Grab Em, Hook, Line and Sinker

Grab Em, Hook, Line and Sinker Writing a cover letter isnt as simple as copying and pasting a new contact name into a template you use for every job you apply to. See What A CEO Recommends: A CEO wrote 5 tips to use when responding to a job posted for his company in Tips for applying to a job from Craigslist..This is great advice, not just for CraigsList job postings but for all!   Here is how the post begins: Dear prospective job hunters. Thank you for taking the time to look at our site, and thank you for being interested in working with us. Most applications I receive go straight to the deleted-items folder because of a few simple mistakes. Im beginning to feel bad, so if you are going to make the effort to apply for a job here, or anywhere else, Id like to offer you some advice. To successfully interest me in hiring you, you need understand what we as business owners face on the other side of the fence. Hiring is the most important task I face, but it is also 76th on my list of a hundred other things to do today. When we put a posting on Craigslist, we usually get around 100 responses within 48 hours. They flood into my inbox, and I have to push them aside until I have time to give them the attention they deserve. In the meantime, I have phones ringing, deadlines to meet, problems with our systems, employees with questions, and much more to compete for the limited capacity of my brain. But, dont let this put you off. It doesnt take much to distinguish yourself. Heres how : This   advice is from his perspective, true. However, much of what he addresses is the same for many hiring managers as well!   He is searching for a product manager, and his company seems to have a more laid back culture so this greatly influences the style of writing and approach he is looking for.   Please read the sample cover letter he recommends you dont use.   It is so 1980s, dated, or as he calls it blah, blah, blah. Know Your Audience Knowing the company you are applying to is critical.   You need to try and match their style.   Please, please, dont say yeah, but most jobs I apply to dont have any company information.   First, thats an easy excuse not to do the work and second, it makes me wonder about the jobs you are applying for.   I believe some jobs are blindly posted and for legitimate reasons.   This is why you need to do more than just apply for jobs on-line. Why Them? Another keen insight is to explain why you specifically want to work for that company and specifically state some relevant accomplishments. The reader wants to speak with someone they feel they know and who has a track record of success. Request for Salary Requirements/History On another note, what do you do when the posting asks for salary requirements or history?   You have two choices, divulge or withhold. If you are going to divulge what you made or how much you want, know that this information could quite likely get you eliminated if your named  figure is out of their range. DIVULGE My salary requirements are negotiable.   Based on the stated requirements of the job, I feel a fair range for this position with your company would range between X and Y. In my last few positions, my salary ranged from X to Y. WITHHOLD I would be happy discuss my salary requirements upon scheduling of an interview.   There are many factors to consider and I would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your company and needs before stating a specific number. I have been compensated fairly for my performance within the last several positions.   I would be happy to provide more detail during the interview What the Future Holds My prediction has been, that in a few years, we probably wont be using a cover letter.   There may be something else but who knows what that will be.   It could be your LinkedIn profile, a video clip, something so that the  reviewer feels like they know you. Mix It Up Bottom line, try something different.   If you have been using the same cover letter template for months, ditch it and take a risk.