By “stand out” I mean to sell yourself using some humor?
Here’s the situation: I’m considering applying for a position at my current employer. It’s a little tiny raise but a big jump in responsibility to head a sort of newly created department. They usually allow internal candidates a certain amount of time to apply and then make the decision to go external or not (and they always do) but now they seem to have started just posting all professional jobs generally.
I don’t know what my chances are, really. The people I think would be making the decision do know me and as far as I know like me okay, and I have kind of a casual funny reputation among them. (I do profiles on people the director is planning to meet with, for example, and she likes it when I include my own helpful opinions and conclusions in a breezy style.)
So I’m of two thoughts about this cover letter I’ll need to write to apply for this job. On the one hand, I can lay out my qualifications for the job in the ordinary manner and sound just like everybody else (and we get TONS of applications for each job we advertise. Hundreds.) Or I could adopt a professional yet more standout style. The position is in outreach, and I could start out by laying out the problems in our current outreach non-plan (“Let’s face it - _____ has always done a fantastic job of advertising our programs and services to patrons who are already in the building, but our presence in the community could use some work!”) and describe how I’m qualified to develop our outreach programs in a new and more exciting direction.
So should I take a risk and try to stand out and leverage my existing relationship trying to be memorable, or would I be shooting myself in the foot?
It really depends on the company I suppose. But I’d vote shooting yourself in the foot.
They know you, so I’ll presume they know you have personality. They are starting this new department so they can make more money and/or become more viable. That’s business and they take that seriously. I think they’d want a serious person there too.
There is a small up side (someone liking it) and a huge down side (them thinking you’re a joke and dropping your resume in the c-file) to making jokes in your cover letter. Don’t do it.
Don’t use humor. Do what you can to stand out, but don’t use humor.
Why?
Because humor is, by its very nature, offensive to somebody. Something is at the butt of the joke, something that may very well offend the person reading the cover letter. Even if it’s self-deprecating humor, the person reading it might think “Well, if Zsofia can’t even take herself seriously, how is she going to take this job seriously?”
Well, humor might have been the wrong term - is it shooting yourself in the foot to bluntly and straightforwardly point out problems which this position is, I imagine, supposed to fix, and offer some solutions and sell myself as the one to put them in place?
I got the impression that the cover letter is mainly a triage tool. Those with bad cover letters don’t make it to the interview. After that, it’s of little importance and it’s the interview that matters.
At most, including additional information in your cover letter can act as an easier jump point to go into that particular topic than if you didn’t mention it.
If you know you’ll get an interview, I don’t see the point of being original in the cover letter but I do see a risk of messing up.
I also got the impression that a cover letter is supposed to be much like an online dating profile: nothing negative, all positive. Don’t point to flaws or “areas that need work”.
I haven’t gotten an interview here in three years. I’ve applied for every full time branch job they’ve opened. Other internal candidates have reported the same thing.
Have you considered asking for 10 minutes of time with the person who will post the job - where you can make it clear that you are interested in the job and would appreciate any guidance they can provide about how to approach the cover letter, or how to frame your resume so it speaks to their criteria?
Just stick your head in their office and ask if they have a sec??
Thinking out loud here. In my experience, folks are open to having that type of discussion - and for the applicant it can be very helpful.
I dunno, it seems like job stuff is Super Top Secret around here. I once casually mentioned after a woman in a suit was being shown around my department that I hadn’t realized we were interviewing already for the open assistant position (not something I’d applied for or anything) and the whole department got a nastygram about how hiring is CONFIDENTIAL and it is not our job to speculate. I’m a bit afraid of overstepping, in that environment. Then again, that was a long time ago and management has changed.
On the other other hand the manager of that position is a hard man to track down anyway.
Hmm. Don’t like the sound of that, in general, as a comment on company culture.
I was assuming they post the open jobs on an intra-net, you all check them out and then apply for the stuff you want to be considered for, that you qualify for…
Being able to ask a person involved in filling the position is supposed to be one of the good things about applying for internal positions - AFAIK, it is considered a good thing that internal applicants have a bit of a leg up if they are willing to hunt folks down and have thoughtful conversations about a specific position, etc…
Perhaps I’ll start riding the elevator a lot and see if I can run into him. At least mention, “Hey, I was thinking of applying for that new position…”
Almost all of upper management is new since that whole “JOBS ARE CONFIDENTIAL” thing, so the culture may have shifted a bit and left us old hands behind. Job postings are public (or public within the organization when they were open for internal candidates) but the hiring process seems to be oddly hush hush. The new people also seem to really like hiring externally, and I’ve noticed coincidentally that all the new department heads and similar responsible jobs have been young, thin, and very fashionable. (Luckily, I’ve been trying to dress snazzier at work lately!)
Taking the time to present yourself in front of one of the decision makers and stating your interest - again, I can’t see how this is anything other than a very good thing.
They hear of your interest directly from you and can associate your face with your name and your resume.
If there is anything you need to hear as to why your resume hasn’t moved forward in the past - or why they “may like looking outside” - you increase the likelihood that you might hear something that gives you insight on this…
You give yourself a chance to hear guidance on how you can edit your resume and/or present yourself in a way that aligns best with what they are looking for…
Sorry if I am stating the obvious. This is good Hustle 101, near as I can tell.
These would, at least, be a different group of people from the ones who have not interviewed me for previous job openings - whole other department. (On the other hand, they’re people I can’t really stand so good.
I’m not very good at Hustle 101. I need all the help I can get! Perhaps I should take Hustle 099 with the bra strap snappers and gum chewers.
If these folks are new, all the more reason for you to get some face time and say “hey, I have tried for stuff and never quite figured out how to crack the code. Since you guys are new and I am very interested in this job, I would appreciate to hear more about what you are looking for and how I can tune my resume to present my experience in an appropriately favorable light.”
That is Hustle 101 - find some way to go the extra inch/foot/mile to get your name in front of decision-makers. Also Hustle 101 - when in doubt, ask. (make sure you have thought through your question and it is a good, common sense question first - “I want this job and want to understand more about your screening process - what can you tell me?” is much, much better than “what should I do next?” When in doubt, ask, is great advice because not only do you often get great guidance that gives you a leg up, but you are also getting your name and face in front of folks, which can also give you a leg up.
These types of actions have a much, much higher likelihood of helping your case along vs. something a bit funny on your cover letter.
