So to make a long tedious story less long and tedious all I can say is that the interview didn't pan out. A few days after I received an email from the guy who said that he offered the job to someone else and that person accepted...she has skills that we never thought we needed. Ugh, like great, as if the rejection email wasn't bad enough, also tell me how magical the other girl is...super, just what I like to hear, gushing over the other one who got it while telling me I'm very well qualified but not as good...thanks.
I put in so much effort for that, combing the website to gather an in-depth essence of the organization and to formulate my thoughts in preparation for the typical questions, learned enough about HTML code to say that I have basic knowledge, MS office tutorials!!...I'm exhausted just thinking about it and it was like a month ago.
During all of that time I was down and out for sure, I was so high in the sky from such a great prospect and then it came crashing down. But of course I bounced back in my typical hopeful fashion...I don't have a choice but to keep going...So I've applied for a slew of other positions, getting better at crafting the cover letter and tweaking the resume, although sometimes I think I just put in too much effort and I am tempted to try the opposite, I think it would just feel good.
However, today, after yet another generally ok day dotted by the occasional bout of panic and flash realization of the drudgery that it is my life...I received an email from an org that I applied to back on April 1st, but it was in response to another position I applied for on May 10th, so I've been waiting to hear from them for 2 months for one position but after only 17 days from the second application I got an email...an email...the kind of email I wake up everyday for. Usually the email is indicative of a reject, however, that's not what this was. Quite the contrary indeed. I was "the next step in the application process." Someone reviewed my application and decided to give me a shot at the next step...which is really just another way to weed applicants out to wither down the numbers for interview selection by making us fill out another form that basically makes you wonder why we had to submit a resume and cover letter in the first place....like if you read those, why do I need to fill this out? But anyway, this is a step that I didn't anticipate, usually a cover letter and resume are sufficient, but in today's day and age it's more convoluted, so just have to play the game. But it's finally something, a little bit to boost my fragile and somewhat beleaguered self-esteem. I'm exhausted of this process indeed but if it's for the coveted next step I can do what I usually do best...razzle and dazzle...pull out all the stops...ready for my close up...I want to see my name in lights!...ok over the top...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
OMG an Interview?!?
So something that I figured would only take place in my fantasies actually happened today...in reality that is. I had an interview, a real live interview with a person on the other end of the phone. The employer was kind enough to grant me a phone interview due to the fact that at the moment I'm all the way on the other side of the country. So this was kind of like a gift actually because I initially applied for the position way back in February so of course after a few weeks I forgot about and it and counted it as just another casuality of my own personal job war. So with a complete lack of expectation I checked my email for the last time Friday afternoon before the weekend when I give myself a break from obessively checking for a "If you just do this, you'll no longer be unemployed" message. What was there in that little inbox was big. It was an email from the employer that I subitted an application to all that time ago. He said that the nature of the admin support position had changed a bit to include more technical aspects such as website maintanence and in-depth knowledge of MS Outlook. He said that over 300 people applied the first time around and that if you're still available and have these skills than we have the weekend to apply again. Well, at first I was like..."oh great, I know next to nothing about those things." But I know a fabulous second chance when I see one. 300 applicants, this is what I've been up against. Other than fireworks and laser beams how do you compete with that? It's crazy.
First I figured that because he was literally giving us 2 days to do this that my odds would by default go up. It would be highly unlikely that all 300 and some applicants would A) even see the email in time, B) all still be available, and C) have the skills to even be considered. So I decided to shed the job-grumbles attitude and do what I can do over the weekend in order to make this a viable option. This particular employer and I have the Peace Corps in common so there's no way I'd let this slip by. So over two days I researched, I learned, I crammed, I practiced in order to at least put on my resume that I have basic knowledge of these technical things...which was totally true. Well, behold the power of effort and a little luck, only 40 of the original applicants reapplied and he narrowed them down to 6 for an interview, of those I was one of...that's what he told me when he called to set up the interview. So the next day when he called for the actual interview he told me right away that I am now one of 5. So he scratched someone off that list real quick. All in a few days I went from 0% chance at anything, to about 16% and then to 20%, which is closer than I've been in over 4 months.
