When
it comes to know-how on finding work, most folks get their
information in much the same way they learned about "the
birds and bees." They get their "information" from equally
uninformed peers while tiptoeing around behind the current
boss's back. With nervous giggles, they repeat what they've
heard on the street, and end up latching onto some very
silly notions. This misinformation is a mixture of outdated
notions (that which was once true and now isn't) and "common
sense" (that which is widespread / popular, but was never
true and never will be).
In my
many consultations with individuals seeking to change careers,
I've noted common misapprehensions about how best to seek
work. They involve some pretty interesting thought processes:
A Cover
Letter = A Form Letter
Some
people may think that the following is an example of a cover
letter:
"Dear
Sir / Madam, Please accept this letter and resume as my
application for employment with your firm. As you will see
in my resume, I am loyal, brave, enthusiastic, hard-working,
and I know I could do a great job for you. I would like
to be earning in the range of $25,000 and $40,000. Please
contact me in the event that you think my skills are a good
match for this position."
And
so they sign it, and neatly fold it up with a copy of their
resume, put it in a cute little matching envelope, and send
it off. Then they wait by the phone for an ecstatic hiring
professional to call them up and beg for an interview. Class,
what is wrong with this picture? If you answered "everything"
then you're absolutely right.
To be
effective, a cover letter should be written to a human being
(NEVER to "Sir/Madam", unless you're applying to a circus,
and the HR director also happens to be the half man/half
woman sideshow attraction).
This
human being has a name and a title, and works with a specific
company, and knows something about a specific position.
Tell the human being to whom you are writing what you think
would be intrinsically motivating about working there. Recap
every communication you've had with the firm so far. Tell
the human being that you'd like an interview, and that you'll
bear the responsibility for following up on that request.
"Impossible!" you may cry. "Do some research!" is my reply.
You'll be many times over more successful if you take the
time to write a real letter instead of a form letter.
The
"General Resume"
"Well,
you see, I don't want to 'limit' myself to what sorts of
jobs I can pursue, so I'd like to make my resume as general
as possible." So, while you're at it, design me a fishing
apparatus that will catch a minnow or a salmon with equal
effectiveness. Or how about a golf club that works for drives,
sand traps, and putting? I think you get the picture...
in trying to be all things to all people, a job seeker writing
a general resume dramatically diminishes effectiveness.
I suppose this idea first came up when we were tapping out
our resumes on typewriters. But with the wonders of word
processing, it's terribly easy to develop targeted resumes.
Of course, knowing exactly what you'd like to do is an even
better approach.
When
many people think "resume" they think of a dry, boring
list of all the jobs they've held. They mistakenly think
that you can't talk about a skill or ability unless it is
presented along with the school or employer who helped you
develop it. With the wimpy objective statement and generalized
approach, the resume "wanders" and fails to give the reader
an inkling that the subject is indeed a valuable human being.
It gets so dull, in fact, that some people try to spice
it up with information on what they do in their personal
time "I enjoy spoon collecting, double coupon-ing, and square
dance calling." And finally, what better way to let the
reader know you're done boring him/her to death than to
end with "Excellent References on Request?"
The
"Objective" Statement
As with
the above scenario, many people feel that they need to share
their hopes and dreams for career fulfillment with the reader
of their resume, again while avoiding specifics. Picture
the recruiter / human resources professional with 250 resumes
to review, who has to read the following mantra over and
over and over again:
"My
career objective is to obtain a challenging, growth-oriented
position with a dynamic company that best utilizes my education,
experience, and abilities."
If
you're going to use a separate objective statement, why
not make it meaningful? "Bottom-line accountability in a
Project Management role with a forward-thinking start-up
computer company" would be music to the ears of a recruiter
looking for a Project Manager for a company that fits that
description. Yes, this may mean multiple versions of your
resume... but since we're taking about your livelihood here...
so it's probably wise not to take the path of least resistance.
I'm
here to tell you that this is not the most intelligent way
to find a great new job. Here's my best recommendation:
know clearly what you want to do and what type of company
you'd like to join. Package your qualifications in a focused
way that presents you as a unique individual who can succeed
in a specific environment. Put your best foot forward at
the beginning of the resume, creating energy, enthusiasm,
and flow. Back up your claims of greatness with verifiable
achievement statements. Make sure every word on the page
has a reason for being there.
Of course,
resumes and cover letters alone won't get you a job but
this article is right at 1,050 words, so we'll have to write
another one some day. Taking a thoughtful, targeted approach
in the written portion of your job search campaign will
increase your chances of success dramatically.
