I've spent the better part of the day trying to come up with a passable example of the dreaded motivational cover letter to go with my cv (that's resume for you New Worlders), and it's been hell. I haven't done this in a decade. I'm unbelievably rusty...and even if I'm a full 10 years older than when I last took the trouble, I'm still acutely embarrassed about the need to sing my own praises.
But the final blow came when at last, I had some sort of letter ready, and turned my attention to my cv. And found that, because I hadn't looked at it in years, it was completely out of date and unuseable.
::buries head in hands::
Oi! You!
Just gi's a job already, will ya? Surely there's no need for making me jump through hoops, is there? I can do it, I know I can! Oh, c'mon!
- Current Mood:
exanimate - Current Music:'Beat City' - The Raveonettes
Comments
Yes, it's painful. But it matters.
Remember, always think of it in terms of what your audience needs from you; what you offer them. Not how wonderful you are in some ideal vaccum or what they can do for you.
Singing your own praises is totally acceptabe. In fact mandatory. Especially when you're looking at your skills and talents from the view of what you offer them.
I once gained a client (high-profile, long-term, lucrative), because in my letter I included the following: "I'm one of the best speechwriters in Canada. Fortunately, this is not just my opinion."
So, go ahead and grudge the pain. It IS a painful process. But then please throw yourself into it.
And tailor the cv and letter individually for the prospective employer whenever possible.
Just gi's a job already, will ya? Surely there's no need for making me jump through hoops, is there? I can do it, I know I can! Oh, c'mon!
Works for me.
Good luck, hon. It's one hell of a job, but you just gotta face it like the talented, wonderful person you are. Hell, they'd be lucky to have you.
Little bit of ego massaging never goes amiss :-)