The interview went very well, I can't imagine doing any better, as far as the technical stuff was concerned I was sure that what I did was much better than saying something like "well, I have no experience with those things whatsoever" and then having nothing else to say during a long awkward silence. I mean I think I dazzled him on everything else, when both you and an employer were Peace Corps volunteers there's definitely a pre-set connection there. I think I've earned a little break.
Well, the waiting game is in full swing though. He said he hopes that by Friday afternoon, today, he would have selected 2 of us for a final interview and let everyone know where they stand...it's 5:30 already in DC and haven't heard anything. While logically I know I have no way to know where I stand amongst 4 others of whom I know nothing about or what the boss has been doing all day to make this decision, I still can't help but turn and spin my performance around in my head over and over again. And trying to figure out of it's a positive that I still haven't recieved a call or not, which of course has no real answer for me at this point. He might not even be able to make a decision this week, he had to cram in all these interviews...oh well, I don't know. I guess as the next few hours go by and nothing happens it might actually be a relief because it gets less and less likely that he'd call today and I can stop willing my cell phone to ring and can sink back into the warm gooey satisfaction that I must still be in the running for a sweet job in DC.
First I figured that because he was literally giving us 2 days to do this that my odds would by default go up. It would be highly unlikely that all 300 and some applicants would A) even see the email in time, B) all still be available, and C) have the skills to even be considered. So I decided to shed the job-grumbles attitude and do what I can do over the weekend in order to make this a viable option. This particular employer and I have the Peace Corps in common so there's no way I'd let this slip by. So over two days I researched, I learned, I crammed, I practiced in order to at least put on my resume that I have basic knowledge of these technical things...which was totally true. Well, behold the power of effort and a little luck, only 40 of the original applicants reapplied and he narrowed them down to 6 for an interview, of those I was one of...that's what he told me when he called to set up the interview. So the next day when he called for the actual interview he told me right away that I am now one of 5. So he scratched someone off that list real quick. All in a few days I went from 0% chance at anything, to about 16% and then to 20%, which is closer than I've been in over 4 months.
The interview went very well, I can't imagine doing any better, as far as the technical stuff was concerned I was sure that what I did was much better than saying something like "well, I have no experience with those things whatsoever" and then having nothing else to say during a long awkward silence. I mean I think I dazzled him on everything else, when both you and an employer were Peace Corps volunteers there's definitely a pre-set connection there. I think I've earned a little break.
Well, the waiting game is in full swing though. He said he hopes that by Friday afternoon, today, he would have selected 2 of us for a final interview and let everyone know where they stand...it's 5:30 already in DC and haven't heard anything. While logically I know I have no way to know where I stand amongst 4 others of whom I know nothing about or what the boss has been doing all day to make this decision, I still can't help but turn and spin my performance around in my head over and over again. And trying to figure out of it's a positive that I still haven't recieved a call or not, which of course has no real answer for me at this point. He might not even be able to make a decision this week, he had to cram in all these interviews...oh well, I don't know. I guess as the next few hours go by and nothing happens it might actually be a relief because it gets less and less likely that he'd call today and I can stop willing my cell phone to ring and can sink back into the warm gooey satisfaction that I must still be in the running for a sweet job in DC.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Finger Dexterity?
well, I've given up on the government job search, by the time I get one of those it'll be time to retire and collect social security anyway, not that those checks would be substantial considering I would have spent my entire adult life working to find a job instead of actually working and contributing to the system...
