Video Editor Cover Letter Guide & Tips

A cover letter is the critical first impression a potential manager will have about the quality of your professional work and your personality and philosophy as an employee. As cover letters are a primary requirement of almost any application, many job candidates are tempted to create one that can easily be copied, pasted, and used for multiple job inquiries. However, many Video Editors quickly discover that polished and personalized cover letters make all the difference between a successful outcome and being stuck in a neverending jobless limbo. Keep reading to learn more about writing a powerful cover letter to make your application stand out. 

How to Write a Video Editor Cover Letter

You should customize your cover letters to the company and the specific position of interest. However, every cover letter should include some common general aspects and elements. Reference the job title you are applying to early in your letter and have the call for applications readily available. Connect your experiences to the required qualifications and skills outlined in the job description. Cover letters should tell an engaging story about how past and present experiences and interests inspire you to apply for a position or opportunity. Employers may read hundreds of cover letters throughout the job candidate search process. Ensure your cover letter has the following elements before applying to a video editing job. 

Focus on Building a Narrative

Video Editors are known for their ability to develop and convey a complete and compelling story. Consequently, your cover letter should have a defined beginning, middle, and end. Before writing your cover letter, take some time to outline the general format of your narrative. The beginning of your cover letter should set the tone and context for the rest. Video Editors often begin a cover letter by describing how they heard about the position and their interest in applying. The middle section should explain why you are suited for the position that you are applying for and any professional experience that overlaps or has prepared you to take on this new role. Finally, your conclusion should encourage the reader to take further action. You can inspire your reader by including your excitement and qualifications for the job and providing contact information that the reviewer can use to contact you.

Identify Connections Within the Company 

The most convincing way to convey excitement about a potential employment opportunity is to discuss professional and personal connections to the company and the media they create. If someone already employed by the company recommended that you apply, mention that relationship and why they thought you were well suited for the position. Unsure if you have any professional intersections with the company? Create a LinkedIn account to see if anyone in your network is associated with the company. They may be willing to make an introduction or talk through their employee experiences with the company. These personal connections help personalize your application and demonstrate your ability to work in the company. 

Highlight Your Experience Using the Company’s Preferred Editing Software 

Video Editors are in high demand as companies become increasingly dependent on visual media for advertising, inter-organizational communication, and training. These companies depend on a unique combination of video editing programs. Many require applicants to have three to six years of experience working with one or more Adobe Creative Cloud applications, 3D visual effects programs like Cinema 4D, or video editing applications such as Final Cut Pro. Consequently, job applicants must be able to describe and demonstrate their aptitude with various video editing and motion graphics programs to be competitive in their application pool. Many applicants demonstrate their proficiency by completing a certificate program or acquiring a certification in one or more programs. 

Discuss Overlap in Brand Identity and Values 

As you develop a unique perspective and brand through your video editing career, many companies now advertise and promote a unified identity built around a central ideology. Job applicants who can demonstrate their passion for a company’s services or products in their cover letter are likely to stand out in the application pool. Highlighting a personal or professional connection to the values and interests that drive a company shows potential employers your ability to flourish in their work environment and create a product that will resonate with their brand. A few minutes of research can go a long way to determine if a company or project will be a good fit for you and your work. 

Spotlight Relevant Skills Beyond Video Editing

Many Video Editors use their applications to tout their technical skills and experiences working on visual media projects. While this is highly relevant information, many companies also look for additional skills and experiences and the ability to work independently and with teams to ensure the applicant will be successful in the company’s environment and pace. Many Video Editors work in fast-paced environments where they are expected to juggle multiple projects simultaneously. Video Editors working for larger corporations may also be expected to manage other workers or communicate with other team members. Video Editors who articulate their experience working in similar environments will stand out among their peers. 

5 Video Editor Cover Letter Tips

You’ve finished the first draft of your cover letter. What’s next? Before you click submit, check out the following tips to ensure your cover letter catches the attention of your prospective employer. 

Properly Format Your Cover Letter 

Video Editors are known for putting their unique flair and personality into their projects. While demonstrating this creativity will help you ultimately secure the job of your dreams, there are a few conventional elements that your cover letter should include. For example, ensure your contact information is identifiable at the top or bottom of the cover letter. Relevant contact information includes your full name, mailing address, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn account. Your paragraphs should also be easy to read without technical jargon or wordy sentences. Ideally, these paragraphs should be three to four sentences long and grammatically correct. Hiring managers may read hundreds of applications in a job cycle. Make sure that a technicality does not disqualify your application. 

