Re: Cover letters

Subject: Re: Cover letters
From: Glen Accardo <glen -at- SOFTINT -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 09:25:57 -0600

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> Karen Kay said:
> >I just spoke with someone about a possible job, and he told me that
> >they had received 300 resumes for this particular position--and that
> >at least half of them were eliminated by the cover letter. So be
> >careful!


To which Rick Lippincott responded:
> I agree. The importance of the cover letter is often overlooked.

> After several weeks, I revised my thinking and started doing more detailed
> cover letters. Each letter would contain specific information that at least
> showed I had read the job posting. I'd cite my background and compare it to
> the requirements listed for the job. The response rate jumped sharply with
> these letters, one of them got me my current job.

> It took a few extra minutes to write the customized letters, but that's about
> all. Just a few extra minutes. (Gee whiz, if I can't write a simple -letter-
> fairly quickly, then I'm not much of a tech writer.)


Excellent idea! And if you know something about the company that WASN'T
in the ad, that's even better. Of the 150+ resumes I recently waded through,
the best candidates were the ones who had BRIEF cover letters along the
lines of:

Enclosed is my resume. I meet the requirements you requested because
XXX, XXX, XXX and XXX. My background in client/server software solutions
would help me do better stuff for your documentation.* Gimme a call.

* The ad did not mention our products, but this person had checked us
out a bit and decided that since we do client/server software and he had
done that too, that he was a good candidate. (He was.)

Checking out a company is a good idea for anyone seeking a new job. I'm
much more comfortable hiring you if you know something about the company
(beyond talking to 4 or 5 people in interviews) and show initiative in
finding answers you need.

------------
glen accardo glen -at- softint -dot- com
Software Interfaces, Inc. (713) 492-0707 x122
Houston, TX 77084

Did the Corinthians ever write back?


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