead and mentor two junior team . I am certain of my interest in consulting and specifically [Company Name] for three main reasons; 1) the unparalleled self-development opportunities, 2) the prospect of delivering meaningful and impactful work, and 3) the company’s ability to foster an extremely ive and engaged culture of coworkers. Through my research, I had the chance to share thoughts with current consultants and alumni from your offices in Zurich, New York and Bogota. I was amazed at how through different perspectives and anecdotes, I came to the same conclusions reinforcing my interest in [Company Name]. In particular, I recall a memorable conversation with [Person 1] where he showed me first handedly, how rewarding the nature of his engagements has been, as well as how well aligned are the incentives for people in the company to help each other and succeed. For these reasons, I feel that [Company Name] represents the ideal place for me to further develop professionally and personally. I am convinced that I would be a strong contribution to [Company Name]. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I look forward to speaking with you soon. Sincerely, Candidate E-Signature Candidate Name job listing BBN early in the letter. Good

Page 41

{BBN ✔}

{BBN School ✔} {BBN x 2 ✔}

Top 20% Cover Letter 220 (Experienced Hire – 7 Years of Work Experience) Candidate Name Email Phone

Company Name Company Address

Dear recruitment team, I am a Senior Strategy Consultant focused on Telecoms, currently working with [Accenture] Strategy. I have also been in touch with some of the [Company Name] personnel in the past for exploring potential opportunities in South East Asia. I have an overall working experience of 10 years, of which the past 7 years have been focused on consulting projects with various telecom players. I have worked with telecom players in different phases - ranging from creating market entry business cases for potential new entrants to streamlining processes for existing mature players. From a geography perspective, I have worked for clients in South Asia, South East Asia and North America. From a functional expertise standpoint, I have done projects with several telecom players involving operating model strategy and design; business case creation and new market entry; pricing model design; and process design and optimization. I believe I possess strong credentials from consulting skills perspective, and have deep industry knowledge – and I am certain I will be able to add value to highly potent [Company Name] teams as well as create value for its clients. I have enclosed my resume with a summary of my profile and experiences for your reference. I will look forward to hearing from you soon. Best, Candidate Name



Page 42

{BBN ✔}

REWRITTEN COVER LETTERS - BEFORE VS. AFTER These cover letters were ones that using my normal recruiting screen process I rejected or nearly rejected. The letters by themselves were not strong enough to warrant reading the resume. However, as part of this program, I went back through all the cover letters I rejected and read their resumes anyways. These candidates were ones where the candidate was strong enough to warrant an interview at a top 10 firm, but their cover letter didn’t do their candidacy justice. I then re-wrote the cover letters to highlight what consulting firm recruiters are looking to see.

Page 43

Rewritten Cover Letters – 301 Original (Undergrad Intern)

Candidate Name Address Email: XXX Phone: XXX To Whom It May Concern: My boss for my last internship in Boeing told me that I was like Boeing’s internal consultant during my final presentation at the company, because of my logically structured presentation and my knack for communicating with people. Moreover, the solution I presented helped the firm reduced its market research cost by more than 50%. I love solving problems and using my solutions to make profound changes – ions that make me a perfect [Company Name] consultant. My conversation with [Person 1], a [Company Name] BA in NYO, even made me more excited about the firm. “You have the freedom to do whatever you want in [Company Name], and people in the firm will help you. You really learn a lot” When I talked to [Person 1], he was in his gap year in the firm helping a startup with its business. I’ve talked to 7 consultants in [Company Name] in total

{Writing is not concise enough; flow is choppy.}

and I enjoyed every conversation with them. I want to work in a ive culture and learn from intelligent and articulate people, so I believe the Summer Business Analyst position in [Company Name] is a perfect role for me. I’m good at presenting my ideas to senior managers and therefore change the company, not only as a summer intern at Boeing, but also as a summer analyst in Jade Capital Management LLC, a venture capital and private equity firm based in New York City. When I was in the firm, in my presentation to the board of directors, I successfully persuaded the CEO of one of its portfolio companies to develop a new Credit Monitoring System based on my qualitative and quantitative analysis on the credit investigation market in China. Leading a 5-person cross-functional team, I also developed an automated algorithm that calculates people’s creditworthiness based on more than 800 million pieces of social data and transaction data. Luckily, the seeds I planted in the firm are starting to germinate: the [system is now in its testing stage in Stanford University]. My suggestion made the firm one of the leading players in the fast-growing credit investigation market in China, and the market’s value is now estimated to be as much as $100B. However, I’m not satisfied with using my ideas to change only one or two companies, and I believe that a Summer Business Analyst position at [Company Name] would enable me to change many more firms like this portfolio company of Jade Capital using my communication skills. Having outstanding communication skills is not good enough in consulting. I’ve also developed my analytical skills through my internship at AXA Insurance last summer. In the firm, I analyzed, both quantitatively and qualitatively, more than 20k pieces of car insurance data with the Data Team in AXA. By analyzing the data, I discovered that AXA’s approved body-shop network in

