Mastering Cover Letters in 2025

by | Jan 31, 2025 | Writing

Cover Letters in 2025? Really?

Back in ancient times, when people hand-delivered their job application or mailed it, one of the things we’d include is a cover letter. That’s been the norm for the last billion years of business. It comes up on LinkedIn threads and it shows up as a request for online job applications. In the age of “everything is right now”, I think they’re a little dated, but that’s neither here nor there.

Uh, Why Cover Letters?

I’ve read my fair share of cover letters and resumes as a hiring manager. I’ve also spent time writing them for myself and other people. There’s a disconnect in the world for applying online and job seekers about cover letters in 2025. Recruiters on LinkedIn telling people to be authentic yet are leaving job seekers wondering how. Employers are asking more from candidates while creating generic and canned experiences that lack response. A cover letter is a key piece to selling you and your knowledge to an employer.

How Do You Write a Cover Letter That Stands Out?

How do you write a cover letter that isn’t generic and still gives you a proper introduction? Plenty of articles lay out the formula: what to include, how to phrase it, and even examples to copy. But let’s face it, most of them read the same. They recycle similar ideas and offer cookie-cutter examples.

What’s a Cover Letter’s Purpose?

So, how do you write a cover letter that stands out? Let’s start by understanding what it’s supposed to do. A cover letter isn’t your resume. It’s connected to your resume, but it doesn’t repeat it. Its job is to reflect your knowledge and qualifications while giving the reader a glimpse of who you are. Think of it as a spotlight moment where you get to say, “Here’s why I’m perfect for this role.” Your cover letter needs to:

  • Introduce yourself.
  • Specify the role you’re applying for.
  • Explain why you’re applying.
  • Highlight your qualifications.
  • Showcase relevant soft and hard skills.
  • Close with a compelling argument and outline the next steps.

This is a formal, first-person letter, and it’s structured like any professional correspondence (STEM too!) In the U.S., formal writing leans on the active voice, which keeps the tone clear and direct. By the way, opening with “Dear [Name]” is perfectly fine. I’m not a fan, it feels outdated, so I lean toward “Hello” or “Good Day” as more modern and equally professional greetings.

Structure is Everything in Cover Letters

Before diving into the content, keep this in mind: structure is everything. Each paragraph has a purpose. Keep them focused, clear, and concise. Paragraphs generally run three to five sentences, though a few more are fine if needed. Every paragraph should open with a clear topic sentence, followed by supporting details and examples. Don’t forget transitions, they keep the flow smooth and the reader engaged.

Your opening paragraph introduces you and sets the tone. Mention the role you’re applying for and explain why it interests you. Go beyond the generic, talk about a specific article you read, an interview you watched, or something unique about their company that caught your attention. You can talk about how you were captured by their social media posts. Be authentic here; it’s your chance to connect.

Detail Your Skills and Qualifications

The next one or two paragraphs are where you shine. Highlight your qualifications without rehashing your resume. Reflect on the key points in your resume but also share additional skills or knowledge that make you a great fit. This is where you bring in your soft and hard skills that align with the position. Don’t fall into the trap of sounding robotic or generic, your goal is to stand out, not blend in or like you Googled a filler sentence. Bring energy and personality to your writing through your wording.

How to Close a Cover Letter Effectively

Finally, close strong. Summarize why you’re the best candidate and seamlessly transition into the next steps. Tell them how to contact you and thank them for their time. A small, genuine thank-you goes a long way. For your closing, “Sincerely” works well because it’s both formal and personable. Make sure your signature matches the name on your resume to keep things consistent. Here are a few last tips to follow.

Use Beneficial Language to Communicate

Write directly to the person reading. Avoid filler words like “some” or “many”, they don’t add meaning. Steer clear of jargon; it confuses more than it impresses. Humor is risky, you don’t want to offend anyone. Instead, focus on clear, accessible language that highlights your strengths and enthusiasm.

