I wrote a cover letter today. I can't think of a harder thing to do than writing one, enticing some strange man named Jeff to continue on to peruse my resume and then to feel that he MUST have me on his team down in Franklin, Tennessee while hoping that my Yankeeness wasn't a huge red mark against me.
One of the classes in the technical writing certification was about the job hunt, how to write the cover letter, how to write the resume, etc. I have a problem with the way that everyone says you should end a cover letter which is pretty much stalking this poor HR person until they either agree to see you for an interview or get a restraining order.
Today when I wrote this cover letter, I decided to forget all those rules of cover letter writing and just write from the heart...while including in that last paragraph that I will contact him in a week or so to make sure he received the information and if he had any questions. I'm really hoping he has a published phone number somewhere out there where I can Google and get it or else won't I look like the idiot?
10 comments:
Dude. I'm a pro at these things. I taught an informational class on them while in college as part of one of the jobs I had. Not to mention I've written hundreds and hundreds myself. If you ever want someone to look over them, let me know.
Oh and Tennessee, huh? :) Man, that could be a fun roadtrip! Sweet tea and Southern accents here we come!
A Southerner named Jeff being wooed by a yankee... that sounds about as unlike as one named Sage falling for your wily ways. ;)
Although I've been asked for a cover letter many many times when applying for a job, I have yet to write one. I think everyone knows that it is just a bunch of bull anyway and that they are going to judge us on the second page which contains our qualifications so I just save them the trouble. I also haven't worn a suit to a job interview since I was in college. People always think I am crazy for doing so but I always get the job.
Ed, you're an engineer, right?
TC - Thanks, Chica. I just might take you up on that next time.
Sage - I don't have wily ways. *insert angelic look here*
Ed - When was the last time you applied for a job? ;-)
TC - That would be correct.
Murf - I applied for three jobs during my college days taking semesters off to work. Post college, I applied for a job starting the week of 9/11 happened. Finally, I applied for a job almost exactly two years later for the one I have now.
Yeah, I'm doubting cover letters get read half the time. Although to test it, you could just write the lyrics to This Old Man Came Rolling Home on one, just to see what kind of response you get.
Murf: No problem.
Ed: From what I know about engineers (my sister-in-law and my best friend are both engineers), they don't seem to care too much about things like cover letters or suits :) At least, not like a lot of other more "presentation" professions.
TC - I just figured it was because we were smarter than those in presentation professions. ;)
That could very well be it, Ed...
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