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A recent poll on LinkedIn of the top contributors from several industries showed over 90% stated they would not consider an applicant resume without a cover letter. As I said before, I have hired hundreds of entry level, supervisory, and managerial positions in the last twenty years. I have also recently completed several years searching for a new career path. A personalized cover letter, not some form letter format generic letter with no personal details, is critical to being noticed by a hiring manager. Your little note may get you past the "talent acquisition specialist" ie: first year out of college HR generalist wannabe working the reception desk in HR, but it will not get you past me - the hiring manager. The person with a vacant seat that I need a professional in.
Quitcher bitchin and start investing that 45 minutes per application into the process and you can change your life.
BTW - if it takes 45 minutes to customer a cover letter for each job, you're too slow. If you start doing it for every job you should eventually be able to write a good, short custom cover letter in 5-10 minutes. It should be between 2-3 paragraphs and they shouldn't be large wordy paragraphs. Bullet points are good.
The focus is to identify the main requirements of the position - and then specify how you meet that criteria. For example, if they want someone that worked for an international company with tax law experience in Spain and Russia - then you specify that you have X years of experience of tax law experience with XYZ international company and you have worked tax law in with Spain for 4 years and UK for 3 years, plus 8 years for USA.
If they ask for experience in Software ACE1 Version 7 then you specify that you have 5 years experience in ACE1, including versions 6, 7 and 8.
If they ask for someone that you have accounting experience in the automotive industry, you specify what kind of experience you have in that industry.
If they specify a degree and major, then you specify your degree and major.
If they ask for experience in specific ranges of budgets, then you point out the budgets that you have experience in.
If they specify that meeting/beating due dates is very important, then you specify that you meet/beat due dates on all accounts for the past 5 years.
Of course, you want to tell the truth.
If they ask for something you don't have, then you can specify: I don't have direct accounting experience in the automotive industry, but I have experience in heavy construction industry, which has many similar tax rules due to manufacturing tax credits.
Last edited by sware2cod; 12-27-2014 at 11:36 AM..
I think I am going to move to the Richmond, VA area. It sounds great for me.
OP, have you ever considered that one of the reasons why you are never happy and cannot seem to be contented anyplace is because you do things on a whim without doing any research? Anyone who is remotely familiar with your posts here on C-D knows that you lived in Charlotte, NC, for one month and have expressed many times your disdain and dislike for anything remotely Southern. You have also stated that you hate any type of religion and love living in New England because there is "no religion" there.... Have you ever considered that Richmond, VA, may not fit your needs based on those preferences alone?
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Over 74% of the residents of Richmond identify as being "religious". The national average is around 48%. You do the math. Richmond was also the capital of the Confederacy and is filled with historical monuments, buldings, and other references to this. If and when you ever do move to Richmond, we will be expecting to read your threads about how much you hated its southern culture and "Bible Belt" mentality and couldn't stay there either.
Do yourself a favor. Do some actual research, and choose an area of the country that actually matches up demographically with your personal preferences, or you will continue to job and location hop until you are an old man. New England, San Francisco, or Seattle would be a much better fit for an atheist who hates southern culture than Richmond, VA. That's kind of a no brainer.
^^ Further, what's plan B,C,D, etc. if Richmond falls thru?
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. Have you ever considered that Richmond, VA, may not fit your needs based on those preferences alone?
