Production Assistant Text-Only Cover Letters
Years of Experience
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Hazel Reid
123 Your Street, Austin, TX 72345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Mx. Taylor Gibbons
Hiring Manager
QVS Sports Media
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Dear Mx. Gibbons:
During my past three years as a production assistant for the NFL, I’ve been praised for delivering top-quality headshots, action shot cutouts, motion, and still graphics. I’d love to bring that same level of excellence to your advertised Production Assistant role.
A sports-focused post-production assistant, I have a strong background in outdoor adventure and professional football coverage. My experience includes projects with Netflix, HBO, and two major TV networks. Below are three highlights from my education and career to date:
- Achieved 100% factual accuracy while generating displays of various player and team information
- Facilitated HBO’s production of the NFL documentary “Hard Knocks.” Traveled with the crew and NFL team for joint practices and preseason games
- Graduated with honors from one of the top-ranking film schools
Enclosed is my resume offering a quick overview of my career highlights. In particular, I’d refer you to the most recent job description (Production Assistant, NFL), which indicates my expertise and the commitment to quality I’d bring to your organization.
I look forward to potentially telling you more about how I can excel as your new Production Assistant, and I am available to talk at your convenience. Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely,
Hazel Reid
Jeremy Webster
123 Capitol Street, Atlanta, GA | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Hiring Manager
VBE Media, Inc.
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Dear VBE Media Hiring Manager:
During my past three years as a post-production assistant for Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” I’ve been consistently praised for my efficiency and expertise in editing video and audio segments. I hope to bring that same standard of excellence to your advertised Production Assistant role.
I have five-plus years of combined experience in reality TV, primetime TV, and full-length feature films. In addition to “Real Housewives,” these include “Stranger Things” (Netflix), “Lady and the Tramp” (Disney), and “Jumanji 2” (Columbia Pictures). Through this experience, I’ve built a reputation for outstanding time management, team collaboration, camera equipment handling, and audio-video editing.
On my enclosed resume, you will find a detailed overview of how I’ve built and applied these skills toward successful entertainment productions. In particular, I’d refer you to the most recent job description (Post-Production Assistant, Bravo), which gives a good preview of the level of quality and efficiency I’d bring to your organization.
I’d welcome the chance to discuss my skills with you further. Please call or email me to arrange an interview. I’ll follow up with you soon to confirm you received my resume and see if you have any initial questions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Webster
Vanessa Suarez
123 21st Street #1790, New York, NY | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Mr. Matthew Johnson
Hiring Manager
GDZ News Media
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Johnson:
For the past seven years, I’ve expertly tracked the development and production of pre-recorded segments on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.” I’m thrilled by the prospect of applying my skills in your new Production Assistant opening.
Through my tenure at two of the nation’s top cable news shows (“Rachel Maddow” and CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront”), I’ve built a reputation as a highly reliable and effective lead production assistant. I draw on broad, deep expertise in production planning, live filming, and speedy post-production. Below are three highlights from my career to date:
- Successfully pitched, researched, and obtained legal clearances for guest segments
- Trained and delegated work to five junior production assistants
- Served in place of assistant producers for as long as one week at a time
This is just a sample of the contributions I’ve made. The enclosed resume contains a complete overview of my recent work experience. I look forward to hearing from you and possibly learning more about this job opportunity soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Suarez
Production Assistant Cover Letter Tips
1. Center on your top experience
On a resume, you have to give the hiring manager at least a brief outline of your recent experience. But on a cover letter, you can train their attention on whatever you like.
Step back for a minute and think of your very top credential for the production assistant role. Is it a particular job in your work history? Or an internship or volunteer experience? Or something else?
Whatever your top credential is, make that your letter’s primary focus. You may view this as “cherry-picking,” but it fulfills the two main purposes of a cover letter:
• To show hiring managers you have what they’re looking for
• To compel them to take in the broader career overview that is your resume
Example
Dear Mx. Gibbons:
During my past three years as a production assistant for the NFL, I’ve been praised for delivering top-quality headshots, action shot cutouts, motion, and still graphics. I’d love to bring that same level of excellence to your advertised Production Assistant role.
2. Use freewriting to strike a confident tone
Cover letters work best when they project confidence. But many people find it hard to write anything confidently, much less a formal request to a stranger.
To overcome writer’s block, you can use a brainstorming technique called focused freewriting. The method is “focused” in that you must only write about a particular topic you’ve chosen. But it’s also “free” writing since you can write whatever comes to mind about the topic without regard for order or organization.
Try a focused freewriting session for your next cover letter. Spend ten minutes quickly writing down your answer to this question: Why are you a great fit for this production assistant job?
This method helps you overcome the self-consciousness that makes many jobseekers use bland, generic phrasing on their cover letters. You can better explore and capture your original, genuine thoughts by writing more freely at first. You’ll probably generate a lot of side notes and ideas that you don’t end up using in your letter. But you’ll also probably generate at least a few clear, confident sentences on your most impressive experiences to date. Get those clear sentences on your cover letter. You’ll dramatically improve its persuasive effect on hiring managers.
Example
Through my tenure at two of the nation’s top cable news shows (“Rachel Maddow” and CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront”), I’ve built a reputation as a highly reliable and effective lead production assistant. I draw on broad, deep expertise in production planning, live filming, and speedy post-production.
3. Drop “To Whom It May Concern”
The five-word phrase “To Whom It May Concern” contains a preposition, two pronouns, a modal auxiliary verb, and a transitive verb. If your eyes just glazed over reading that grammatical explanation, you have an idea of how hiring managers feel when they see “To Whom It May Concern” as your cover letter’s greeting. The phrase is clunky and old-fashioned. But it’s also easy to avoid. Any time you don’t know the name of your addressee, just use a variation on “Dear Hiring Manager” instead.
Example
Dear VBE Media Hiring Manager:
Other Production Assistant Resume & Cover Letter Resources
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for broadcast, sound, and video technicians will increase by about ten percent between 2021 and 2031. For more insight on pursuing opportunities in this growing field, check out the links below: