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Well, obviously you're just here to vent about not landing another job, because all you are doing is arguing with everyone's advice.
How's all of that working for you so far?
But you just have to understand where I'm coming from, with the cover letter thing. It was never an important thing throughout my career, ever. No recruiters ever mentioned it. 99% of employers never ask for it. I have had numerous interviews in my life and not a SINGLE employer or HR person even mentioned or asked for a cover letter. So you have to understand why I don't put emphasis on them.
The OP started a similar thread a few months back, discussing the same issues of relocating. And in that thread, he argued with the advice he got. That might be why some posters may feel these threads aren't really asking for advice, but more of a rant/forum for arguing.
Every industry is different, but in my experience, companies mostly care whether interview candidates have skills and experience that can help them, not where the candidate lives. I think the whole not getting interviews because the OP is not local is a red herring; something else has to be the problem. We just had two junior people leave our group to take jobs across the country.
The cover letter thing should be a clue. Using a generic cover letter (not tailored for each position), and using it only 1/2 the time is a recipe for failure. Along those lines, I respectfully disagree about putting in the letter not wanting any relocation assistance; I just think it is tacky to talk about benefits (or not wanting them) at the application stage. That can be discussed at a later date. In fact, I wouldn't mention wanting to relocate at all. If it comes up in the phone interview or in-person interview, just say you are willing to relocate.
He doesn't seem to be striking out completely. He's only applied to 50 some jobs over the span of five months. That's barely two a week.
Emigrations, not tailoring the resume will bump you out of software, as you know.
Nep, previously, you said you used one 50% of the time when asked for. That's not the same as using it 50% of the time as you've stated above.
We're trying to help you by telling you that you need a cover letter. You shouldn't care what recruiters didn't tell you, they probably assumed you would know this. So the correct response isn't to continue arguing, it would be more like, "Oh, I better start doing a cover letter for every job I apply for."
But the bottom line is, you don't want to bother with it so you're explaining it away trying to justify why you don't need to use one. Like many of us said - into the trash can with resumes that don't have cover letters. You can't be bothered? Neither can we.
But you just have to understand where I'm coming from, with the cover letter thing. It was never an important thing throughout my career, ever. No recruiters ever mentioned it. 99% of employers never ask for it. I have had numerous interviews in my life and not a SINGLE employer or HR person even mentioned or asked for a cover letter. So you have to understand why I don't put emphasis on them.
All I'm saying (and others), is that if you think what you are doing is the right way to do it, why are you here asking for advice, and ranting about not landing another job? Something is not working; there is a common denominator somewhere.
IMO, a cover letter is valued in practically every career field (even accounting), and even more so if it must pass an HR screen. I currently work in HR for a mid-size organization and do a fair amount of recruiting, and our organization's culture is such that anyone who doesn't include a cover letter doesn't make it very far in the process. Occasionally, if we are desperate for someone from a specialized field (like an engineer), we will contact them without a cover letter, but the candidate is already at a disadvantage for not having included one.
Since you are trying to move, a cover letter is your only chance to build a convincing case up front as to why you would be interested in relocating for the job.
Absolutely. That is the only way to communicate that you're willing to relocate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MPowering1
They don't ask for a cover letter because it's assumed you know you should send a cover letter.
And if you're only sending one half the time when they request one, you're just being lazy. I would automatically disqualify you on that alone.
This used to be common knowledge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nep321
Well, I have a good cover letter and I'll submit it from now on, when I can.
But I think my plan next year should be to (a) grab my huge bonus in March, then (b) move out of my apartment in May and move to a new city with no job lined up and $70K in cash.
I think I am going to move to the Richmond, VA area. It sounds great for me.
When you can? Why do you think what you're doing is not working? You don't have any "unique" skill set that can't be found locally to the areas you're interested in.
If you don't at least communicate that you are relocating to the area on your dime, than you're going right in the trash.