So I decided to expand my prospects a bit and start looking for something in Arizona where I'm kind of stuck living with my parents instead of just focusing exclusively on DC, because I lost count after 20 some applications, I'm sure it's close to 30...When I was filling out an online app for a job here in AZ I realized that I'm totally exasperated by the process because I almost had a mental blow out when I had to submit a resume as well as fill out a "work and education history" form, which to me is like the dumbest thing ever...THAT'S THE POINT OF THE RESUME!!! Have one or the other..but both?? I'd rather one be left out so that the review process goes faster and then that's all the faster I get my rejection email or just no response at all. I'm convinced some companies make their online application system extra hard for whatever reason...this particular one made you fill in the information in those little boxes that you can type in, but with every time that I tried to move on, a message would pop up in those ominous red letters "there are illegal characters in the text" ILLEGAL characters?!? So basically I had a dash and a semi colon...punctuation other than the basic period and comma was apparently against the law, but I removed the incriminating evidence and still couldn't move on, I kept clicking the submit button and that menace of a message kept coming up...like seriously?? As if the process isn't painful enough, I have to be worried about being arrested for using punctuation? I was taring my hair out...then my computer lost it's Internet connection and lost everything that I did get done anyway, that set the tone for a pretty foul mood that I simmered in all damn day. I almost had a melt down over some basic administrative assistant job for a company that I barely knew anything about.
That was the moment when I realized that it wasn't just that particular incident that made me lose it, but the idea that I'm actually still engaged in this process...over and over and over and over again, painstakingly craft the cover letter that no one reads, tweak the resume at some attempt to catch someone's eye..which is just a total crap shoot anyway, then email it either to get an auto response or nothing at all...that's usually all I have to do, but then there are those with the online system with the separate application form aside from the resume so I'm forced to regurgitate or if I'm particularly into it, find a way to say the same damn thing about my job experience in a slightly different way in order to play the game...you know the game...the "I didn't just copy the information from my resume, I went above and beyond to show that I'm driven to set myself apart from the 700 other applicants" game. I shouldn't have to set off fireworks and laser beams to get someone to spend more than 2 seconds looking at my application...all of these employers are saying the same thing in their auto responses to applications..."we have an enormous amount of applicants, we can't do this, we can't do that, no phone calls, don't bother us because we're the only ones in the world that are busy." Well for crap's sake then lessen the time to submit applications, there is no reason that a job needs to be open for applications for 2 months...that's ridiculous, even a month is too long. It's a known fact that many employers barely look at the cover letter, more like skim it to find something dazzling...like 45 years experience or a more mildly interesting font than Times New Roman.
I think if we go back to basics like a good old resume, shorter application listing times, and less emphasis on the cover letter than the exasperation factor of this process just might come down a notch or 12. Employers need to stop skimming 432 applications for one position and spend a little more quality time on the fewer applications they would get with shortening the time to submit. They could use the time to call in a few more applicants for an interview, I mean if the basics are on the resume than it might actually be more productive to meet the person face to face rather than just throwing out their cover letter because it didn't catch the eye within 1.3 seconds, or at the very least craft an email that lets us know the status of our applications and the opening itself. Some do that with their online systems, and I just got a lovely reject email the other day, but I've found this to be the exception, not the norm.
Oh and Finger Dexterity is an actual attribute and requirement listed in some job descriptions for clerical and office positions, but for the more demanding administrative support jobs simple finger dexterity won't cut it because as the crafter of that job announcement demands, you must posses the ability to "grip and lift various items within the office." So the stiff-fingered and gripping impaired need not apply.
