What a Cover Letter Really is

Cover Letters they are the bane of my job search. The examples I have found tend to be so vague that I can't tell which section is which. I will admit to having photo copied a cover letter that was sent in to us(it was exactly like the ones I saw online...). So I have gone back to searching the internet for help.

Career Builder has an Article on Covering Your Bases: Make Your Cover Letter Count which is short they have a to do list for your letter.

1) Follow a standard business letter format.
2) Writing the opening.
3) Demonstrate your knowledge of the company.
4) Explain your current situation.
5) Explain why this job interests you.
6) Briefly elaborate on one or two key points to draw attention to your resume.
7) Don't rehash your resume.
8) Have someone else review your cover letter.
9) Closing the letter.


Each section has a brief description of what you could put there... but it's still so very vague.But when put into list format it starts to make a bit more sense. I think for myself I will just have to go for it and try to be creative. Because the general ones I had been sending out just don't get my any answers.

 I will re-hash my cover letter when I notice something seems off about it. While it is a pain re-hashing it can keep it fresh and save it from looking like a form letter. Also it makes companies think I type it new If I happen to re-apply to a company a second time.

How Not to Get an Interview

So, over at Ask a Manager there is a lovely post of what not to do with your cover letter. This is the link you will laugh your self silly over.

In the comments I mentioned that it looked like it had been photo copied to death. Perhaps this person has been using this method for some time. Or worse, perhaps someone is giving people that page and telling them to fill it out like that? Either way it is a Very Bad Idea.

Also, an extremely humorous one.

Should you get a P.O. Box in another city for a New Job

During my search to try and find a new job in another city I thought about getting a P.O. Box.

The main reason I did Not get one was that seeing P.O. Box on your resume, to me, seems like a red flag. It makes it seem like you do not live in that city or that you move frequently. Or the company might not give it a second thought.

If you do get asked as to why you have a P.O. Box make sure you have an answer ready. If they ask you about the P.O. Box address they might ask where you are currently living. Do not make up an outrageous lie, they will be able to tell. If anything tell them that it is a temporary thing. They might not press beyond that but be prepared if they do.

Personally, if you are not living with in 2hrs of the city you are trying to get a job in or unless you were going to be living there in 1-2 months, I wouldn't bother. Most companies want to know what your plans are and when you will be in the city. They will not pay for your travel costs to interview with them and plane tickets add up fast. a P.O. Box would just be adding to the cost of your search

If you will be in your new city in 1-2 months put that on your cover letter. If you are planing to go there prior to look at apartments or houses add that you would be available on such and such days. It is much easier to re-schedule with your Realtor agent then a potential job.


Again, mention these  things in your cover letter. Have questions & answers ready for any and all phone interviews. It's the little things that can make your search just that much less stressful.

Job Hunt Update

So Monday morning I got a call from a company. They were all happy and nice and then when I asked what city they were in they told me they were in New York City.

Ok. . .

I had stopped applying to jobs in New York City about a month ago. From what few responses I did get no one was looking to hire remotely for my qualifications. I figured until I was ready to move out there that there was no reason to waste peoples time. So I politely and nervously explained this to the person and they were all 'when will you be in the city?'

I answered this poorly and said I didn't know. So if this wasn't them looking for just an interview I royally screwed up. Live and learn is a painful way to go.

The good news is that I now know what a possible wait time could be in New York City for a response. I never expected it to take that long. How ever it did re-enforce the belief that no one actually pays attention to cover letters.

I need to look up the email I sent them so I can try and send a thank you letter to them.

Cranky Hiring Agents in New York City

I know they can be a wonderful way of finding employment, but if you are not living in the city they will not be able to do much for you. And if they did contact you then they probably did not read your cover letter that says you don't like in the area. Also you need a think skin when dealing with them.


But let me start again.

I sent out some responces to Craigslist postings. Most have resulted in scam e-mails telling me to go to a website that they linked to so you can get your credit scores or take an IQ test. Aside from the e-mail links showing a diffrent site when you hover the mouse over them, the e-mail addresses they were sent from will not accept responces. I have accepted this challenge and pass them by.

However, silly me thought that the real companies would actually take a moment to look at my cover letter. In which I state that I do not live near the city and can't meet for an interview without some planing. I figured that they would read this in consideration or that they would delete the e-mail. I had no idea they would actually call me and expect me to see them the same day for an interview for their hiring agency with out reading the cover letter.

I have had contact with two agents so far. The gentleman hemmed and hawed a little and complained that i wasn't living in the city. The conversation lasted maybe five minuets and had many little red flags waving at me. I sent him a polite e-mail saying I understand this, would understand that nothing would come my way and that at some point later in time when I will be out there I will pop him a message to see if he'd like to talk again. I knew it wasn't going to work out and gave him the best out possable.

