Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Ok, I've been banging on about his company that has indicated that they would be interested in hiring me. Well, low and behold, they currently have a vacancy which they could consider running on a contract basis instead of employment. As soon as I found the post (which is a day old) I got hold of my main contact in the company and screamed down the phone line. He rang the CEO straight away and told teh CEO that I wanted the job, to which the CEO said "but she's a senior person and I'm looking for a junior to assist the current senior. She wouldn't settle for the pay or that position." Too which my friend said "yes she would if you do it on a contract between her and her business as she has exisiting clients."

The message from the CEO relayed to me was to send in my resume, portfolio and as much as I could possibly think of and cover letter ASAP.
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


(I'm breathing through a brown paper bag as I type this, so please disregard typos etc. The dyslexic me can't be bothered checking).

Now, I know this company quite well and part of the staff. I have met the CEO a couple of times while over there. My question is as follows:

Is it OK to express appreciation of the creative environment? Basically the section of text goes like this:

"Finding the posted vacancy and despite it being very cryptic not mentioning the company, it was obvious to me that this was [company name]. After having spent those days [there], while [so and so] was [doing this and that], I walked away being envious of the people working there and would love the opportunity to be part of the team working in this fantastically creative environment you have created."

I need to get this off to my friend preferably tonight so he can print it all out and hand it to the CEO first thing in the morning Toronto time, so really do need quick help.

It's also the CEO's birthday. Would it be too much to mention that?

Better step outside for a smoke and try to stop hyperventilating.

Rich, if you are reading this, you know exactly which company this is as they are mentioned in that document you have in your mailbox.

ohgodohgodohgodohgod

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Yes, praise is good.

Add one or two brief examples of why your skills and experience are an ideal match for the company.

Don't know about mentioning CEO's birthday. Only you know how well you know him. To my mind, if you've only met him a couple of times, mentioning his birthday might be a bit over the top.

Sorry, gotta go. Best of luck.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Sounds bloody good to me mrs.

Don't know about the birthday thing though, depending on how senior you are it might be a little overfamiliar. If you're a badass in your field though and maybe doing him a favour just a little by going for this, then it's prolly okay. Otherwise I'd think it'd sound like you're trying to blow sunshine up his proverbial.

Good luck :)

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Thanks! I'll keep that section then.

The CEO apparently remembered me as my friend in the company (who is the general manager for one of the three departments) used my nick name and that was enough to remind the CEO of who I am.

Then again, clients of mine have had greetings passed to them from people saying my full name and my clients have gone "who?". I'm mostly known by my nick name.

Also on a plus side is that one of my clients has used the services of the company in question. Not my doing, although I wish I could take credit for it.

I really am going for that smoke now.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Sorry, I would not use this at all. It is not relevant to the job or how you fit in. The cryptic reference can come across as being a bit of a know all.

YES - Suggest you don't do this.

Avoid being too gushing and so over complimentary that they feel like throwing up on reading it. In a job application flattery will likely get you nowhere.

Focus on how well your skills match the advertised position, what you can bring to the business and how much you would like to be a part of their team. Always keep the emphasis on the positive, try not to use 'I' more than twice in the whole letter. Not easy, but usually it can be done.

Remember this is a business letter and may be taken as being indicative of your business prowess. Even if you were great friends, a job application should have a sense of business about it, especially in a professional position. Formality might be slightly more relaxed in a friendly relationship as might the salutation and signature, that's about it though. However it seems this does not apply in this situation.

Creative skills in a letter can be demonstrated by use of vocabulary, grammar and layout. Always check spelling and grammar in written communication, it reflects on the way the writer is perceived by others.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Surrey Expats, you are making very valid points. Got me thinking there.

Haven't sent things off yet as I need to tighten it up. Cover letter is currently too wordy.

Thanks for the input.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

agree with surrey-expat completely, I'm afraid.

job-begging is not attractive. try and be a "need-provider" and not "needy".

if you didn't want the job you wouldn't apply - they get that.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Good luck, hope you get what you are looking for.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Ok, 1 page cover letter done. Tightened it up and made it more business like.

Now, as their list of skills required is pretty long would it be OK to put that in a separate document? I was told to send them as much info as possible. Their list of skills, if put in one column of a table and using Tahoma 10pt, spans two pages.

A five page portfolio is in a separate document. So is a 2 page resume.

It feels like loads but they did as for loads

Hmmmm. think it's time for another smoke break.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Cover letters are usually brief, just a short statement of how you see your skills fitting their skills list, you don't need to put another list of skills. You don't need to match each of your skills to each on their list, it is a generalization. Even perhaps mention your passion for your work if you can slip it in.

A resume is the chronological record of work and education, this is the list of skills.

Suggest sticking to Times Roman for the body and Arial for headings. Fourteen point for headings, eleven for body. Cover letter one page and resume no more than two if possible. Presumably. the portfolio shows examples of work, which is good in a creative environment.

If you are sending by mail, suggest packaging it in reading order of cover letter, resume, portfolio. A tasteful jacket folder to hold it all together polishes off the presentation (slip-in, not hole punched). If you are e-mailing, print to a pdf if you can in the same order, pretty much everyone can open this.

Hope it works out for you.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Thanks! Emailing it tonight. Yes, can print to pdf in that order. Not a problem.

I guess it is presumed that as I apply I have the skills requested so no need to attach that.

Right, slow down to a gallop, as Judy would say.

Crikes! I'm more nervous now than I was losing my virginity.

ARGH!

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Take it slow - It's all in the details, read and re read, proof it and proof it again. By using simple fonts, Acrobat should embed them, the recipient should have them installed anyway, so doc should retain formatting and no font subs. Open the pdf before sending it to make sure it looks how you want it to look. If you can, E-mail it to yourself and open on another computer, or to a friend to look at. Not sure if you have time for this, it's all a bit last minute.

One would assume that by applying you meet the skills required and that you have the necessary experience. Your resume should reflect this, how, depends on the style you have chosen. Unless there is a deadline to meet or you have given a commitment to do so, don't rush sending it off for the sake of getting it in a day sooner, at the expense of accuracy. Once you are really happy with it, fire it off.

As for the last comment, don't even want to go there, presumably your resume does not go into that much detail!!

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Done, done, done, done and sent.

Seriously, it's been proofed, spell checked and so on. Sent of to my buddy and have asked him to do a final check before he hands it over to the CEO.

I'm now going to try to get 2-3 hours sleep before I need to crack on.

Now I'm left to being more nervous than I....
Hang on....

Oh cr@p! forgot to delete that last bit of detail.








KIDDING!

Thanks for the help, all of you.

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Good luck! I'm sure you'll let us know the outcome. It sounds promising though:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: Coverletter question - QUICK HELP NEEDED!!!!!!
 

Good Luck :)