So I decided to expand my prospects a bit and start looking for something in Arizona where I'm kind of stuck living with my parents instead of just focusing exclusively on DC, because I lost count after 20 some applications, I'm sure it's close to 30...When I was filling out an online app for a job here in AZ I realized that I'm totally exasperated by the process because I almost had a mental blow out when I had to submit a resume as well as fill out a "work and education history" form, which to me is like the dumbest thing ever...THAT'S THE POINT OF THE RESUME!!! Have one or the other..but both?? I'd rather one be left out so that the review process goes faster and then that's all the faster I get my rejection email or just no response at all. I'm convinced some companies make their online application system extra hard for whatever reason...this particular one made you fill in the information in those little boxes that you can type in, but with every time that I tried to move on, a message would pop up in those ominous red letters "there are illegal characters in the text" ILLEGAL characters?!? So basically I had a dash and a semi colon...punctuation other than the basic period and comma was apparently against the law, but I removed the incriminating evidence and still couldn't move on, I kept clicking the submit button and that menace of a message kept coming up...like seriously?? As if the process isn't painful enough, I have to be worried about being arrested for using punctuation? I was taring my hair out...then my computer lost it's Internet connection and lost everything that I did get done anyway, that set the tone for a pretty foul mood that I simmered in all damn day. I almost had a melt down over some basic administrative assistant job for a company that I barely knew anything about.
That was the moment when I realized that it wasn't just that particular incident that made me lose it, but the idea that I'm actually still engaged in this process...over and over and over and over again, painstakingly craft the cover letter that no one reads, tweak the resume at some attempt to catch someone's eye..which is just a total crap shoot anyway, then email it either to get an auto response or nothing at all...that's usually all I have to do, but then there are those with the online system with the separate application form aside from the resume so I'm forced to regurgitate or if I'm particularly into it, find a way to say the same damn thing about my job experience in a slightly different way in order to play the game...you know the game...the "I didn't just copy the information from my resume, I went above and beyond to show that I'm driven to set myself apart from the 700 other applicants" game. I shouldn't have to set off fireworks and laser beams to get someone to spend more than 2 seconds looking at my application...all of these employers are saying the same thing in their auto responses to applications..."we have an enormous amount of applicants, we can't do this, we can't do that, no phone calls, don't bother us because we're the only ones in the world that are busy." Well for crap's sake then lessen the time to submit applications, there is no reason that a job needs to be open for applications for 2 months...that's ridiculous, even a month is too long. It's a known fact that many employers barely look at the cover letter, more like skim it to find something dazzling...like 45 years experience or a more mildly interesting font than Times New Roman.
I think if we go back to basics like a good old resume, shorter application listing times, and less emphasis on the cover letter than the exasperation factor of this process just might come down a notch or 12. Employers need to stop skimming 432 applications for one position and spend a little more quality time on the fewer applications they would get with shortening the time to submit. They could use the time to call in a few more applicants for an interview, I mean if the basics are on the resume than it might actually be more productive to meet the person face to face rather than just throwing out their cover letter because it didn't catch the eye within 1.3 seconds, or at the very least craft an email that lets us know the status of our applications and the opening itself. Some do that with their online systems, and I just got a lovely reject email the other day, but I've found this to be the exception, not the norm.
Oh and Finger Dexterity is an actual attribute and requirement listed in some job descriptions for clerical and office positions, but for the more demanding administrative support jobs simple finger dexterity won't cut it because as the crafter of that job announcement demands, you must posses the ability to "grip and lift various items within the office." So the stiff-fingered and gripping impaired need not apply.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Off with the Horns and On with the Show
I'm exhausted of thinking about the process involved in applying to government job, so I'm going to let it go unless anyone ever comes across this wanting, needing, craving more I'll go into it.
Since the last post I've sent in 2 apps to organizations in D.C. so we'll see, at the very least I got the auto reply message saying the same generic gobbledygook like "Thanks so much for your interest in _____ foundation/organization but due to the astronomical amount of applications we just can't possibly send another generic follow up auto-email to all those who didn't meet every single one of our 416 skill requirements after we finally chose the ideal candidate 8 months after the deadline" I mean really? someone can't take the 3 minutes and create another one of those auto-responses? That's too much to send a bulk message to let the applicants know when the position has been filled and every member of the staff is much too busy to do that? Come on now.
