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Nailing the Blackrock Video Cover Letter: An Expert Guide
Landing a job at one of the world‘s largest asset management firms is no small feat. As a leader in sustainable, long-term investing, Blackrock maintains lofty standards – reflected by their uniquely thorough virtual interview process.
Securing an initial interview call is just the first hurdle. What follows includes fielding video responses to questions testing your financial acumen, leadership abilities and cultural fit. Most challenging of all is the virtual cover letter. This sub-90 second introductory video requires presenting an authentic, practiced and thoroughly researched first impression.
In this comprehensive guide, we provide tips to ace Blackrock‘s cover letter based on best practices refined over years of observing candidate submissions. Master these strategies and set yourself apart from the start.
Know Thy Company: Research is King
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." This tried and true adage perfectly summarizes the necessity of thorough company research. With only 90 seconds to make an impact, generic or superficial content simply won‘t suffice.
So where to begin when dealing with a firm as storied and multifaceted as Blackrock? Their own media resources are invaluable:
Annual and Quarterly Reports
Perusing financial statements offers quantitative insight into the company‘s global investment activities. Understanding which market segments drive revenue and mapping multi-year asset trends demonstrates analytical ability.
Leadership Perspectives
Chairman/CEO Larry Fink‘s annual letter to CEOs provides qualitative context around corporate vision and values. Speeches/interviews with senior directors provide additional color around priorities. Quoting relevant excerpts displays alignment with firm culture.
News Monitoring
Covering topics like Blackrock‘s focus areas in sustainable investing and 21st century technology integration keeps your knowledge current. This strengthens your credibility regarding industry landscape and developments.
The goal of broad yet incisive research is crafting a succinct, personalized narrative arc demonstrating fit. Now let‘s break down how to deliver an impactful 90-second intro.
Concise & Compelling: Mastering the 90-Second Script
Brevity is essential given the compressed time window. But depth still matters when making a solid first impression. The key is drafting a tight script hitting all the right notes in a fraction of the time.
Our experts recommend keeping your script between 150-160 words maximum. This accounts for the faster typical speaking pace of around 130 words per minute during presentations. Time your narration in advance to ensure it falls under the 90-second threshold.
Impact requires more than just pace however. Follow these structural elements for optimizing information flow:
- Greeting: Simple salutation welcoming the viewer
- Personal detail: Brief background showing you’re multi-dimensional
- Transition: Bridge section linking your story to Blackrock’s mission
- Evidence: Example(s) of relevant skills/experience you offer
- Close: Summary statement demonstrating passion/fit
Now let‘s see this template in action:
"Hello, my name is Steve Rogers and I’m excited to submit my application to Blackrock. As current captain of my state championship basketball team, I understand both individual excellence and collaborative leadership are required to consistently perform under pressure. Blackrock’s commitment to sustainable long-term growth similarly depends on accountability and teamwork. My proven analytical skills producing data-driven coaching strategies equip me to enhance alpha generation through factor research. I eagerly await discussing my qualifications further to contribute to Blackrock’s mission of financial security and societal stability worldwide."
154 words. Under 90 seconds when read aloud at typical pace. Follows the prescribed content structure. Effective. This balance of brevity and impact is achievable through practice.
Show Don’t Tell: Choosing the Right Evidence
The evidence section is critical for demonstrating your value-add. This is where many applicants falter by simply listing skills rather than proving them. Set yourself apart by showcasing transferable abilities through a compelling example.
But what evidence should you provide given extremely limited time? The key is to highlight a personal passion or accomplishment requiring comparable competencies to those needed at Blackrock:
- Attention to detail
- Work ethic & time dedication
- Analytical thinking
- Communication abilities
- Achievement orientation
- Learning agility
Selecting an appropriate example depends partly on your background. But common strong options involve athletics, arts or specialized skills training. Describe how excelling in these areas produced transferable strengths showcasing your fit.
For instance, many underestimate the versatility of English majors as strong candidates given their advanced communication talents. Similarly, accomplished musicians demonstrate great dexterity mastering instruments through meticulous yet creative practice over years. Former star athletes make great leaders having navigated high-stakes gametime decisions requiring analysis under pressure.
The goal is conveying your larger personal brand – not just listing duties from past jobs. This evidences well-roundedness and longer-term upside versus simply transactional skills.
Script It. Then Practice Like You’re Performing at Wembley.
Crafting a polished video presence requires rehearsal – lots of it. Our experts recommend recording no less than 6 complete practice takes before submitting your final cover letter.
Simply memorizing your script is not enough. Delivering a natural, conversational flow avoids sounding overly rehearsed. Use each practice round to refine tone, cadence and body language. Your goal is achieving memorization with a smooth, authentic vibe.
Analyze your video objectively each time rather than watching passively. Look for:
- Filler words (um, uh, like, etc.)
- Awkward pauses and stumbling
- Distracting gestures or movements
- Monotone delivery or mumbling
Be your own worst critic. The more constructively critical your self-assessment, the quicker you improve. Refine and retake sections that need work. Use each round to gain greater on-camera ease through familiarity.
Most importantly, treat your living room like the main stage at Wembley during recording. Visualize a stadium full of spectators and channel that energy into your on-screen presence. This concentrated effort makes nailing the final cut second nature.
Review, Revise, Repeat: It‘s a Process
Rome wasn‘t built in a day. Similarly, even natural on-camera communicators require rounds of rehearsal to master presence. Understanding your initial recordings will be imperfect is essential for making progress.
Early attempts often involve stilted delivery or rambling off-script due to nerves. Push past this frustration through diligence and self-awareness around needed adjustments. Iteratively target weakest areas by rewatching clips and self-correcting tone, structure and concision issues.
Like an athlete drilling gamewinning scenarios, record and retool your script continuously until satisfied. The more your brain internalizes content, cadence and body language the better – until speaking feels entirely natural despite the unfamiliar format. Consider each iteration valuable practice rather than judging your current ability.
This cycle of tireless finesse will transform initial awkwardness into authentic magnetism. But only by refusing to settle for less through determined persistence. Measure progress in calibrated adjustments rather than seeking instant magic bullet perfection. Eventually the difference will speak for itself.
Submitting With Confidence
Landing a Blackrock role means mastering many capabilities. Surmounting their unique video cover letter challenge requires harnessing that same well of talent they hope to onboard. Demonstrate this by showcasing your grit through diligent preparation and bold skills showcase.
While each applicant‘s background differs, common principles apply for acing this critical test. From deeply researching the company ethos to rehearsing like your career depends on it (because it does), leave no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence. Stay persistent through every grueling practice repetition, determined to stick the final landing.
Apply these proven tactics for crafting a concise yet compelling introduction worthy of showcasing at recruiting‘s grandest stage. Let dedication and self-belief carry you to delivering a career-changing performance under the bright lights of high finance. The rest will be history.