Page 44

{Good}

certain areas in China is more profitable than other networks. So based on my discovery, I developed a Claims Strat Plan that increased the profitability of the firm’s approved body-shop network in China by 7%. I also reduced the labor cost while increasing the profitability: I noticed that my colleagues were having a hard time sorting out and analyzing the data, so I created an auto-fill form that reduced the time for analysis of the car insurance data from 5 days to only few seconds. Being able to get insights and strategic plans by analyzing data, I’m ready to become a Summer Business Analyst in [Company Name], and to use my ideas to change companies and to make them prosper. When I talked to [Person 1], he told me that “[Company Name] is the driving-force for the corporates.” True. And I want to be a part of that driving-force. I’ve changed Boeing, AXA, and that portfolio company of Jade Capital Management, and I want to do more than that. With my communication skills, analytical skills, and drive for excellence. I believe [Company Name] is a great place to realize my dreams. I’m willing to further discuss my qualifications during interview. Please reach me by email at XXX, or by phone at XXX. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Potentially good candidate but this is a weak letter. It needs to be edited to one page. There is too much detail on the examples. Concisely get to the results/impact and explain how that links to the job you’re applying for.

Page 45

Rewritten Cover Letters – 301 Revised (Undergrad Intern)

Candidate Name Address Email: XXX Phone: XXX To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to apply for your Summer Internship Business Analyst Position in [Company Name]’s New th York Office. I’m currently a sophomore at Brown University (4.0 GPA, SAT 2270, 99 Percentile) majoring in applied mathematics and computer science. I’ve worked as an engineering intern at Boeing, a financial analyst at AXA Insurance (Multi-national company, 59 countries, $100B revenues), and an analyst at Jade Capital (a NYCbased venture capital firm). Of the seven consultants I’ve spoken to in researching [Company Name], [Person 1]’s comments left a lasting impression and sparked my interest in [Company Name]. He emphasized how the firm offers the opportunity to build a career in nearly any direction. I find that quite exciting. I’d be able to contribute the following skills as a business analyst: •

Analytical Skills: While working at AXA’s auto insurance group, I led a data analysis project that resulted in a 7% reduction in auto repair claims expenses. I did this by analyzing over 20,000 pieces of claims and repair data to segment our auto body shop repair network based on their cost efficiency. This has allowed AXA to redirect claim repairs to less expensive auto body shops.

•

Effectiveness in Presenting to Senior Executives: While at Jade Capital, I presented to the firm’s board of directors and the CEO of a portfolio company to enter the credit monitoring market in China. I led a 5-person team that developed a new credit scoring model, similar to the US credit FICO credit score, based on both financial and social data. This model is now being tested at Stanford University. The portfolio company is now one of the leaders in credit reporting in China and has an estimated market value of $100 billion.

•

Practical Problem Solving Skills: At the Boeing Research & Technology group, I developed a new tool to analyze Boeing’s efforts in the in-flight connectivity market. The new analytical tool has reduced market research and analysis costs by 50%.

In addition to a strong academic background, my work experience has demonstrated a consistent track record of solving the problems I’ve been asked to solve. I am confident these assets would allow me to contribute effectively as a summer Business Analyst. I look forward to your consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 46