My recruiter told me that it's in my best interest to change jobs within the next year, in order to save my career from becoming too narrow/administrative. She said that if I stay with my current job for another few years, I could become nearly unemployable.
Sounds like BS to me. Of course she won't want you to change jobs until you have been there long enough for her to get paid, and then switch so that she CAN get paid again.
Most recruiter have no more of an idea what will harm or help your career than anyone else because no one can tell you what will or will not be hot in the next few years.
I would say you should start writing cover letters. That said, just about every time an HR person ever called me after submitting a job application (and very rarely does a hiring manager make first contact instead of HR), I got the sense they never looked at any cover letter I submitted, and many times, I get the sense they didn't even read the resume. Writing the CL couldn't hurt, assuming you do it properly.
To make myself clear again, I DO have a cover letter, and I DO use it about 50% of the time. However, I never really had faith in them because NONE of the jobs I got EVER required or even asked for one. I've worked with maybe 30+ recruiters over the years and NONE of them even asked for a cover letter at all. None of my professional friends in accounting really do cover letters either. I mean, I have one and I do submit it if asked for one.
My cover letter is very good, and it works universally for any corporate tax job that I apply to. I'm sorry, but I am not going to waste 15-30 minutes tailoring a cover letter for each position I apply to, mainly because (a) they're usually not asked for in my profession, and (b) it would take like 45 minutes or more just to apply to ONE job. I ain't got time for that.
My resume says "Able to relocate" right underneath the address. And over the past 4 months, I did get 7 phone calls from companies in other cities out of state. It worked just fine. I had about 3 or 4 phone interviews with out of state companies, too. And then during the phone interview, I can explain my intent and willingness to relocate, and it's generally accepted just fine. So, I think it's fine the way I'm doing it. Like Emigrations pointed out, it's volume of applications that matters a lot, and sure, to some degree maybe my mild job hopping is a turn off to some employers, but to others, not so much.
First paragraph uses the word "I" eight times. Your opinion of what you are doing is great. Apparently the hiring managers don't think so. You mentioned "none of the jobs I got" - which is what, three jobs you said? You've worked with 30 recruiters, that get paid to put applicants in front of hiring managers, and you have talked to a lot of recruiters that tell you all is great. The problem is - recruiters don't hire! Hiring managers hire. People like me hire people like you, and we want a cover letter that shows you can write and think and have a personality. I don't care if you can follow a generic online format for a resume and email it to a link. I want to know you can think, write, and function like an adult in the business world.
Write a cover letter for each position, customized with key words from their job posting that indicates you read it and are not blanket responding to every job on Monster that has the word accountant in it.
If you think 45 minutes is too long to to apply to a job, then you don't really want a better position because it doesn't mean enough to you. I've taken civil service exams that lasted four hours and then sat on a series of three interviews with a panel of people asking very challenging questions and looking for solutions to critical thinking questions because I NEEDED that job. I needed to feed my family. If you aren't looking with that kind of passion, you will get passed over. Others have that level of passion.
Applying for positions that require relocation is hard. It is more likely that hiring managers will be more critical. You need to sell them on the fact that they have THE position you want. Not just a position. THE position. You need to make them believe you are the only logical choice, regardless of where you live.
Incidentally, 50 applications is not a huge number. It took me 270 to land my latest gig and in the meantime I worked wherever I could while hustling to get the position I hope to hold for the rest of my life. Getting the position you really want is hard work. If you think otherwise, this will continue to be a frustrating experience for you.
I suggest to you, don't move. Keep working and set a schedule to look for the new career and follow that schedule like it is your second job. Using a professional, tailored cover letter and resume approach you can spend the time while currently employed to find the right position.
Last edited by Rynldsbr; 12-23-2014 at 11:36 AM..
Reason: spelling and grammar
The use of the recruiter struck me, too. Two other posters have mentioned it, so I'm not alone. This isn't taking control of the job search process, but letting someone else do the work.
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Why do you think what you're doing is not working? You don't have any "unique" skill set that can't be found locally to the areas you're interested in.