First Impressions are Everything

Your cover letter is your introduction, and your handshake on paper. Make it count by writing with purpose, clarity, and just the right amount of personality. You’re not just checking a box you’re making your case. So go ahead, tell your story, and make them want to read more.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot… in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

First Website for Your Small Business or Job Search

by | Nov 15, 2022 | Marketing

desktop with oversized graphic of a web design ux/ui

What to think about for your very first website for small business or as a job seeker.

Never had a website before? Start here.

Let’s first address who this entire article is for. I’m not talking to people who’ve had websites in the past or run a massive corporation. I’m talking to people that are just getting started with a small business, in independent contracting, or even as a job seeker. Here’s what you’re goign to need for a first website for small business or as a job seeker.

I’m pretty sure if someone like my dad was starting up his own business, he’d be asking for help with everything from logo design to website help. Which got me thinking. People don’t necessarily know what to ask for or where to start if they’re just starting up their own small business or for contracting or looking for a job.

In fact, based on past calls i received, they don’t know how web designers may charge them for help with website development. Having knowledge on where to get started, is important when you’re figuring out how much money you’ll need to have in your cost analysis for the business plan and understanding your initial budget.

The delicate balance of a website’s needs & budget – Website domains & hosting

First off, what’s in your wallet?

Anytime you look for tech to help you with a problem, you’ll have to create a budget. This isn’t a willy-nilly process since there are realistic costs upfront to even having a website to begin with. Best thing to do, is to start with a list of basic costs and create a realistic understanding of how to create your initial budget. This means you’re looking at initial costs of (at a minimum) of $154usd just to have a website plan that works online.

Description Cost Notes
Ip address $10.00 Annual – base minimum
WordPress $8.00 Personal – per month
WordPress business $12.00 Business – per month
Shopify $29.99 Base plan – per month
Wix $16.00 Personal – per month
Squarespace $16.00 Personal – per month

Investigate the costs further, what i didn’t mention is that the ip address can cost up to a few thousand dollars depending on what you’re looking for. The ballpark is around $10 to $20 dollars per year. Finding a domain and purchasing one can be done in a number of places (here are a few of your options).

If you’re a job seeker (or a contractor) you can use a personal plan without a hitch for the basic price of about $154 per year. They’re simple to set up on your own, or with a professional’s help. Most places offer guided instructions to help you, so you can do this without spending extra cash.

For business owners, a basic business plan is a great way to get started. In this case, you’re looking at around a base of $310usd (minimum) per year to have a domain and website hosting. You’ll need the extra options as a business for integrations and themes that you’ll want to have.

Content is LIT!

Content is a mixed bag of items. Typically, when you hear or read the word “content” you should be thinking about, text, graphics, photography, and video. It’s what’s contained in a website and on the web. So, it should go without saying that you’ll either be handing over your content to a having it created for you, giving it to a web designer, or posting it yourself.

Copywriters are required

If you need content written or edited by a professional, there’s going to be a charge for it. Rates for good writing will vary, but there’s a typical range you will see that’s asked for in the industry. And there are a couple of ways a writer will charge you for their work, either per word or by the hour. Both usually work out to about roughly the same price. If you aren’t writing your own content, you’ll need to budget on a copywriter.

Copywriter rates
Min Max
Per word $0.10 $0.50
Per hour $40 $100

Graphic art for description and clear understanding

Art is important as part of the content of your brand, and it isn’t free. This can include your logo, typography, and digital art. The things that make up your brand should be included, even on a bare-bones website. A digital graphic artist can range from $50-$150 per hour based on their skills sets.

Photographers for products, teams, or yourself!

Professional photography makes a significant difference in content & sales. If you’re business or personal website needs either you or products to look good, you’ll probably want to consider a photographer. Photographers my offer a package for their work, but the standard rate is around $100-$125 per hour.

Web designers are your builders

Depending on the type of website you’re in need of, your price range for a web developer will range from $100-$180usd. I’ll point out here, the more complex the work, the more expensive it becomes. A ui/ux designer might charge a little less than a back-end software developer, but overall, you’ll still need to consider that you’ll spend on average $125 per individual per hour.