Rewritten Cover Letters – 302 Original (Undergrad) To whom this may concern: I recently met with [Person 1] of [Company Name] and our conversation opened my eyes to the world of internal consulting, as well as the extensive strategic efforts involved in the management of a multinational corporation. Since that time, I have researched the associate consultant position at length and found that my professional and educational experiences match up well with those necessary to succeed in this role at [Company Name]. During my most recent internship working with a startup, I led the company’s marketing strategy, which involved managing the process of deg, testing, and executing five distinct campaigns that increased traffic and website conversions [by 150%]. I also gained experience in collaborating with executives from client companies, in presenting the company’s core values and processes to candidates and clients, and in helping to shape the growth strategy of the company through extensive market research and competitor analysis. In my first internship experience, I managed the data validation process on an ERP database rollout for a $900M construction company. This provided me with a strong working understanding of internal finance and data systems for large scale clients. The next year, while working with a non-profit municipal lobbying firm, I conducted in-depth analysis of the negative impacts of a specific type of economic development legislation on lower-income communities. I then composed testimony in favor of amendment proposals that have since facilitated a more equitable distribution of these resources. In addition to my work experience, I gained significant leadership experience serving as [the captain of my NCAA varsity lacrosse team for two seasons at UMass Boston], alongside earning a [3.9 GPA] and [Departmental Distinction in the economics program]. I bring a diverse background of professional experience to the Corporate Strategy and Research group, coupled with an educational background that has taught me the fundamentals of finance and insurance. I am confident in my ability to succeed and excited to take on this challenging, dynamic role at [Company Name]. I thank you for your time in reviewing my application and look forward to speaking soon. Sincerely, Candidate Name Phone E-Mail

Page 47

{Good}

better structure, seems like rambling.}

{This is the best part; move it up. I almost missed this and would have rejected the letter otherwise.}

Rewritten Cover Letters – 302 Revised (Undergrad) To whom this may concern: I am applying for the Associate Consultant position with the [Company Name]. After researching the role via a conversation with [Person 1], I feel that my background in finance, leadership success and academic achievement would be a valuable asset to [Company Name]. I will be graduating in June of this year from UMass Boston. I have a 3.9 GPA and have already earned departmental honors (awarded to the top 5% of the students in the department). In addition, I’ve been the captain of the school’s NCAA varsity lacrosse team for two seasons. Professionally, I have four key proven skills that I could contribute to [Company Name]: •

Quantitative Data Management: While working at a $900M construction company, I managed the data validation process on an enterprise-wide mission critical ERP database rollout. Through this experience, I’ve developed the ability to work with large scale IT systems.

•

Analytical Decision Making: In a recent analytical web marketing internship, I optimized five campaigns that increased traffic and website conversion by 150%. I did this by deg, testing, executing and analyzing the results of multiple marketing experiments.

•

Interpersonal Skills: At the same internship, I presented to client executives and prospective employees in sales and recruiting meetings.

•

Effective Writing Skills: While working with a non-profit municipal lobbying firm, I conducted an in-depth economic analysis of a proposed legislation impacting lower-income communities. Based on this analysis, I wrote a speech and presentation for the firm’s senior partner to use in testifying to local government officials. Based on this testimony, government officials amended pending legislation to reflect my written recommendations.

Combined with strong academic achievement and a track record of student leadership, these skills would allow me to contribute to the [Company Name]. I appreciate your time in considering my application. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 48

Rewritten Cover Letters – 303 Original (MBA) Candidate Address Phone E-Mail Dear Hiring Manager, As a graduate of [Master in Business Management] with honors [(top 1%)] from [ISG Business School], a top ranking business school in , I am writing to express my interest in [Company Name]. I am a driven, dedicated, and astute candidate who believes that I can both grow with and contribute to [Company Name]’s success. My diverse cultural, educational, and professional experience has allowed me to develop a strong set of skills that I believe thoroughly match the job responsibilities and qualifications required for this position. Much of my recent experience in consulting and finance has been in the field of renewable energies. This industry has substantial growth potential given the change in consumer and government concerns for environmental impacts of different energy sources. I got the opportunity to successfully execute and deliver a wide array of projects, from leading an initiative to introduce a viable waste-to-energy industry in Tunisia and the Middle East North Africa region to co-founding a social and non-profit organization recognized internationally (Generation Jasmin). Furthermore, I have extensive experience in market research, generating dashboards, internal reports, and business planning through my work at [PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)], [Pfizer], and [GreenMax Capital Advisors]. Even though I went through substantial training in quantitative, financial and economic analysis I also got to develop strong [interpersonal skills] by honing my communication, persuasive, and presentation skills both at an academic and professional level. Work and assignments with a focus on team-based models enhanced my ability to build trust-based relationships and this was put in practice as I worked alongside [board-level ] at the UN, US EPA, USAID, USTA, and the OECD. [My experience] has also built a strong foundation of analytical and problem solving skills both in of acquiring the knowledge while at university but also the opportunity to apply this knowledge in a professional environment. This would be particularly useful in dealing with the root cause analysis often faced by [Company Name] consultants daily on behalf of clients: do you know what problem you’re actually solving? [In addition], my mixed cultural background and language skills (native English, French, and Arabic) are beneficial in providing me with a great understanding of diversity and culture, which is crucial for consulting multinational corporations and have led me to become very adaptable, flexible, and insightful. What inspires me about [Company Name] is the importance given to team-based work and how they create value to their customers. Innovative by nature, [Company Name] would enable me to search for creative ways to develop new approaches and solutions that can benefit the client and the company. Being a hard worker and quick learner with a curious and an open mind, I am highly motivated to the [Company Name] team. I believe that this role expects from me a dedication and commitment that will enable me to take advantage of all learning and development opportunities whilst contributing to the firm’s success. I believe that I have the necessary qualities to demonstrate the expected teamwork, leadership, courage, excellence, and respect associated with this position whilst maintaining an efficient and productive work environment. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards,