Well I am grateful for the auto response after I submit because at the very very very least I know that the email went to the right place and didn't vanish into thin cyber space air. But some don't even provide that...there's just nothing, a complete lack of information...you put all of that effort into the cover letter and resume and and get nothing in response so you're just left to wonder. Of course, if you typed the email address correctly it's almost a sure thing that the app is going to end up at the proper destination. ALMOST is the key word, the first application I completed was through the organization's website with it's own system, got the "successfully submitted" email so I just sat back and waited for the phone call that never came, but the point is that a few weeks later I had a concern that I didn't fill in something right, I don't know why I thought of it weeks after, but anyway they actually have a contact email address you can ask questions, so a week after I sent the question the response was that they never even received my application...SIGH, so you see you just never know. This is a very give and get nothing back relationship I have with the job hunt. I can't wait to take, take, take with wild abandon I'll tell you that much.
Since the last post I've sent in 2 apps to organizations in D.C. so we'll see, at the very least I got the auto reply message saying the same generic gobbledygook like "Thanks so much for your interest in _____ foundation/organization but due to the astronomical amount of applications we just can't possibly send another generic follow up auto-email to all those who didn't meet every single one of our 416 skill requirements after we finally chose the ideal candidate 8 months after the deadline" I mean really? someone can't take the 3 minutes and create another one of those auto-responses? That's too much to send a bulk message to let the applicants know when the position has been filled and every member of the staff is much too busy to do that? Come on now.
Well I am grateful for the auto response after I submit because at the very very very least I know that the email went to the right place and didn't vanish into thin cyber space air. But some don't even provide that...there's just nothing, a complete lack of information...you put all of that effort into the cover letter and resume and and get nothing in response so you're just left to wonder. Of course, if you typed the email address correctly it's almost a sure thing that the app is going to end up at the proper destination. ALMOST is the key word, the first application I completed was through the organization's website with it's own system, got the "successfully submitted" email so I just sat back and waited for the phone call that never came, but the point is that a few weeks later I had a concern that I didn't fill in something right, I don't know why I thought of it weeks after, but anyway they actually have a contact email address you can ask questions, so a week after I sent the question the response was that they never even received my application...SIGH, so you see you just never know. This is a very give and get nothing back relationship I have with the job hunt. I can't wait to take, take, take with wild abandon I'll tell you that much.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Automated Rejection
So the job hunt saga continues with an automated email from the Department of the Secretary of the Interior that said "you are not among the best qualified candidates." Hmm...my only thoughts as I skimmed through the robotic message of rejection were just disjointed fragments like "but...but I have a B.A." "2...2 years as...Peace Corps" "few years experience in office setting, clerical...can make copies and type...but..eh.." Oh right...I forgot to mention what position I applied for....wait for it..."Information Receptionist." All I want is a job that's respectable and will pay me enough to start living in D.C. that's it. So I figured getting into the government was natural, not my first love which is International Development, but I haven't had much luck in that area either so I'm looking at anything you don't need a master's degree for or 76 years experience before they even look at my resume. To be a little less harsh on myself this particular job inquired about experience dealing with Native American tribal leaders, of which I have zero. However, I'm culturally aware, culturally sensitive, and politically correct, these three things I wear like a badge of honor, I pride myself on these things and take them very seriously...I was a PEACE CORPS volunteer for JEEPERS sake!! When these rejections come in you just want to scream at the thing that sends them..."what...and I can't learn in about 5 minutes to manage calls on a multi-line phone system???" And for some postings I've seen it's actually one of the required skills listed. Not that I'm knocking the receptionist position by any means, I would totally dig that job right now. Has anyone noticed the b.s. that employers use to puff up these job vacancies to make them sound like the most important position in all the universe? I've seen a lot of it and it's getting old real quick. Since when do you have to have been an astronaut to be considered for a receptionist position??
"Incumbent must manage complex multi-line phone transmission communication space station fiber optic networking device" A.K.A...answer the damn phones.
