I landed my dream job at Adobe after applying to the company 12 times. A video cover letter helped me stand out.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Curtis Ying, a 30-year-old user experience designer at Adobe who lives in California. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Adobe did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
In January 2023, I was laid off from my product designer job. I had a few months of severance and some savings, so it didn't feel like the world was crashing down.
Rather than immediately applying to various employers, I decided to focus on landing a job at one company in particular: Adobe.
About a month before I was laid off, my friend who works at Adobe gave me a tour of the company's headquarters in San Jose, California. I fell in love with graphic design after my cousin taught me how to use Adobe Illustrator, and I was already using the company's products on a regular basis. Working at Adobe became a dream job of mine. After I was laid off, landing a job at Adobe became my top priority.
I figured the best way to make this happen was to do something unique in my application that would help me stand out: creating a video cover letter. For about a month, I only applied to one position — a role at Adobe that I didn't get — while I worked on the video.
After finishing the video in February, I kept a close eye on Adobe's job postings. Over a six-month period, I applied to 10 Adobe jobs — including some I was probably underqualified for — and was rejected from all of them. Then, in December 2023, I applied for my 12th Adobe role of the year — a user experience designer position — and landed an interview. After going through the process, I accepted an offer for a full-time contract role with a six-figure salary. Thirteen months after my layoff, I'd accomplished my goal.
Video cover letters can "humanize your application"
I first became intrigued by video cover letters after seeing a YouTube video in which someone sang about why they wanted to work at a particular company. They ended up getting the job, and the video left a strong impression on me. I decided to create my own video cover letter to include with my Adobe applications.
In the video, which ran about a minute and a half, I talked about how I got interested in graphic and UX design, my education and work experience, the design tools and techniques I knew well, a few fun facts about myself, and why I wanted to work at Adobe. While I didn't have a professional microphone, I recorded myself using a Canon DSLR camera set up on a tripod. I edited the footage with Adobe Premiere Pro.
I used two different methods to include my video cover letter in my application. First, I uploaded the video to YouTube as an unlisted video and hyperlinked it at the top of my résumé with the text "watch my video cover letter." I also embedded a snapshot of the video in a PDF titled "video cover letter," added the same hyperlink, and attached that document as well.
Some people told me not to focus exclusively on Adobe — that I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket. But I was hesitant to change my approach. Applying to other jobs felt a little like admitting that landing a job at Adobe might not be possible.
Several months into my job search, I started applying to some companies other than Adobe using a second video cover letter I made that was more generic. But Adobe remained my target employer.
In addition to creating a customized video cover letter, I pursued a second strategy: networking with Adobe employees. In June 2023, I posted my Adobe video cover letter on LinkedIn. I wasn't sure how it would be received, but it proved to be a good decision, as it helped me grow my Adobe network. Even as the rejections came in, I felt I'd built so many connections at Adobe that it was probably easier to land a job there than anywhere else — and that kept me motivated.
I think my video cover letter definitely helped me land a job at Adobe. The hiring manager I interviewed with told me it gave them a sense of my personality and helped me stand out among other applicants. Posting the video on LinkedIn also led to some connections that I believe boosted my application.
I don't think a video cover letter has to be as highly produced as mine to be helpful for job seekers. It doesn't have to have a beautiful background or the perfect lighting, but if you can be concise and speak naturally, I think it can work.