Font is too small.

Candidate E-Signature & Name

Page 49

{Strong Opening}

{BBN x 3 ✔ } {Be more concise.} {Strong evidence, good.} {There are 3 topics in this paragraph, so break into 3 paragraphs. And needs more evidence of analytics.}

{Okay to cut some of this.}

Rewritten Cover Letters – 303 Revised (MBA) Candidate Address Phone E-Mail Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Consultant position with [Company Name]. A year ago, I graduated with an MBA from ISG Business School (GMAT 710, ranked 5 out of 680 students), a Top-10 business school in . Prior to business school, I worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Pfizer and the United Nations before transitioning more recently to the environmental services sector. My career track record demonstrates the following skills that would serve me well at [Company Name]: •

Strong Interpersonal Skills: Across my career experiences, I’ve worked with board of director level professionals at the United Nations, United States Environmental Protection Agency, US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the US Organization for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD).

•

Analytical Skills: At PwC and Pfizer, I worked extensively in market research, writing internal reports and developing business plans. In addition, at GreenMax Capital Advisers, I provided analytical and served as an advisor for one of the largest clean energy projects in Africa.

•

Multi-cultural, Multi-lingual Experience: I’m fluent in three languages (English, French and Arabic) and have worked in four countries (UK, U.S., , and Tunisia). I’ve worked with diverse groups of people my entire career by learning to adapt, navigate multiple cultures, and to find common ground.

My background would allow me to contribute as a consultant at [Company Name]. I look forward to your consideration.

Kind regards, Candidate Name

Page 50

Rewritten Cover Letters – 304 Original (PhD) Candidate Name Candidate Address E-Mail Phone Dear Sir/Madam; As a Ph. D. candidate in chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology, I want to be considered for the consultant position at [Company Name].

opening sentence.}

My long-standing interest in [Company Name] was reinforced during [a recent virtual presentation]. The presentation showed, in the context of a recent problem, how consultants can be instrumental in delivering rapid, efficient solutions to challenging problems. [[Person 1]] gave an inspiring talk about helping clients develop methods to fight against Ebola. The process entailed the development of a strategic plan of attack by working with top experts in the field. The quick outcome and effective solutions that resulted from this collaboration really impressed me.

{By the firm?}

[With years of research experience in chemistry, identifying problems, researching literature, making feasible proposals, conducting experiments and analyzing results have become part of my daily routine.] It is a truly challenging process that I enjoy immensely. For example, one of my Ph.D. projects attempts to unambiguously assign the initial proton acceptor in photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Despite years of study, the debate is still ongoing. Inspired by the literature and strategic discussions with my advisor, I proposed one potential candidate for this role. Through deg, performing and analyzing tactical experiments, eventually, the hypothesis was proved valid. The corresponding manuscript has been submitted to Science magazine for review. [I believe, my ability to solve problem in a logical, cost-efficient way would be a good fit for [Company Name].]