Now, for those of you job seekers who have not experienced the delight that is applying for a government job I'll just fill you all in. First, by the word delight I mean chore and by "fill in" I mean rant until I'm purged of frustrations. Just going to the government website to browse the job vacancies for the first time is quite the effort. You have to be familiar with the government's language first of all, if not it's like reading pages of alien language where up means down and 2+2=5. For example, if you're just browsing casually and you come across a position that is of interest you click on the link, easy enough, so it brings you to a page with a bunch of tabs such as "general info" "duties" "qualifications" and so on. Typically I jump right into the qualifications part first because there's no point in reading through everything I'd have to do if I don't have the skills. So you click "qualifications" and that's where things can get scary because you might see something like "in order to qualify incumbent must have at least 1 year of experience at the GS-06 level of federal employment or a combination of education and experience to qualify for the GS-07 level" The first time I saw that I felt unnerved and agitated (2 of my least favorite feelings) because I had no idea what that meant and the amount of information that goes along with each posted vacancy is crushing. So you have to learn the special language if you're even remotely serious about the government, it's not quite as intense as say the "DaVinci" Code but be prepared to put in a little effort.
So if and when you're ready to make the commitment to apply for a job with the government you have to then learn the special process. And if you're craving a more bloated, bureaucratic, time consuming, redundant, and lengthy application process then the government is not just for me, but for you too...don't worry I'm not done describing this yet..will continue on..
"Incumbent must manage complex multi-line phone transmission communication space station fiber optic networking device" A.K.A...answer the damn phones.
Now, for those of you job seekers who have not experienced the delight that is applying for a government job I'll just fill you all in. First, by the word delight I mean chore and by "fill in" I mean rant until I'm purged of frustrations. Just going to the government website to browse the job vacancies for the first time is quite the effort. You have to be familiar with the government's language first of all, if not it's like reading pages of alien language where up means down and 2+2=5. For example, if you're just browsing casually and you come across a position that is of interest you click on the link, easy enough, so it brings you to a page with a bunch of tabs such as "general info" "duties" "qualifications" and so on. Typically I jump right into the qualifications part first because there's no point in reading through everything I'd have to do if I don't have the skills. So you click "qualifications" and that's where things can get scary because you might see something like "in order to qualify incumbent must have at least 1 year of experience at the GS-06 level of federal employment or a combination of education and experience to qualify for the GS-07 level" The first time I saw that I felt unnerved and agitated (2 of my least favorite feelings) because I had no idea what that meant and the amount of information that goes along with each posted vacancy is crushing. So you have to learn the special language if you're even remotely serious about the government, it's not quite as intense as say the "DaVinci" Code but be prepared to put in a little effort.
So if and when you're ready to make the commitment to apply for a job with the government you have to then learn the special process. And if you're craving a more bloated, bureaucratic, time consuming, redundant, and lengthy application process then the government is not just for me, but for you too...don't worry I'm not done describing this yet..will continue on..
Monday, March 22, 2010
the job search grumbles
New to blogging...give me a break if I'm boring or whatever else.
But my frustration with the job search has actually catapulted me into action...well if you call blogging action. Perhaps unleashing my grumblies out into the netherworld of the Internet would be more accurate.
I'm still in my mid 20's, I have a B.A. and I worked abroad for a while, once my term of service was up I thought "I have a B.A. and I worked abroad, it'll be no problem for ME to find a job back home." Well 20 some applications later and nothing yet..is that a lot? It feels like a lot. Being abroad during the high point of the economic crisis allowed for a diminished view of how bad things are and also I was probably just really naive.
It's been about 4 months since I seriously got into the search, maybe in the grand scheme of things that's not long, but 20 different applications, some for the US government and some for independent organizations, seems painful in return for zero phone calls. Especially since it's not just resumes anymore, it's cover letters too. And a cover letter isn't just an introduction or little clip about you, it's about selling yourself, creating something that shines brighter and louder than the 787 other typical drab cover letters received. It's about going to the websites of various orgs or companies and getting a sense of them and incorporating that language into a little letter that's supposed to be no more than half a page...half a page to sell years of experience, the more you've done the harder it is. If you don't set off fire works and laser beams in the first few sentences your efforts of crafting a cover letter and tweaking that resume will be tossed into the bottomless pit known as the trash bin of that HR email address you and 498 other applicants sent their sales pitches to.
