Cowabunga Cover Letter

Photo by Ella Novak.

We came across a great blog post featuring Leonardo da Vinci’s “resume” (or cover letter) as he applied for work with the Duke of Milan in 1482.  Check it out here.  (And please excuse our need to give a shout out to our other favorite Leonardo!)

We think da Vinci’s piece of writing is a great example and reminder of how to write a great resume or cover letter.  While you might think that your resume is all about you, remember that a great resume is about what you can do, specifically, for your potential future employer.

The purpose of your resume is to make it plainly obvious to your potential employer how you will contribute to their current goals and needs.  Instead of using your resume to simply list past experiences, list the capabilities you have acquired as a result of those experiences.

Of course, this often requires some work on your part.  Research your potential employer to get a sense for what issues they might be facing that you can help out with.  Then, specifically name those problems and your ability to tackle them.

Sure, Da Vinci was one of the most talented painters, musicians, and scientists to have ever walked the earth.  But before he was so accomplished, he had to sell himself on a piece of paper, just like you.  So follow his lead and focus on your capabilities and potential.  Who knows?  Maybe that code you’re writing will be this century’s “Mona Lisa.”