Comments on: Tips For Writing Great Cover Letters

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:23:42 +0000

David, Jenn- any update here? Is the book appropiate for those not looking to fulfill Christian values w/in job search?

By: Jennifer Colosimo

Jennifer Colosimo — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:08:03 +0000

Ashley, Thanks for your comments! Really great advice. David, if you check out the book let me know if you recommend it.

By: David

David — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:47:48 +0000

@Ashley; that book (48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller) looks interesting, and it seems to have a lot of religious/spiritual overtones as well. Would you recommend it even to someone who is leaning more agnostic/not Christian? I wouldn’t want to rule it out because of the references, though on the other hand I wouldn’t want to feel alienated because of a religious perspective.
http://www.48days.com/products/seminarGroup.php

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:57:21 +0000

A couple items I would add :
- After requesting a meeting, give a specific day that you will call to follow up – then follow through! Even if you don’t speak directly to the hiring manager, you’ll make an impression on someone. Don’t say “Please call me if you’d like to schedule an interview” or “I look forward to hearing from you.” Take responsibility for the next step at every point.

- Find a specific person to target your resume and cover letter to, when possible and appropriate. It isn’t always the right course of action, as you need to show you can follow directions, but when you know it is a local office that is hiring and you can find out the hiring manager’s contact information, why not also send them a resume packet specifically addressed to them? They may be impressed enough with your effort to request that HR bring you in for next steps. Don’t be a creepy stalker about it, but the closer you can get to the decision-maker, the closer you are to a job.
- Be passionate about the places you’re applying when at all possible. It makes a difference.

I learned these tips from 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller, and that book changed my life more than I ever thought it would. I didn’t even like the book much after reading it; I was a skeptic! However, I used the techniques to pursue a job at a company I was excited about, and things have gone better than I ever expected. It was almost comical how well it worked.