One of the reasons I highly advocate for video cover letters is that they humanize your application, which is typically just lines of text in a résumé and cover letter. When you're competing with sometimes thousands of applicants in a challenging job market, I think having a video cover letter can help you stand out. I see absolutely no downsides to it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
29 minutes ago
- Business Insider
American tourists can't quite quit Europe
The American dream may be struggling, but for many, the Euro summer dream is alive and well. Jimin Shim, a millennial copywriter who lives in Denver, has plenty of concerns about the economy, from stock market volatility that she feels has been brought on by the current administration to a tough job market. Still, she's vacationing in Portugal later this month, and treating her mom to the trip too. "Traveling is very important to me. I try to do at least one international trip a year and then maybe a couple of domestic trips," she told Business Insider. "And because I know that that is a priority for me, it's something that I budget for and am saving up for all year round." While there's been some softening in leisure travel demand this year, data and surveys suggest Shim is one of many Americans who are weighing their international travel plans against their worries about the economy and saying, "book it." The extent to which Americans are pulling back on international trips this summer is not fully clear. An analysis from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, found summer bookings from the US to Europe were down nearly 10% from January to May compared to last year. Meanwhile, a summer travel survey from Deloitte, released in May, found more Americans were traveling internationally this summer compared to 2024, with most headed to Europe. And a recent data analysis by Allianz Partners, a travel insurance and assistance company, found summer travel from the US to Europe would increase by 10% in 2025. The economy isn't the only reason Americans might rethink travel to Europe this summer. The weakening US dollar doesn't go as far as it used to, and some Americans are worried about their safety or not feeling welcomed abroad due to the current administration's approach to foreign policy. Americans are also waiting longer to book their trips, which could complicate the picture. Still, it's clear that many Americans are traveling abroad despite the downturn in consumer sentiment. "I think you're seeing a hesitancy," Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International, a market research consultancy that specializes in the travel tourism industry, told BI. "I still believe a majority of American travelers who were planning to go abroad are still going to go abroad." The enduring appeal of Euro summer Eylon said that while there are indications of a slowdown, it does not look like a "game-changing" shift. His firm's monthly consumer sentiment survey of 1,000 travelers found the number of American travelers who said they were very likely to take an international trip in the next 12 months declined from 25% in January to 19% in May. He noted travelers seemed to be in a "wait and see" mode this spring, echoing what other industry experts have said and previously told BI — that travelers are booking closer to travel dates, in part as they search for good deals. Eylon said it is possible there will be an overall decline in Americans visiting Europe this year, but it's too soon to tell the full picture. He thinks those canceling or ditching trip plans will be in the minority. "American travelers view it as a need more than a want," he said of travel, adding that many see it as a "right." Meredith Pierce, a travel content creator based in Atlanta, said that's exactly how she and many other millennials and Gen Zers view travel, including to Europe. Pierce posts a lot of popular "Euro summer" content and sees it as a persistent and lasting travel trend, even when folks have financial concerns. "Everyone loves the idea of sipping an Aperol spritz and looking at the Mediterranean," Pierce said, "especially if maybe you are stressed in your day-to-day life because of politics or the economy or budgets, or anything like that. A bit of escapism I think comes into play there as well." The hesitancy fueled by economic uncertainty could also make it a bit more affordable to travel to Europe this summer. Eylon noted the slowdown in leisure travel led to some declines in airfare prices, which may have pushed some hesitant Americans to take the plunge. When economic concerns, largely fueled by Trump's tariff policy, intensified in March and April, some airlines suspended their forecasts for the year, and flight prices declined. Rather than get spooked by the economic uncertainty, Pierce believes plenty of people pounced. Her "Euro summer" content from last year started going viral, and she was getting flooded with DMs and questions from people who found a cheap flight to Europe and were suddenly planning their trips. Pierce said some budget-conscious travelers are opting for more affordable and under-the-radar destinations in Europe, such as Albania or Poland, which feature similarly picturesque scenes but at a lower cost than Italy or Paris. More frugal spending once they get to their destination Deloitte's summer travel survey noted that many American travelers already had their big summer trips partially or even fully booked by April, when concerns around tariffs and the economy intensified. The survey also found that while consumers' sense of financial well-being was down year-over-year in April, slightly more Americans planned to take leisure vacations this summer compared to 2024. Deloitte found travelers looking to save were cutting back on in-destination spending as well as opting for more affordable lodging and flight classes. The survey also found that while some are being more frugal, many Americans are prioritizing bucket list trips and international travel, or trips that are otherwise special in some way. Deloitte found 42% of air travelers were flying internationally on their longest summer trip, compared to 38% in 2024. Those traveling internationally were also more likely to increase their travel budget compared to last year. Shim, the copywriter from Denver, also has a special reason for making her Portugal trip work this year, despite her financial concerns. Her family has been going through a tough time after her grandfather's death last year. This vacation is a way to spend quality time with and treat her mom, who has never been to Europe, and take the first trip that's just the two of them. "I also think that sometimes in these times of uncertainty and tumultuousness and a lot of tension and division, traveling and spending quality time with family who loves you is a great way to just take care of your mental and emotional health too," she said, "which I think is also very important to do."