Ready to get your website up & running?

It’s pen and paper time.

When you call your friendly web designer (you can read this as: me), we’re going to ask you some basic questions. When i get calls it’s always “how much do you charge?” Well, that answer, as you probably guessed by now, varies. There’s a better way to get started to save yourself some time and energy when you make that call.

In fact, here’s a list of questions you’ll need to be able to answer for any web designer:

  1. What is your website for?
  2. Who are you targeting?
  3. Can you show me 3 to 5 websites that you like from your competitors?
  4. Can you provide examples on those websites of things you do not like?
  5. What features do you want to include on your website?
  6. What is the timeline to start and when would you like to launch?
  7. What’s the overall style of your website that you are imagining?

Therefore, you’re first question should not be “how much do you charge?” It should be, “can we discuss the different types of websites you create?” This will get you pointed in the right direction of getting help you need to create a website that works on your budget.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot… in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

Importance of Training in the Workplace

by | Sep 28, 2022 | Writing

Typed page in typewriter that says "Bestest English for gooder grammar."

Why Is Training Important?

I’m so glad you asked!  Before I answer this question, I want to give you a bit of background.  I’ve worked for several companies, domestically and internationally.  I only worked for one American company that has ever conducted training when coming onboard as a new hire. Now, let’s talk about the importance of training in the workplace.

Background in learning in the workplace.

After being in the Navy, to me it was surprising that companies didn’t train their people.  In the Navy, we spend our time training (and cleaning) when we’re not on watch (aka shift work).  We also trained people on watch, because it was important for them to understand both principles and application of those principles.  Prior to going onto watch, we were spending a couple of hours every workday training for our job.  There was never a work shift day that we didn’t train on a system or otherwise.

In the civilian world, the opposite is true.  In fact, I remember several times over the years asking for training only to be denied.  The reasons were always rather baffling as to why.

The Dollars & Sense of Training

Did you know that training talented people is cheaper than the hiring process? It’s also going to be faster than hiring a new person.  Let’s talk about the reality I’ve seen in the last 20ish years.  While in service industries, it may be that it takes as little as a week or two to hire someone, it can take around 45 days to bring an engineer through the hiring process.  These averages I took straight from recruiting websites and Indeed.  However, with talent analytics, it can take over 52 days to find the right person.

Now, I’m not going to discuss hiring practices in this blog.  I have discussed job advertisements in a blog, but that’s not the total picture.  In the very least, it will cost about $4,000USD according to Glassdoor, to hire someone new.  But, it can cost as much as 30% of a new employee’s annual income to hire new talent.  In the State of Oregon, where my business is located, Oregon workers averaged $55,027USD (in 2019).  Obviously, these averages change based on the industry in the state, but you get the point.  At 30%, you’d be paying an additional $16,508 for that new hire.

Onboarding a new hire, an average employer spends about $1,500USD to train a person.  Of course, this depends on your industry, company size, and the type of training.  That’s a big chunk of change. It goes further when you think about shifts in productivity.  It’s puzzling to think about, but in the US (and UK), businesses lose an estimated $37Billion because of workplace ignorance.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot… in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

Importance of Writing in Business

by | Sep 22, 2022 | Writing

Typed page in typewriter that says "Bestest English for gooder grammar."

Writing Requires Work & Then Some

The importance of writing in business

Not everyone is a good writer. Yes, I said it out loud. You know what? It’s perfectly fine if that’s not your skill set. But writing is a requirement for business. It’s time to understand why writing is important. It will help you make better business decisions and improve communication.

Forms Of Written Communication & Their Importance

Writing is communication, plain and simple. What isn’t as simple as identifying the various forms of writing and their purposes that can help your business. We also need to establish why good written communication is essential for business.

All forms of writing require skill, thought, and most importantly, the realization you are a mere mortal. Writing for any purpose outside of a wedding invitation requires an incredible amount of work. To undertake a piece of writing will take you through several emotions, at least one life-changing moment, and several stressful situations.

