Summarize the following:
Like any professional letter, the pain letter should begin with “Dear [hiring manager name].” The hiring manager’s name should appear in the contact section on the job description. You can also look for the hiring manager’s name on the company website. The hook should praise the company on a recent accomplishment. Do some research to find a recent win by the employer that has happened within the past six months. This could be a recent award they received or a new facility they just established. Maybe they hit a recent sales goal or broke into a new market. Make the hook the first sentence of the letter. For example, you may write, “Congratulations to you and your team at Buzz Company for winning the recent Innovators Award! I was able to catch the keynote speech at the awards, given by your CEO, and was impressed by your company’s dynamic approach to the sales market.” In the second paragraph, focus on one pain the hiring manager may be having. Refer to the issues mentioned in the job description. Do not try to address every pain point. Instead, focus on just one so your letter is clear and to the point.  For example, you may write, “I can imagine that keeping up with new hires and payroll issues as you expand may be an ongoing challenge. With the constant changes in the market, it’s not easy to keep employees paid correctly in a growing company.” In this section, do not tell the hiring manager what to do or how to do their job. Simply outline a possible pain point that you feel you can address or offer solutions for. In the third paragraph, tell a one to two sentence story that discusses your solution to the pain. Discuss a time when you addressed a similar business pain by listing your actions and your necessary expertise. This will let the reader know that you have the experience necessary to address their pain. For example, you may write, “When I ran the HR department at Fizz Limited, I created a new hire training program tailored to the needs of the company. I also kept payroll in compliance with industry standards and responded to employee needs as the company grew from 10 to 500 staff members.” End the letter with a short one to two sentence closing paragraph. Briefly note the pain you have addressed in the letter as well as a gentle call to action about getting in touch with the hiring manager. Include a friendly sign off. For example, you may write, “If HR leadership and payroll accuracy are two skills you are looking for at your company, I’d love to talk in more detail about how I can be of service. Best, [your name].”
Address the letter to the hiring manager. Start with a hook. Describe the hiring manager’s pain. Discuss your solution to the hiring manager’s pain. Close with a call to action.