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
Apple's big summer event is tomorrow. WWDC 2025 is a 'critical opportunity' for the iPhone maker.
Apple is limping into its big summer event this year. The iPhone giant is setting the stage for its Worldwide Developers Conference — its annual software-focused event that Apple fanatics and investors alike look forward to. On Monday, developers will descend on Apple's campus in Cupertino, California, where CEO Tim Cook and other executives are set to debut their famous keynote. The event has become known for exciting product reveals, such as the Apple Vision Pro headset and a sneak peek at the latest version of its iPhone operating system, iOS. This year, however, Apple will have three elephants in the room on its big day: biting China tariffs, an already-behind-schedule Apple Intelligence, and questions around the company's long-term vision for its hardware. Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee doesn't expect much fireworks. "The WWDC announcements will be relatively incremental and muted, perhaps except for a likely visual design overhaul of the user experience," Chatterjee told Business Insider. In 2024, Cook and Co. introduced the world to Apple Intelligence, Apple's play on artificial intelligence. It built an iPhone around the AI. Nearly a year later, Apple Intelligence hasn't lived up to analysts' expectations for driving more iPhone upgrades. Apple delayed its promise of a more personalized Siri, which was showcased at WWDC 2024. In April, the company told the unaffiliated Apple blog Daring Fireball that it would take "longer than we thought" to be ready for release. Monday is a "critical opportunity" for Apple to address key questions about its AI, such as where its roadmap for Apple Intelligence is headed, said Gadjo Sevilla, analyst at EMARKETER, a sister company to BI. "The company's AI transition has been fraught with delays and the company's inability to showcase its own AI capabilities," Sevilla said. Apple's terrible, horrible, no good start to 2025 Apple hasn't had the easiest start to 2025. The company has been raked by legal battles involving its app store, unpredictable tariff announcements that caused a supply-chain scramble, and ongoing challenges in China, a key region for iPhone sales and manufacturing. During Apple's earnings call in early May, Cook told investors to expect $900 million in tariff costs in the June quarter. Then, on May 23, President Donald Trump said iPhones produced outside the US would face a tariff of at least 25%. Analysts previously said shifting iPhone production away from countries like India and China to the US could take up to 10 years and cause iPhone prices to skyrocket. Chatterjee said these tariff changes could have "grave consequences" for the company. Apple also suffered a major setback last month in its yearslong court battle with Epic Games. A judge ruled that it will no longer be able to collect a 27% fee from US developers who direct users to make purchases externally. As a developer-focused event, WWDC could be an opportunity for Apple to smooth things over with app builders. "This is Apple's chance to mend ties with developers frustrated by its restrictive ecosystem and high fees," Sevilla said. Apple didn't respond to a request for comment by Business Insider. Meanwhile, OpenAI, which partnered with Apple last year to bring ChatGPT to Siri, recently tapped Apple's former design lead Jony Ive to work on wearable AI hardware. Ive famously worked closely with the late Apple cofounder, Steve Jobs, to design some of the company's most iconic gadgets before leaving the company in 2019. Apple was notably late to the AI game. The recent OpenAI hire has analysts concerned that Apple's position as a frontrunner in innovation is slipping. "This raises expectations for Apple to counter with its own AI innovations — especially since the narrative of the 'next big thing' happening outside Apple, led by its former star designer, is one the company will likely want to dispel," Sevilla said. Apple has a key advantage in the AI race, however — a massive, global distribution channel for its software. After all, the iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the world. The tech world will be watching to see if Apple makes moves at WWDC to course-correct after its stumbles in AI over the last year. Business Insider will be liveblogging Cook's WWDC keynote, which kicks off Monday at 1 p.m. ET.