{Weak topic sentence.}

In order to be a successful consultant, the ability to interact with clients is of paramount importance. During the past four years, I have successfully collaborated with several Ph.D. candidates, postdocs and professors to design and perform research. I have also mentored undergraduate thesis research within our lab. Besides research, teaching has been an integral part of my graduate life. I have taught both general and advanced chemistry labs to students from varying backgrounds. In one of the latter assignments, I was nominated as TA of the month by the students. I have also been nominated for the departmental TA award by a course instructor during the time I worked with her. [I think my ability to interact well with people from diverse backgrounds makes me a worthy candidate for [Company Name].] To better prepare for the consultant position, I took the CFA level 1 exam last summer. With almost zero background in finance and four months of preparation, I managed to the exam. The entire exercise did not interfere with my daily research. This experience will translate into the ability to quickly learn business situation, a trait highly useful for a consultant at [Company Name]. [Company Name] has been one of the earliest consulting firms to recruit advanced professional degree holders. I hope I will get a chance to be interviewed and eventually build, connect and grow in such an amazing firm. I want to thank you for reading this letter and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 51

{Does this person work at the firm?}

{This should be the topic sentence.}

{Good example.} {This should be the topic sentence.}

Rewritten Cover Letters – 304 Revised (PhD) Candidate Name Address E-Mail Phone Dear Sir/Madam; I am writing to apply for the consultant position at [Company Name]. I’m a PhD candidate in Chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology and will be graduating in May of this academic year. While I’ve followed [Company Name] for quite some time, my most recent interest in the firm was prompted by a presentation I heard from [Person 1] from your XYZ office. During this presentation, she shared her work in helping clients develop ways to fight against Ebola. The approach impressed me and further sparked my interest in [Company Name]. Here are a few highlights from my professional background: Logical Problem Solving Skills: In Chemistry, I am routinely identifying problems, performing literature research, making proposals, conducting experiments and analyzing results. In one of my research projects in a controversial area of chemistry, I conducted a series of experiments that ended up validating my initial hypothesis. I’ve written a research article on this and it is currently under publication review by Science magazine. This disciplined, logical and analytical approach to testing hypotheses is a skill I can bring to [Company Name]. Interpersonal Skills: I have a proven track record of working effectively with a diverse group of people. As a researcher, I routinely collaborate with several PhD candidates, post-doctoral fellows and professors to design and perform research. I’ve held several teaching assistant and undergraduate thesis mentorship roles. My students nominated me for a Teaching Assistant (TA) of the month award. In addition, the course instructor I worked for nominated me for a departmental TA award. Demonstrated Interest in a Business Career: To better prepare for a career in business, this past summer I took and ed the Chartered Financial Analyst Level 1 exam. With almost no background in finance and four months of preparation, I ed the exam. The entire exercise did not interfere with my daily research and demonstrates my ability to learn quickly in a business situation. I want to thank you for reading this letter and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 52

Rewritten Cover Letters – 305 Original (Post Doc) To whom it may concern, I intend to transition from an academic background obtained at the [World Health Organization] and the Scripps Research Institute to [Company Name]. The Consulting Club at the Scripps Research Institute confirmed my aspiration to become a consultant. My main objective during my academic career was to have a positive impact on healthcare. This is a shared goal between [Company Name] and me; as demonstrated by the objective of many [Company Name] partners, like [Person 1], to improve health care by increasing exchange between doctors and hospitals. Furthermore, [Company Name] appears to me not only as a place of excellence, but one that has the capacity to make a significant global impact and unlike other consulting and venture capital firms, stands out for its creativity and innovative strategies, ultimately offering the most powerful solutions to businesses. I have developed 2 unique approaches over the past 7 years that will make me an asset for [Company Name]. First, I have learned to address complex hypothesis-driven problems by generating quantitative tools to complement qualitative observations. Second, my ion for graphic design led me to follow leaders in communication, like [Person 2], giving me insight to convey powerful stories about my discoveries at international meetings. Thus, those problem solving and communication skills will allow me to identify and present the best course of action to [Company Name]’s clients. Like [Company Name], I am committed to solve global issues for leading players. While eager to contribute in solving major health issues by finding novel biological mechanisms, I faced two major challenges: acquisition of innovative knowledge, and partnership with scientific leaders who have a global impact. To overcome the first challenge, I chose to brave language barriers and cultural differences by moving to Canada, attending the University of Toronto to study emerging strategies to mitigate human diseases. My experience allowed me to work toward my second challenge at the World Health Organization, where my responsibility was to develop a new method to improve cancer diagnosis. My leadership experiences and travel in Africa and South America facilitated my interactions with staff scientists and technicians, from 12 different countries, in molecular biology, epidemiology and mathematics. As a team, we were able to overcome the international collaboration and political challenges of the Agency. The method I developed led to 20 scientific discoveries and now serves as a platform for 6 international laboratories. At the Scripps Research Institute, I wanted to undertake new challenges in biology, outside of my area of expertise. I stayed flexible and open to different thoughts and cultures, always eager to learn from others, which allowed me to develop a new technology to investigate mental disorders. Those collaborations generated [19 publications] in top scientific journals in the field of cancer biology and neuroscience [cited more than 600 times]. Implementation of those technologies allowed me to raise $70,000 from a nonprofit French association and [$500,000 from an NIH grant] and will continue to be used for independent projects. Being hired by [Company Name] as a consultant is a logical choice for your firm for two reasons. First, I will interact with the client to convey powerful stories and provide methodical ways to identify and fix their problems. Second, my approach is successful as funding agencies, executives at research institutes and my supervisors still benefit from the solutions I have provided. It is also a logical choice for me because [Company Name], through the Business Essentials Program and its extensive network of mentorship, provides an environment that will allow me to continue to collaborate and find innovative strategies to address the needs of C-level executives. Thus, I will have a more direct impact on the society. Therefore, our interactions will be mutually beneficial to your clients. Should you need any additional information, feel free to me. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name Enclosure: Resume