And there's the "waiting for the phone to ring" game, it generally goes like this: turn the cell phone on in the morning, wait pensively for the first minute to see if I have a voice mail message (I'm currently in the western half of the country applying for jobs in the east so there's a time difference you see), then comes the lack of beeps, chimes, and whistles...just silence, no message...ok moving along...then comes the willing the phone to ring with thoughts like "this has to be a sure thing," "this job is perfect for me," "how could they not have loved my resume and everything I put down on paper?" Late afternoon crawls along: "guess nothing will happen today." So mildly or quite dejected, depending on how long it's been since I've sent in the application I relent and decide I can have the rest of the day off and will pick it up where I left off in the morning, trolling job sites for anything resembling my "skill set," knowledge, and abilities then cringe when I see a master's degree is required to become a secretary...well that's what it seems like nowadays. Then the crafting and tweaking happens all over again and the same initial feelings of hope, accomplishment, and persistence fill me with a sense of peace like I've just opened another door to say "Hey...look! look at me! look at what I can do!" Ha, then the "imagining what the interview would be like" game unfolds...you're in for a real treat on that one...
But my frustration with the job search has actually catapulted me into action...well if you call blogging action. Perhaps unleashing my grumblies out into the netherworld of the Internet would be more accurate.
I'm still in my mid 20's, I have a B.A. and I worked abroad for a while, once my term of service was up I thought "I have a B.A. and I worked abroad, it'll be no problem for ME to find a job back home." Well 20 some applications later and nothing yet..is that a lot? It feels like a lot. Being abroad during the high point of the economic crisis allowed for a diminished view of how bad things are and also I was probably just really naive.
It's been about 4 months since I seriously got into the search, maybe in the grand scheme of things that's not long, but 20 different applications, some for the US government and some for independent organizations, seems painful in return for zero phone calls. Especially since it's not just resumes anymore, it's cover letters too. And a cover letter isn't just an introduction or little clip about you, it's about selling yourself, creating something that shines brighter and louder than the 787 other typical drab cover letters received. It's about going to the websites of various orgs or companies and getting a sense of them and incorporating that language into a little letter that's supposed to be no more than half a page...half a page to sell years of experience, the more you've done the harder it is. If you don't set off fire works and laser beams in the first few sentences your efforts of crafting a cover letter and tweaking that resume will be tossed into the bottomless pit known as the trash bin of that HR email address you and 498 other applicants sent their sales pitches to.
And there's the "waiting for the phone to ring" game, it generally goes like this: turn the cell phone on in the morning, wait pensively for the first minute to see if I have a voice mail message (I'm currently in the western half of the country applying for jobs in the east so there's a time difference you see), then comes the lack of beeps, chimes, and whistles...just silence, no message...ok moving along...then comes the willing the phone to ring with thoughts like "this has to be a sure thing," "this job is perfect for me," "how could they not have loved my resume and everything I put down on paper?" Late afternoon crawls along: "guess nothing will happen today." So mildly or quite dejected, depending on how long it's been since I've sent in the application I relent and decide I can have the rest of the day off and will pick it up where I left off in the morning, trolling job sites for anything resembling my "skill set," knowledge, and abilities then cringe when I see a master's degree is required to become a secretary...well that's what it seems like nowadays. Then the crafting and tweaking happens all over again and the same initial feelings of hope, accomplishment, and persistence fill me with a sense of peace like I've just opened another door to say "Hey...look! look at me! look at what I can do!" Ha, then the "imagining what the interview would be like" game unfolds...you're in for a real treat on that one...
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