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
4 moves the Trump administration could make if courts strike down its tariffs
President Donald Trump has four more swings at implementing his tariffs — even if courts strike down his use of the IEEPA. Experts in international trade told Business Insider that Trump could take four different routes to imposing trade barriers without Congress. All four are doable, though significantly more complicated, and are unlikely policies he could change at will overnight. "Now we're over a hundred days into the tariffs, andtariffs are a very top-of-the-agenda item," Drew DeLong, lead in geopolitical dynamics practice at Kearney, a global strategy and management consulting firm, told BI. "There are a number of motivations underneath tariffs, and whether his current tariffs stay, he will find ways to continue to amplify pressure on trading partners," DeLong added. After small businesses sued Trump and his various trade officials over tariffs, the US Court of International Trade ruled unanimously on May 28 that he doesn't have the authority to levy sweeping tariffs using the IEEPA — a 1970s law typically used for economic sanctions during national emergencies. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit resumed the tariffs a day later, but their fate remains uncertain. "That decision, if it is favorable to Trump, would still go to the Supreme Court for review," said Kent Jones, Professor Emeritus of international economics at Babson College. "Many conservative judges, even Trump appointees, have tended to view Trump's use of IEEAP as overstepping the limits of delegating tariff-making power from Congress to the President." Here are four things the Trump administration could do next to keep trade barriers up without Congress. Section 122 DeLong said Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, also known as the Balance of Payments Act, could be the White House's first choice if it wants to "continue the pressure immediately" on trading partners. The act's official language allows it to be applied only if there are "large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits," otherwise known as trade deficits. "Section 122 is probably going to be a top pick," Robert Shapiro, an attorney of international trade at Thompson Coburn LLP, told BI. "That gives Trump some vehicle, but it's a limited 15% for 150 days, and then he has to go to Congress." "That would open the door for Congress to pass a whole bunch of trade actions, but the administration obviously didn't want to go through that first," Shapiro added. Section 232 Section 232 under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 allows the White House to raise duties on imports it deems a threat to national security. A recent probe into critical mineral imports, for example, argued that the US is overly dependent on foreign sources for materials essential to defense, infrastructure, and innovation. DeLong said that at the moment, there are at least eight ongoing Section 232 investigations, including those involving copper, timber, and semiconductors. He said the recent June 3 tariff hike on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% is also being done under section 232. Jones said, however, that each section 232 tariff requires a formal investigation, and the sectors it could be applied to are limited. "The problem with section 232 is that it requires a separate action for each industrial category of goods against which tariffs can be imposed," said Jones. "The perceived advantage of the IEEPA was that it allowed broad tariff coverage across the board to all industries." Section 301 Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 gives the US Trade Representative — now Jamieson Greer — broad authority to investigate whether other countries are violating existing trade agreements or hurting American businesses. DeLong said that the first Trump administration leaned heavily on the provision to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods and aircraft from the European Union. But section 301 would require a formal investigation and even a public comment period. "The problem with sec. 301, however, is that it requires a separate determination of specific foreign unfair or discriminatory trade practices, country by country," said Jones. "The IEEPA, again, seemed to give the President more flexibility in declaring an emergency against all global imports into the US without the need to document specific foreign practices," Jones added. Section 338 DeLong said Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 could theoretically allow any US president to impose up to a 50% tariff on countries that discriminate against the US. However, he said this would be a very uncommon approach that could again bring the tariff argument into uncharted territories. "That has not been used — and I don't think I'm understating this —in decades, or ever," said DeLong of section 338. "That would be relatively new."
