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 This misinformation is a mixture of outdated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 talking 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.