Address Your Prospective Employer By Name and Title 

Cover letters should be addressed to specific individuals or job-searching committees whenever possible. “To Whom It May Concern” may sound objective and professional, but knowing the name and title of the person reading your application is a great way to make an initial connection and demonstrate that you are serious about working for the company. Prospective employers should always be addressed by their titles and surnames. Research their pronouns and professional credentials (i.e., doctorates, political and professional appointments) to ensure that your cover letter conveys respect and intention to potential employers. 

Connect Your Unique Talents to the Needs of a Project or Organization 

As a professional and an artist, you bring a wealth of experience, taste, and perspective to any project or organization you join. Rather than blandly listing all of your past achievements and enterprises, use your cover letter to actively convey how your professional experience will translate into new contexts and allow you to provide unique contributions to the project’s team. Without demeaning or criticizing any of the company’s past work, connect your experiences to the organization's goals and mission and demonstrate how you can contribute to the business achieving new heights. 

Your Cover Letter is not a Personal Statement 

Including too much information is a common error when writing cover letters. While creating a narrative allows you to connect and engage with a potential employer, the cover letter isn’t a forum for your entire life story. Hiring managers may read hundreds of applications before deciding which professionals will be invited to interview for a position. Ensuring that your cover letter is concise will help your application stand out during this review process. 

Deciding which information to include in your application takes time and effort. You may think that including every previous job experience makes your application look well-rounded. But it may come off as busy and difficult to read. An easy way to combat overwriting your application is to pull up the job description and link your personal and professional experiences to the top skills and experiences the job requires. This list can be a basic outline when drafting your cover letter and help you prioritize which experiences to highlight. 

Proofread Your Cover Letter 

Your cover letter should reflect the best work you can produce as an employee. Submitting a cover letter with typos, poor grammar, or lazy mistakes is a huge red flag to hiring managers and will likely result in immediate rejection of your application. Programs like Grammarly can help you refine your writing skills and ensure you convey your application efficiently and effectively. Friends, family, and colleagues can also provide helpful feedback and catch errors you may have overlooked. 

Tip #5: Get Feedback

Even with the editing support of your social and professional network, your cover letter may need additional attention before it is ready for submission. Many video editors have their former film teachers review their application materials before submitting them to ensure they cover all the key technical skills and experiences. Others seeking support throughout the job search process enroll in a certificate program. Noble Desktop offers Video Editing and Video Editing and Motion Graphics certificate programs that help students construct compelling cover letters and dynamic portfolios. These courses also offer students individual career mentoring and help with the job search process.

Learn the Skills to Become a Video Editor at Noble Desktop

Are you excited to begin your video editor career but unsure where to start? Don’t stress! Noble Desktop is here to help! Noble Desktop offers many resources relevant to video editors at each leg of their professional journey. Professionals looking for a road map to entering or building their careers can explore training opportunities and career paths through Noble Desktop’s Learn Video Editing Page. Editors looking for a comprehensive overview of educational and practical training opportunities offered live online and in-person should check out Noble Desktop’s Video Editing Topic Page. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the video editing profession and relevant editing applications that professionals regularly use. 

Video Editors use various professional-grade applications to design and create their projects. But how do you determine which programs to add to your tool kit? Noble Desktop provides a comprehensive archive of learning resources that detail the functionality, level of learning difficulty, and cost of learning different applications. Foundationally, most professionals are well-versed in video editing software such as Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. If you are already established in the field and looking to gain a competitive edge in the job market, consider learning more about motion graphics software like After Effects or 3D animation and modeling through Cinema 4D.

As you explore these sophisticated visual graphics programs, you will likely recognize that learning these intricate programs on your own can be a lonely and complicated process. Luckily, Noble Desktop offers live online and in-person courses for video editors at all stages of their careers. For example, professionals ready to dive into the video editing field may want to enroll in a Premiere Pro Bootcamp or After Effects in a Day course. These fast-paced classes are an excellent way to rapidly build your video editing skills with the guidance of an experienced instructor. Video Editors looking to diversify their portfolios and demonstrate their skills to potential employers can pursue a Video Editing Certificate or a Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate. Students gain robust hands-on experience through small class sizes and project-based learning opportunities. Noble Desktop even offers a free retake option so students can refresh their skills and maximize their retention within a year of their class.