Letter is much too wordy but candidate is potentially strong.

Page 53

{BBN ✔}

{Geez… Lead with this!! It should be in the 1st paragraph.}

Rewritten Cover Letters – 305 Revised (Post Doc) To whom it may concern, I am applying to [Company Name] for a consultant position at the post-doctorate level. I hold a PhD from the World Health Organization (WHO) and am a post-doctoral research assistant in biology and neuroscience at the Scripps Research institute. Through my academic career, I’ve published 19 primary research papers, which have received 600 citations from other researchers in peer-reviewed journals in my fields (see attached CV with list of publications). The publications have also been cited in other research. I’m listed as key senior personnel on three grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the sole recipient of a fourth NIH grant of $500,000. I am in a point of transition in my career. While I continue to be ionate about making an impact on the world through health care, I’m looking to pursue that ion outside of a purely academic environment. In a recent conversation with one of your partners, [Person 1], I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he and I share this ion. He explained to me how his work at [Company Name] improved patient care by restructuring how doctors and hospitals coordinate care. In describing his consulting approach, I realized it was quite similar to the scientific method approach I use in my research. I’m fascinated at the thought of applying my strengths and ions to continue to contribute in a way that’s personally challenging and exciting to me. I have several skills and experiences that would allow me to contribute to [Company Name]: Scientific Method Approach to Problem Solving: Throughout my academic career, I’ve had to develop hypotheses via qualitative assessment, devise experiments and analytical approaches to testing them, and generate conclusions ed by quantitative data. I understand that [Company Name] uses the exact same approach in advising clients – taking client hypotheses, testing them quantitatively and deriving conclusions based on quantitative data. I’m confident that I can transfer this core methodology to help [Company Name] clients solve their problems. Strong Inter-Personal Skills in Cross-Cultural Environments: In my work at WHO, I was responsible for developing a process to improve cancer diagnosis accuracy. This involved working with colleagues and peers in three fields outside of my own, located in 12 countries on two different continents, while speaking two different languages. This project resulted in developing 20 scientific discoveries that have since been incorporated into the diagnosis process of seven international laboratories. I feel that my ability to work with very different kinds of people and situations would be useful in working with the diversity of people that make up [Company Name]’s clientele. Proven Track Record in Working with Senior Decision Makers: In my research, field, and grant seeking work, I’ve learned to understand, work with, and influence executives at funding agencies and research institutes. While I’m glad my research has been well received, I am deeply proud that my work has been utilized by others. This is directly the result of my developing and cultivating relationships with the most influential and powerful people in my field. I have no doubt I could do the same with [Company Name] clients. I thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Page 54

Candidate Name

Rewritten Cover Letters – 306 Original (Experienced Hire – 2 Years of Work Experience) CANDIDATE NAME Address ⎜ Phone ⎜ E-Mail Company Name Dear Hiring Manager, I would like to express my sincere interest in becoming an Associate Consultant with [Company Name] in Jakarta. In addition to an excellent academic record, my proven ability to utilize analytical problem solving acumen to deliver measurable business results will allow me to quickly become a highly effective team player in the [Company Name] team. However, what makes me a truly unique candidate is my entrepreneurial mindset that adds insight and innovation to powerful teams. Upon ing [P&G] in 2013, I led P&G Singapore $36M distributor operations responsible for 40% of total FMCG business. The business was plagued with declining revenue and rising cost from a tightening labor market. In close collaboration with the distributor’s CEO, I developed innovative solutions to refocus his business strategy. Utilizing statistical skills and conducting interviews with key market players and trade visits, I demonstrated the need to decrease total store coverage and shifted our resources toward specialty stores where we could build a sustainable competitive advantage. In order to further increase revenue, I developed a B2B business model where we would supply P&G products to business end-s. [The interventions led to overall revenue increase of 12% and a cut of operational expenses of 3%.]

{BBN ✔}

{This sentence should be earlier in this paragraph.}

Having delivered outstanding business results through innovation, I was entrusted to lead P&G ASEAN eBusiness. Despite representing less than 1% of overall business, ecommerce was viewed by management as the key growth contributor. By integrating go-to-market, brand, and supply chain functions, I developed a strategy focused on speed and agility. From there I led regional t Business Planning with eretailers, customer team, and Baby Care business unit to develop an end-to-end brand master plan for Pampers to {This should drive targeting, conversion, and basket size. [Pampers ecommerce business grew by 2.8X to $4M through gaining be the topic share 12 points ahead of national share.] sentence.} As the ecommerce channel continued to grow, I led the team to develop an open marketplace business model to tap on the growth of regional players such as Qoo10 and Lazada. The business model leveraged our distributors to operate as merchants on marketplace via a last mile 3PL. The marketplace business model contributed to 65% of overall ecommerce growth, [closing the financial year at 6.5X to $14M]. In recognition of over-delivering growth targets and bringing innovation, I was awarded Global CEO award for Best Employee in Singapore. I will leverage these same problem solving skills and entrepreneurial spirit in my work at [Company Name]. My track record of achieving business success with high-performing teams will spur me to fulfill my potential in [Company Name], where teamwork is cultivated and individual talents are recognized and strengthened. I am deeply attracted to a consulting role with [Company Name], as it will enable me to leverage my business experiences to deliver sustainable solutions for our clients, transforming their potential in performance. Given [Company Name]’s reputation of providing high-impact solutions to customers, and commitment to train and develop capability, ing [Company Name] represents a big opportunity to upgrade my skills and business acumen. I would be honored to the [Company Name] team. Thank you for your time and consideration, I look forward to interviewing with your team. Sincerel Candidate Name

Too many details. Good on-the-job measurable results; emphasize those achievements and cut the details.

Page 55

Rewritten Cover Letters – 306 Revised (Experienced Hire – 2 Years of Work Experience) CANDIDATE NAME Address ⎜ Phone ⎜ E-Mail

Dear Hiring Manager, I would like to express interest in becoming an Associate Consultant with [Company Name] in your Jakarta office. I’ve been working at Proctor and Gamble (P&G) Singapore in several leadership roles since graduating two years ago from Babson College (Cum Laude, Math SAT 720, 96th percentile). Based upon my track record of dramatic revenue growth across multiple projects at P&G, I was recently recognized as the “Best P&G Employee” for all of Singapore. My track record at P&G demonstrates the kind of skills I would be able to bring to [Company Name]: •

Increasing B2B customer segment sales by 12% while leading P&G’s largest distributor operations in Singapore.

•

Growing regional ecommerce revenues for Pampers by 180% and local market share by 12 points in two years as the leader of P&G’s South East Asia e-business operations.

•

Growing sales by 550% to $14 million for P&G’s open marketplace e-commerce project – an initiative that I led to counter growth of regional online competitors.

These measurable results were achieved through a combination of rigorous analysis to identify growth opportunities, collaborations with P&G partners, suppliers and resellers, and energetic leadership to make results happen. Within P&G, such a track record of tangible revenue growth is considered highly unusual for someone with only two years of professional work experience. I am confident that I can transfer the skills that I used at P&G to working with [Company Name] clients to achieve their objectives. Unlike other candidates at my level of work experience, I have had P&L operating experience. This credibility may be helpful in developing working relationships with [Company Name] clients that may be skeptical of a consultant that lacks such experience. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Candidate Name

Page 56