If you’ve been job hunting lately, you’ve probably felt that familiar mix of hope and quiet dread every time you see a new posting. Between AI screening systems, hundreds (or thousands) of applicants per role, and the emotional rollercoaster of hearing nothing back after hitting “submit,” it’s easy to feel like the odds are stacked against you. Add trying to freelance into the mix, and suddenly, it can feel like everyone else has a secret playbook you somehow missed.
Lately, I’ve been on the hunt for a smarter, more human way to cut through the noise. (Mostly because I’m tired of mass-applying to 200 roles and rewriting the same cover letter into oblivion.) In my search, I stumbled upon the visual cover letter. Unlike last year’s “mini resume” TikTok trend that users hoped would get people in their field to notice them first, a visual cover letter is a strategic, targeted approach used after you’ve already applied to a specific role or opportunity.
According to Victoria Stacey, a People and Culture Lead specializing in creative industries, alternative methods to getting noticed, like visual cover letters, are becoming more and more popular. But what exactly is a visual cover letter, and should you really consider adding this step to your already miles-long job searching to-do list? Let’s get into it.
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Victoria Stacey
Victoria Stacey is a creative leader with deep expertise in people and culture, talent development, and team building within the creative industries. Her background spans program leadership in the arts, content strategy at creative agencies, and people and culture leadership at We The Collective, where she oversaw hiring and onboarding across dozens of roles for major entertainment brands. Victoria’s work centers on helping creatives find roles where they can thrive and building high-performing teams that do their best work.
What is a visual cover letter?
In a world where short-form video has completely rewired our attention spans, it’s not exactly shocking that visual storytelling is creeping into even the most traditional spaces, including hiring. Most of us would rather watch a one-minute video than read a generic cover letter, and hiring managers are… also most of us.
With this in mind, a visual cover letter is most commonly sent as a creative, designed document or short video that introduces the applicant and highlights their skills, qualifications, and enthusiasm; however, it can be sent in any creative medium. For example, your visual cover letter can be a customized slide deck that shows your background and what you bring to the table, or a short video using a tool like Loom to introduce yourself to a brand manager. Its goal is to add context, personality, and show that you’re willing to go above and beyond—three things that rarely come across in a PDF.
Does a visual cover letter replace a traditional cover letter?
This is a unique take on getting yourself noticed, and one that “immediately signals initiative and strong communication skills,” according to Stacey. However, it doesn’t replace traditional application materials, including a polished, written cover letter. Basically, you need to submit all required materials and then send your visual cover letter directly after. Think of it like sending a LinkedIn direct message to a hiring manager after you apply. It’s a nice little follow-up that you hope someone sees, but it’s not a shortcut to landing an interview. So, yes, sending a visual cover letter is an extra step, but according to Stacey, it’s one that “absolutely makes the candidate more memorable.” You can think of it as the first unofficial task of your new job: showing initiative, creativity, and effort before anyone even asks. In a job market this crowded, that kind of energy is hard to ignore.
When sending a visual cover letter makes sense
A visual cover letter can be a really unique way to stand out, but before you hit record or start designing anything, it’s worth considering if it even makes sense for you. Some industries are naturally more open to creative application tactics than others. For example, if you’re targeting a trend-aware, digital, or creative space, a visual cover letter can give you a leg-up. But if you’re applying to a more traditional field like law or healthcare, a polished email to a hiring manager may still be the smartest move. The same goes for the role itself: visual pitches work best when creativity and communication are expected for the position. As Stacey notes, “I definitely don’t recommend visual pitches for every role. They work best when storytelling and presentation are part of the responsibilities of the job.”
It’s also important to consider who will be receiving your pitch and how they’re likely to respond. Ideally, you’re sending it to someone in the department you want to work in or someone on the recruiting team who’s open to a more modern approach. A quick LinkedIn scan can tell you a lot: Do they post often and engage with content? If so, they may be receptive to something a little different. If they haven’t updated their profile since 2012, they probably aren’t your best audience. You can also gut-check by asking people you know in similar roles how they’d react. Your cool cousin Jim in PR? Absolutely. Your friend’s mom, who’s a corporate lawyer at an insurance company? She might just be confused.
4 steps to creating and sending an effective visual cover letter
Once you’ve decided that a visual cover letter is an approach you’re going to try, now you need to make sure it really helps you to shine. Keep the following tips top of mind to help guide you in this process.
1. Decide on the right medium
A Canva deck, carefully designed and curated, can be an amazing visual portfolio that showcases your work and what you’d bring to the table for a company in a way a traditional cover letter never could. While a portfolio showcases your past work, a visual pitch deck lets you introduce yourself and show what you can do for the company (think: a 2-slide overview of how you’d update their mobile homepage to be more UX-friendly). A punchy video easily showcases your personality, communication skills, and ability to work with innovative channels in a way that a pitch deck wouldn’t. Take the time to think about which medium would make more sense for you and your dream role before sinking time into it.
2. Keep it succinct
You know how you decide in 0.06 seconds if you’re going to scroll to the next video on TikTok? Yeah, your recruiter or hiring manager is likely going to do the same. So, keep your video around a minute long, start strong (no awkward millennial pauses here, please!), and practice what you’re going to say. No going off the cuff!
The same goes for a visual pitch deck. You have only a slide or two to grab someone’s attention, so keep it short, highlight what would set you apart the most, and focus on things that your traditional resume or cover letter won’t convey as easily. A good idea is to run it by a friend first and ask their honest opinion. This will give you a chance to tweak anything that comes across as less attractive or attention-grabbing than you want it to.
3. Make it professional
View this as part of the interview process and put your best foot forward. If you’re recording a video, film in a clean, professional setting, look presentable, and remove any distractions. For a pitch deck, use a template that aligns with the company’s branding, remove any confidential information from work you did for past clients, and triple-check for spelling or grammatical errors. A visual cover letter is a huge vote toward your personal brand and could be the first thing a hiring manager sees, so make it count!
4. Personalize it
For each person or company you send a video or pitch deck to, you want them to feel special.
For videos, speak to people directly (“Hi Jan, I see you work for [insert company] and also went to my alma mater [insert name], Go hawks! I’m applying to…”). For pitch decks, find a way to address the company directly by searching their website and creating a short case study of what skills you’d specifically bring to help them in the role you’re applying for.
Stacey echoes the importance of customization. “It takes more time to personalize something, but a generic video or deck is actually worse than nothing at all. When someone references the team they want to work with or a real challenge the company is tackling, it immediately signals that they’ve done their homework.”
Devin Cleary Gooden, Contributing Finance Writer
Devin is a Toronto-based content creator and marketer with 10 years of experience writing about finance and career tips for women. She is passionate about helping women understand finances so they can create the life they want to have, whatever that may look like. She is currently a senior manager of content at a fintech company, where she works on websites, emails, social media, videos, and podcasts.
Hailey Tagliarino, Assistant Managing Editor
As Assistant Managing Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Tagliarino oversees, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. From the pitching stage through publishing, she works alongside the team to ensure that the content that our readers see every day is inspiring, relatable, and timely.
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