Sales professional Julissa Machado landed a job within 30 days using personalized pitch decks.
Photo courtesy of Julissa Machado
Julissa Machado pivoted from recruiting to sales using creative job application tactics.
She used visual decks instead of cover letters, aligning with company branding guidelines.
This approach led to her hiring in a sales development role at a software company.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julissa Machado, a 27-year-old sales development representative, based in Tampa, Florida. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
So, I decided to swap out my own cover letters for a deck.
I personalized every slide using each company’s colors, fonts, and logo, which I found on company websites under “branding guidelines.” I figured that if a recruiter saw my headshot next to their company’s logo and branding, it would psychologically signal that I aligned with them.
I got hired for a sales development role for a software company a month later. This is what I put on each slide.
Slide 1: Starts with my name.
Julissa Machado
On the first slide, I put my name at the center, with the company I was applying to as the subhead.
On the third slide, I spoke directly about how I matched the role’s responsibilities, requirements, and skills. For others, this might look like highlighting their experience using a certain technology or showcasing a certain skill using metrics.
Slide 4: Highlights some facts about myself.
Julissa Machado
Here, I highlighted the unique qualities that made me stand out in previous roles, such as being “client-focused” or an “eager learner.”
Slide 5: Showcases my big wins from previous jobs.
Julissa Machado
This is where I highlighted my biggest achievements.I like to think about it as a space to write about any time you saved time or earned money for a company.
Slide 6: Shares how I align with the company’s values.
Julissa Machado
This is where I spoke to my alignment with the company’s core values, which I typically found on the company’s career page or LinkedIn. I would also include a photo that was niche to the company, like its headquarters or a nice setup it had at a convention.
For this, I removed the background, wrapped the text around it, and made it look as integrated into the deck as possible. It’s a bit extra, but I’ve gotten some great feedback on that last slide.
Slide 7: Ends with a “thank you.”
Julissa Machado
The final slide is a simple “thank you.”
The only downside to making decks is that they will take more time to make than a traditional cover letter, but I still think it’s worth it. The job market is competitive, so what someone else won’t do is what others should capitalize on.
If you took a unique approach to your job search and would like to share your story, email the editor, Manseen Logan, at mlogan@businessinsider.com.