Outside of that, it’s a piece of cake.

Ok, I lied. It’s not as glamorous as cake. In fact, let’s just forget I talked about cake. Let’s talk about writing and why it’s a business requirement.

Day-to-Day Business Writing

We can start simple and think about the different ways we use writing in our business dealings. Just thinking about day-to-day communications from emails to reports, we’re using our skills to communicate with clients and coworkers. Digging deeper into it, businesses and freelancers need to have good writing skills to create everyday items. The shortlist of daily writing would be emails, memos, reports, meeting notes, and agendas.  

Arguably, good writing is the most important skill set you have for your work, whatever it is. It allows you to lay out a logical path for others to follow. Providing comprehensive and informative written information creates structure and clarity for people.

Copywriting is Motivational

I love reading good copy and so do you. Copywriting inspires confidence and curiosity about a brand’s products and services. It’s motivational and persuasive, which is why it’s used for marketing, websites, social media, and newsletters. It’s also the reason we love it. Copywriting pieces are communication, just on a different level. It taps into the parts of our psyche that wants to be wowed by something cool.

It is essential to appreciate a great writer who can get you thinking about a product or service. 

The power of persuasion is almost everything for text content in marketing (we’ll get back to this point in a minute.)  

Complex Communications Through Technical Writing

On the tech side, technical writing is in three distinct areas, instruction, argumentative, and communication. 

Of course, all three are still communication, but let’s talk about the specific role of technical writing.

The goal of technical writing is to always provide complex ideas to readers in a way they can understand even if they are not experts in a particular field. This means that a technical writer must take the information and create text explanations for any reader to understand. In business, the role of a technical writer is expansive covering everything from training to safety to production.  

Good Writing Is Critical to the Importance of Writing in Business

For your business, you probably use a mix of both copywriting and technical writing. Understanding your business’s deficiencies in communication is critical in improving your brand. Your business should be constantly communicating to the public your work. 

This can happen in several ways that include client or employee training, social media, your website, newsletters, or reports. Any business’s amazing story can be told through writing. It’s up to you how you tell it, and no matter the routes you take, you’ll need great writers to do it.  

 

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot… in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

Do You Need a Business Plan?

by | Sep 13, 2022 | Writing

image of newspaper clip for a job advertisement

Do you need a business plan?

When I launched Atomic Dumpling with my business partner, we didn’t have a business plan. Instead, we had an idea checklist and stuck with it. The reality is that we had set up the checklist to think about the things we wanted to do with our side project, which for all intents and purposes, is what Atomic Dumpling started as. We didn’t think we needed a business plan until we realized we did need one.  So do you need a business plan or not?

Yes, and I know it sounds confusing, but a business plan is essentially a guide. After a few months of working together, we realized that a plan would help us be clear on our mission.  

A business plan takes you along the stops of starting up and running your business from its infancy. Now what makes it a great tool is that this document is continuously updated as your business grows. It communicates succinct information to partners and investors.

How long is too long?

Your business plan needs to be long enough to convey important information. What do you consider “important”? That is a question specific to each business if you are writing to interest investors and partners.

Start out by listing a series of questions that will help you determine what style of business plan you need.  

  1. What is your business going to offer as far as products or services?
  2. What are your resources & activities?
  3. What will the cost structures & revenue streams be?
  4. How do you plan to set up your customer relations?
  5. What is your marketing plan & strategy?
  6. Do you have a funding request?
  7. Will you have financial projections for Q1 or A1?

Depending on your answers, you can narrow down how long your plan will be. You can also determine which form of business plan you would like to use. Traditional business plans tend to be longer than a single page, unlike a Lean business plan.  

What are the differences between plans?

There are two styles of business plans both are well known. The first, aptly, is called the traditional business plan and is sectionally written and typically has multiple pages. The second is called a Lean business plan and is more simplistic.  You can download free examples of either from the Small Business Administration. You can create either to suit any business need. It boils down to your style of writing and what information you feel is important to convey.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot… in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!