How to help me, help you…

Posted by Jim Stroud

October 10, 2005

Instead of the standard “We have received your resume. Don’t call us, we will call you” message from an autoresponder, why not something with a little more heart? Check this out from Craig’s list…

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. I’m beginning to feel bad, so if you are going to make the effort to apply for a job here, or anywhere else, I’d 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, don’t let this put you off. It doesn’t take much to distinguish yourself. Here’s how:

1. YOUR COVER LETTER MUST ANSWER OUR NEEDS.

When I do get round to your email, I do not have time to look at every detail. I make quick and rapid decisions about whether I will call you or not. I don’t even get to most resume’s because the cover letter is so drab. If you want to stand a chance at getting a response, you ABSOLUTELY MUST spend some time on this.

So, how should you write a cover letter? - Simple, read our post, and tell me quickly how you can meet the needs we have listed. Use examples wherever possible. Take a look at these two different letters….

READ: Tips for applying to a job from Craigslist