For some odd reasion he responded. This is his entire e-mail:

And though it is not easy you are not unique to us

I will do my best

I have more of an obstacle with the time of year versus your location

I have mixed feeling about this. I am boggled by the lack of grammar skills and that he bothered to send a separate e-mail response, possibly by blackberry. I am pissed because it seems like an slap in the face but most of all I just can't grasp that he would waist the time to send this pointless e-mail to state what we spoke about.

The woman... I have changed my oppinion of her.

She used one - two word sentences in e-mails from her black berry. Red Flag one.
When she requested I call her, then tell me on the line 'e-mail' then quickly rattled off that she was on the line with three other calls and to e-mail her when to meet. Red Flag two.

I took this all as a sign that I should look elsewhere.


I sent the same e-mail to her as the other gentlemen (actually, i e-mailed her first and then used it for him.) thinking that was it and that she would probably be relived. Imagine my shock when I find an e-mail from her asking me to let her know when I'm in the city next.


Now, I'm probably looking into this with rose colored glasses, yet it's still a nicer response then the other guy. I will be dropping her a line when I get a chance to be in the city.

Interpretation has a lot to do with it. Both side of a conversation could be hearing different things. The guy could be telling me not to waste my time contacting him again or he could be trying to  explain why it could take a long time to get back to me. Like wise the woman could be trying to keep connected or she could just be sending it to be polite. In the digital age I just can't be sure.


So... I'm going to hope for the best.

A Battle of Cover Letters

Which I will be sending out tonight. I should have sent some out last night but I didn't want to stay up late. I was also chased out of the kitchen by the latest Indiana Jones movie. And the last thing I want to do is try and drive to my current job in the snow on a small amount of sleep.

But this time there seem to be more openings nearer to me. Which is good because if I can get a closer job I will save on gas. Which will let me save up and pay other small bills.

I am probably jinxing myself now but I found the perfect job in New York City for myself. This is the one I should have applied to last night. I am not going to bed tonight until I do. It will require a completely different kind of cover letter then I am used to writing because I think I have figured out what I did wrong.

What I didn't put in my letter was why I was trying to move.

It seems like a small non-essential detail but it actually says quite a bit. It lets the company know that I do have an immediate place to stay and that there is a plan to get there. It also implies that this isn't a frivolous job search but a serious hunt. As well as availiblity to travle out there for interviews.

On the down side if not written right it will sound like I'm desperate and trying a sob story.

The second idea I had was to apply with a hiring agency that was in the city. The bad said is most of the jobs they can offer would be temp to hire. I'm more then terrified of that kind of position.

So tonight I wrack my brain and try not to worry too much that I sound stupid.

Thinking Back & Forth.

I'm happy for what I have, yet I can't help but be sad for what could have been. But lately I have been thinking back on things I should have stuck through and it hurts.

Unfortunately no matter how much help is out there, if you don't have the will/knowledge to use it it doesn't do you a lick of good. There is no simple answer to anything. Nor is the need to accomplish things easily obtained.

This is also known as 'procrastination' and I am very good at this.

I have an e-mail that i sent my self chock full of links to jobs that I may or may not qualify for. I do this so I won't have to go back and search job sites with the hope of finding it again. I do this all the time. But mostly i do it so I can avoid writing cover letters right on the spot.

Because cover letters are the bane of my existence.

The secondary problem I have is most of the job postings I am looking at right now are out of state. Unfortunately most do not say if they are or are not accepting non-local applicants.

I have been spending a lot of time reading Ask a Manager because there is boat loads of information and advice.

Sometimes she links on her blog to articles she wrote that were posted on other sites. This one she wrote in USNews Money titled What to Do When You're Frustrated at Work because I am totally there right now.

Right now I am perusing her blog looking for cover letter advice. So far I have found these:
marital status in cover letter Which is not strictly what I was looking for, but I love the woman's wording about why she is looking for a job in another state.
How a Cover Letter Can Make the Difference
What does a good cover letter look like?
Objectives: Leave Them Off Your Resume It's over a year old but I think I'm going to try it unless the company states that they want an objective.
the point of a cover letter


I also need to try the advice in her article the #1 question your resume should answer. Because right now I should go over that to try to find what I have done wrong.

Time management or lack there of.

Yeah... Time management is a very important life lesson that I seem to have missed. Oh my god did I miss it because there is only so much I can claim is ADD. I mean, I know the little bit of glitter in the carpet is sparkly & all and that patterns can be twitched out of it but it can not possibly be so enthralling to take up 2hrs of my life when I was younger.

While I am no longer that bad I'm still worried that it might effect my work.

This past weekend I could have written over a dozen cover letters. Did I? No. Instead I made zucchini bread and ran around doing returns for my mom at the mall.

The only productive thing I did was apply for a part time job at Barnes and Noble. Even then I think I screwed myself. When I turned it in the guy I handed it to took it and wandered away. I didn't know if I should have followed him or what. So I booked it.

I probably should have asked him if I was set.

I think later today, essentially after work, I am going to make a to do list to post here and to my g-mail account. Because something has to be done.