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I'm applying to a company for a large international franchise. The employees I've seen on LinkedIn seem pretty enthusiastic and open to nerding out a bit. Some of their recruiting initiatives also follow the terminology and fun of the franchise. So I'm wondering how I can professionally translate my enthusiasm for the franchise in a short paragraph of my cover letter without crossing a line of professionalism.

I've thought of a few whimsical anecdotes, like remembering that I wore head-to-toe branded clothes on my first day of kindergarten (the picture is still on my mother's fridge) or who my favorite character / series / team is. Or mentioning that I use their series and movies to learn languages as a hobby.

I've generally enjoyed this franchise since I was a kid, and still do, but I'm not a crazy superfan. I'm sure most people who work at the company are similar. I'm just wary of how to communicate that since I've never tried applying to a B2C company before.

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    What kind of position are you applying for? I wouldn't expect the same things from an accountant or a graphic designer.
    – Laurent S.
    Commented Dec 6, 2020 at 17:25
  • @LaurentS. It's a PM position.
    – q-compute
    Commented Dec 7, 2020 at 21:33

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How can I professionally show my enthusiasm for a company I'm applying to when I love their consumer products?

Pretty much as you describe:

I've thought of a few whimsical anecdotes, like remembering that I wore head-to-toe branded clothes on my first day of kindergarten or who my favorite character / series / team is. Or mentioning that I use their series and movies to learn languages as a hobby.

The important thing is to be honest and sincere -- these examples are practical, and weave your interest into believable everyday experience. If you're making things up or going over the top trying to impress, it will be obvious to the reader.

Companies like to hire people who are enthusiastic about their products and mission, but of course that's only part of the equation. Hiring managers will likely offer a job to the person who best fits the skills and experience that a given position requires.

In a competitive situation, however, one's familiarity and interest in a company can make a big difference. You should definitely mention so in your letter, but focus on the basics of why you are qualified for the job.

Be light on the anecdotes in your letter, so you can save some for the interview. One question you might be asked is "why do you want to work for this company," which would make a great fit for one of your stories.

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    Thank you! Great point on saving some of the story for the interview!
    – q-compute
    Commented Dec 5, 2020 at 22:55
  • What I would do is show enthusiasm in the cover letter (valid for any application requiring such a letter) and mention maybe in a P.S.: "As the attached pictures shows, my enthusiasm for your company started a long time ago". If the franchise is so well-known (and loved), being enthusiastic for it won't make you stand out that much, so you indeed need to show other reasons for them to hire you...
    – Laurent S.
    Commented Dec 8, 2020 at 7:13
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You can't. That's the unfortunate truth. In fact doing so might hurt your chances.

Look at it from the employer's point of view. They need someone with specific skills who they think will be a good employee. You either have those skills at a price they are willing to pay, or you don't.

Enthusiasm is great but what will they do with it? They might lowball you on salary, thinking you will take less money just for the privilege of working for them. They might worry that your expectations are too high and the job won't live up to them.

Of course it's normal to heap a bit of praise on the company's products and show your enthusiasm for the job, but if you take it to excessive levels it just comes over as a bit gushing and trying too hard, so best to keep it reigned in.

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    Interesting perspective! I'm not desperate for this particular job, I've just been waiting for an opportunity to try applying to a job at this particular company. I just figured a small anecdote in closing would show that I care about the company and am not just blindly sending out applications.
    – q-compute
    Commented Dec 7, 2020 at 22:02
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I'm going to take the contrarian view. You state

So I'm wondering how I can professionally translate my enthusiasm for the franchise in a short paragraph of my cover letter without crossing a line of professionalism.

But I'm going to ask why you feel you need to do this, and why you think it will give you an advantage over other candidates?

It seems to me that you feel your personal excitement for the franchise should translate into being a more desirable employee, and I would caution you to temper that emotion.

As given that you are applying to "large international franchise", there will currently be employees who are huge fans of the franchise and there will be employees that will simply be putting in a solid days work. However no one will be judging employees at either end of the spectrum based on their fandom, but instead like everyone else they will be judged on the quality of their work and how that supports the overall mission of the business.

Thus while it may be nice as an aside to mention that you have been a lifelong fan, the main thrust of your cover letter should still be why you are the perfect employee for the position and how strongly your resume supports that position. Because at this point in the hiring process no one is going to care about what you wore on your first day to kindergarten.

However, I am not saying to forget the anecdotes entirely. In my opinion the best time to wheel out the anecdotes is when you are face to face with someone during an actual interview. Doing so then could help to establish a personal connection with the interviewer. However again don't overdo the gushing, as that could also be a major turnoff.

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  • To add to this is that "true believers" can be a real hinderance to innovation and progress within a company. The dissatisfied are often the ones pushing the boundaries, making the bets on what will become the next win, etc. Look no further than the games industry for what happens when you have a team of people who are 100% on board with more of the same.
    – Malisbad
    Commented Dec 7, 2020 at 1:08
  • I assume you're covering your bases here for generic cases but I was by no means going to devote my cover letter to fandom. I was under the impression from the fandom of many of their employees and recruiters that it was a fun work environment, so adding a small anecdote in a concluding statement as to why I would like to work there would be appropriate and lighten up the mood.
    – q-compute
    Commented Dec 7, 2020 at 21:35
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I think a good but still professional way to show your affinity with the products of the company is to wear on the photo you attach to your CV a mickey-mouse-tie or something similar.

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  • Photos attached to the CV for a PM position are entirely dependent on the country you're in.
    – Stephan Branczyk
    Commented Dec 8, 2020 at 6:33

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