| As published in DominoPower.com, apply these principles to your
situation.
You need to stand out from the pack to get the right job. To do
this, you'll need to go through a few steps. One trick of the trade
is to make your cover letter read just like the job requirement.
Follow this example; below is an excerpt from actual job posting
from http://www.lotusnotesjobs.com/.
This position is in San Diego.
Senior Domino System Administrator: Come join a challenging and
cutting-edge team! [Name of company], an IBM premier partner,
is a fast growing Internet software consulting company that needs
individuals to architect exciting e-business solutions, design
Domino infrastructures, assist with detailed network problem analysis,
and support our large expanding customer base. We create secure,
interactive business solutions for the Internet and corporate
intranets. Our company rapidly builds, deploys, and manages applications
that help our clients, partners, and customers communicate, collaborate
and coordinate critical business activities on-line.
The ideal candidate would have four or more years of proven advanced
experience in system administration with Notes and Domino. All
candidates need to have a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited
university. Candidate should have good verbal and written communication
skills, a good working knowledge of the Internet, information
systems, networking issues, and standard protocols. If you are
a technical, creative team player, this is the right opportunity
for you! Expect an environment where continued learning, innovative
consulting, elegant technical solutions, and team camaraderie
are experienced daily.
We do not have a VISA sponsorship program at this time. Candidates
must possess documents that allow them to work legally in the
United States.
First thing's first, if you have lived your whole life in New
England, don't rush to apply for this job. Remember, companies are
more likely to hire locally or regionally. Secondly, if you only
have two years of systems admin experience or most of your time
has been spent developing applications, you're probably wasting
your time.
Now read the job posting's requirements closely. Most ads have this
specifically spelled out. Our goal is to match the position's requirements
and responsibilities with your experience, so your resume or cover
letter reads very similar to the job posting. Now there's no mistake
that you are the perfect fit for the job!
Compare this cover letter to the position above:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am submitting my resume for the position of Senior Domino System
Administrator. I believe you'll find that my 5 years of experience
in system administration while working for [name of company],
a Fortune 1000 manufacturer and [name of company] a leading consulting
company, as well as my Bachelors degree in Business Administration
with a minor in Information Technology from State University has
prepared me for this opportunity. The position's responsibilities
are also of great interest to me.
Much of my time as a Domino Administrator and Systems Engineer
has been spent architecting critical e-business solutions for
retailers and manufacturers. I also have designed Domino infrastructures
for midsize organizations and have been a member of a team that
designed the infrastructure for three manufacturing plants. I
have a solid experience base with Internet, intranet, and client/server
application development. This development experience coupled with
a strong "hands on" understanding of networking principles lead
me to believe I could be an asset to your firm.
I desire a position in which I regularly interact with my peers;
I feel my people skills and industry knowledge will allow me to
perform well as a member of your team. I am a permanent resident
of the United States with the ability to work for any employer.
My present salary is near the range advertised. I have visited
your Web site and researched your company's culture, and I believe
I could flourish in such an environment. I am available to interview
with your firm on a few days notice and appreciate your time in
reviewing my resume.
Regards,
John Q. Public
Do you see how the job advertisement and your credentials have merged
to become one? Your experience is so clearly highlighted that a
rookie recruiter with a hangover can see that you are perfect for
this position. Remember, this same recruiter is getting flooded
with resumes; most of them will be filed in the circular bin. Stay
out of that dreaded file by closely matching your skills with the
job description.
One important point: Don't lie just to match your skills with the
position description. You'll eventually get busted, and everyone's
time will be wasted. Find a position where you can write a cover
letter that intertwines your experience with the job requirements
and you may have found the perfect job!
Do the same thing for your resume as you did for your cover letter
by changing the summary and objective sections on your resume to
match the position description. Again, dissect the job posting and
make certain your resume contains all applicable information--and
is easily found. Generic resumes are tossed out; use yours to show
why you are right for the position by highlighting responsibilities
and achievements that mirror the responsibilities and requirements
on the job positing. Follow these "insider" tricks of the trade,
and you'll stand out from the pack every time.
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