Cover Letter
- 2 minsYes, this is a real cover letter I use for job applications. It is public, intentionally generic, and open sourced (you can find its Creative Commons licensed copy on GitHub). Thank you for reading.
Conventional wisdom says tailoring a unique cover letter for every role improves outcomes…but conventional wisdom is boring, and I am not.
I am not optimizing for application throughput. I am optimizing for fit, and I think both sides are better off when that is clear up front.
I am not here to contort myself to match every role description or interview rubric. I am here to find a team that aligns with how I actually work, and how I believe good engineering gets done.
I look for teams that treat engineers as humans first. Teams that value people over process, communication over heroics, and reliability without stagnation. Ones that understand that how you build matters just as much as what you build.
This cover letter is part of that filter.
What I do
I build and operate reliable, scalable systems. I automate the boring parts, plan for failure, and stay calm when things go awry.
I deconstruct complex problems into their single responsibility parts, take high ownership, emphasis communication, and aim to be a servant leader. I specialize in systems thinking, pattern matching, and high empathy engineering.
What I bring
Humility. High standards. Psychological safety. A bias toward clarity and correctness.
I mentor because it compounds (and I genuinely enjoy it). I challenge assumptions as we build, because reliability depends on it. I prioritize equity and trust, because teams that feel safe ship better software.
Receiving a company value award for seeking out opposing viewpoints and pressure testing decisions, Spring ‘25.
What this is
This document is three things:
- A public artifact
- A signal of how I approach transparency and honesty
- The exact cover letter I submit with applications
If that feels unusual, good. This approach is meant to surface alignment early.
What next
If this resonates, I’d love to talk. About a role, or just to compare notes on how to build better systems and healthier teams.
If it does not, that’s alright too. At least you got something honest and readable that didn’t waste your time.
You can find me here:
Cheers,
John McCall