Cover letters are dead: Ex-LinkedIn recruiter says this one document can land you a job faster

In the ever-evolving job market, traditional cover letters may no longer be the golden ticket to your dream job. Career strategist Maddie Machado, a former recruiter for Microsoft, Meta, and LinkedIn, is flipping the script on outdated hiring norms with a single piece of advice: keep a “brag doc.” This isn’t your average resume—it’s a personalised playbook of your professional journey that showcases not just what you’ve done, but how well you did it.

“Even when I was a recruiter for so many years, I can count on maybe one hand how many times I actually read a cover letter,” Machado revealed while talking with CNBC Make It. Her solution? A self-curated document that highlights real results and career wins in a way hiring managers can’t ignore.

What Makes a 'Brag Doc' So Powerful?
The brag doc, according to Machado, is a live record of every career milestone: from simple kudos to major contributions. It has helped her ace interviews for over a decade. First created in a Microsoft document, then maintained in a running email draft, she now keeps it as a dynamic slide presentation—ready to send or discuss at a moment’s notice.

The method is built around four core areas: identifying your natural strengths, showcasing the impact of your work, highlighting standout accomplishments, and tailoring your value to align with potential employers. Machado calls these your “corporate superpowers.”

“It’s a time to toot your own horn,” she explains, noting that a resume often fails to capture the real substance of a candidate’s work. “It’s hard to see on your resume the amount of impact and the things that you actually owned and are actually proud of.”

What Hiring Managers Actually Want to Know
Based on her experience working with top tech giants, Machado shares that recruiters already understand the tasks tied to your current role. What they want to know is the value you can bring into their organisation. “What is something that wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t there?” she prompts. The brag doc answers that question with confidence and clarity.

More Than Just an Interview Tool
Whether you’re reaching out on LinkedIn, applying directly, or preparing for salary negotiations, the brag doc becomes a strategic asset. It helps cut through the noise, makes your personal brand clear, and offers hiring managers a glimpse of your potential impact.

“It’s nice to be able to remind yourself what you’ve accomplished so far, whether it’s big or small,” Machado says, adding that it can be a morale boost as much as a networking tool.

Forget about writing generic introductions and buzzword-filled summaries. If you’re serious about standing out, consider building a brag doc that reflects your true professional story. As Machado puts it, “This is how you show them what you can do—not just tell them.”