Job Tips

Recently I've been in the slightly odd situation of both applying for jobs and reviewing job applications (and that's all I'm going to say about me, except that if you've been lying awake nights worrying, you can go back to sleep now). From this experience, I've gleaned a bit of wisdom that I thought I'd share.

1) There is no reason to write a seven-page cover letter. Ever. Or a seven-page resume. You're Condi Rice? Here's what you write: I helped the first Bush with security stuff, taught at Stanford, was Provost for six years, became the second Bush's National Security Advisor and then Secretary of State. There, you're done. Don't tell us the details of every faculty contract and peace treaty you've ever negotiated, don't give us the title of every speech, hell, you're Condi, you don't even need to list all the honorary degrees. The rest of you? You're not Condi. Even less reason for seven pages. We're talking two pages. Max. (If I had seen just one seven-page letter, I would chalk it up to anomaly, but I did not see just one, and let's just say that people who sent seven-page letters did not make the cut.) (Judgement, judgement is key, there is no job that does not require judgement.)

2) On the other hand, do not just fire off your template cover letter, especially if it has nothing to do with the job you are applying for. Learn a little about the job. Explain that you are the right candidate for this particular job.

3) Why are you the right candidate for this particular job? You are not the right candidate because you really want it. You are not the right candidate because it is perfect for you. We don't care if we're perfect for you, we want to know why you are perfect for us. There's a difference, and we want you to know it.

4) Do not tell us about ourselves. We know about ourselves. We want, of course, to know that you understand who we are, but you can show that in a sentence. Telling us how great we are will not help make the case for you. Besides, the more you say about us, the more you risk getting it wrong. But we don't know anything about you, so we won't know if you get you wrong.

5) Turning to the other side of the coin: if you receive a job application, respond to it. An easy response is "Thank you for your application. We will get in touch if we need any further information." You're not saying yes, you're not saying no, but you are saying that you know I applied for the job. A better response is an acknowledgement that the application has been received, followed by a rejection when the job has been filled by someone else. Of course the best response of all is to offer me the job.

6) Do not tell me that I'm the best applicant you've ever seen--and then offer the job to someone else.