Cover Letter Quandry

It's a tough economy out there. Finding a job is difficult but not impossible. I have often wondered about the usefulness of cover letters when applying for a job. I've always written one up and sent one along, not knowing if they were really read. According to this Career Couch column in The New York Times, employers really do pay attention.

Cover letters are a graceful way to introduce yourself, to convey your personality and to impress a hiring manager with your experience and your writing skills, said Katy Piotrowski, an author of career books and a career counselor based in Fort Collins, Colo. You can also tailor them to a specific company in ways that you cannot with a résumé.

Ms. Piotrowski recently had a job opening at her small company, Career Solutions Group, and she was dismayed when about a quarter of the 200 applicants did not send cover letters. Most were within five years of graduating from college, she said, reflecting a more informal mind-set among younger people.

It's a worthwhile article to read, especially if you are looking to land a new job. I've listed some of the main points below:

1. Short, sweet, and to the point: Try to find out who is doing the hiring and send the letter to that person. Err on the side of conservativeness. If you don't know how to write a business letter....learn.

2. Sell yourself: Your cover letter gives you a chance to highlight qualities you possess that aren't present in your resume.

3. Double-hitting: If you apply to a job online, follow it up by sending a hard copy of your resume and cover letter. Attach a handwritten note indicating you applied online and that you are very interested in the position.

4. Spell check: It takes just a few seconds to spell check your document on the computer. Cover letters with typos and misspelled words may end up in the trash.

5. Specifics: Omit any specific salary or geographic requirements. Hiring professionals are looking for ways to narrow their pile of applicants down -- don't do it for them.

Illustration by Chris Reed

Weirdest Jobs

I found this post on Budgets are Sexy about the weirdest jobs ever. It's quite a compilation. From Tongue Boy, who earned $0.50 per tongue he cut out of codfish to Watermelon Thrower, who got paid $10 and hour to pick and chuck watermelons to a "catcher" who loaded them onto a truck, the list is interesting to say the least.

My worst job was working at a cafeteria at the University of Maine. I was a senior in high school and I had to wear a paper hat in the shape of a boat. It was humiliating. Mortifying even -- especially when UMaine students that I knew from high school came through the line. I'd have to serve them peas or squash and I wanted to shrink into my boat-hat and die. The only good thing about that job was that I saved some money for my Spanish class trip to Spain. I have yet to work a worse job than that.

What are some of your worst and weirdest jobs? I'm dying to know....