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28.05.09
 I was ripping out a long vine of English Ivy from the forest, the roots giving up their hold on the soil, though not without spattering me in the process, when something wet hit the corner of my mouth. It hadn’t rained for days, so this was immediately suspect, and on investigation it turned out to be a baby earthworm, which I then brushed off my face. Still, I enjoy invasive plant species removal because it’s outdoors, active, and messy in a satisfying way (you EARN that mud); three things my job does not include, but also three things where the novelty wears off pretty darn fast. The once-or-twice-a-month drop-in-when-you-can schedule is about right. Also, there is a sense of accomplishment in ridding a patch of earth from the choking alien tendrils of English Ivy and Periwinkle, and I get to geek out on plants (“Watch out for the Dicentra if you’re getting the Vinca”). And who knows, maybe the spirit of volunteerism was imprinted on me as a student and won’t let go.
27.05.09
18.05.09
14. Don't put "I look forward to hearing from you". It's cliché and presumptuous and anyone who's done any hiring will slide on past it like so much filler. Same with "I would be an asset to your organization", if you haven't already shown me why, saying that phrase will not suddenly convince me. If you feel you MUST have it in there, at least write in the name of the organization instead of saying "your organization" so it seems less copy-and-pasted.
15. On the other hand, if you have an exceptionally short cover letter, it's kind of disappointing. Show me one where I can tell you've assembled all your best points and made it easy for me to see what these are.
16. Spell the name of the company you're applying to correctly. Double check, then get someone else to do it.
17. Quality over quantity: If you're including a list of your publications, consider how many of them your prospective employers are actually going to read. If you have anything over 10 (a huge number), cut it down. Put your "selected publications" featuring your most impressive work in the most prestigious journals. If those citations are that compelling, refer people to a URL with a full list with direct links to full text where available.
18. The personal touches are nice. Things tend to blur after a while, do something tasteful to distinguish your resume. Use one colour as an accent which then becomes linked to your brand identity. Include a small, professional picture, or even a cartoon or illustration of yourself. Watch out for watermarks, they can affect legibility. Even something minor like scanning in your signature to put on your cover letter gives it something unique. Do you really want your documents to be best described as "the one with the black text on white, typed.... I think the font had serifs"?
13.05.09
In this month’s lesson in tempting fate; I’m now sick with flu-like symptoms. These include: cough, fever, headache, chills, and congestion. The CDC would like me to sequester myself for 7 days since symptoms first manifested or 24 hrs after they disappear, whichever is longest, according to their website. The timing wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t particularly convenient either. Ah well. 09.05.09
Tips for people sending out resumes and cover letters: 1. Have someone else proof it. We all know if you stare at a document too long, you stop seeing it. This would prevent the typos in the second sentence. It's a tougher call if English isn't your first language. On the one hand, you don't want a cover letter full of grammatical errors, on the other hand you don't want to misrepresent your linguistic skills. It shouldn't seem as if someone else wrote your letter after all. Though if your resume points to your "excellent communication skills", you're kind of asking for it. 2. Make it so I can read it. Put your documents in a widely compatible file format. Do not save it in docx, or I will presume you don't know how to change the default settings on your computer. Also, I may not be able to open your file on my computer. 3. Make it so I can find it. Guess what: the file you called "resume"? Four other people called theirs the same damn thing. Put your whole name at the start of the file name. Put your cover letter and resume in one file, because they will be dumped in the same folder as everyone else's. And if you called your cover letter "cover letter", I'm never going to associate it with the file called "resume" thirty files down the list. Don't make me rename your files because I don't want to have to re-do your work for you. 4. Make it relevant. Communicate that you understand the specific job you're applying for, then tell me why you would be good at it. Your lack of interest in the position can be communicated by the fact that you didn't even get the job title right on your application. If you're sending out standard form letters, you're wasting everyone's time, including yours. 5. Make me remember your name. Do not start your cover letter without any indication about what your name is. Some unconventional advice I read said to write about yourself in third person. Sure it sounds weird to you, but you're not the one it's intended for. 6. Keep it short. If you go on for six pages, I’m skipping the last four. 7. If you don't know who you're writing to, don't put anything at all. "To whom it may concern" sets the tone of your last will and testament. "Dear Sir/Madam" is archaic. Don’t assume it’s the director of the unit or the person who posted the application; chances are your letter will be read by a group of people anyway. Start with an intro to yourself and get to the point. 8. Avoid buzzwords. 9. If your list of "skills" isn't backed up by either your experience or education, it seems kind of suspect. 10. Make your "interests" interesting. List ones relevant to the position, or point out how they relate, or at least give them some personality. I don't care if you like "music", if you like "baroque techno Gregorian chants", at least it tells me something. 11. Avoid acronyms unless you're sure whoever's reading it will know what they are. If you're not sure, say what it means. If it only occurs once, write out the words and don't include the acronym. 12. Use whole sentences (unless you're consistent in using point form). Yes, I know, it's not fun to start every sentence with "I am…". Find a way around it, use your name (the third person thing), do something which tells me that you can draft professional correspondence with proper grammar. 13. What's the point of an "objective"? Either your objective is to get this job, which should be evident by the fact that you applied for it, or if you write that your objective is something OTHER than getting this job, then why would I hire you for it? Ah, the other thing you can do is to write something vague and inspirational, which is inoffensive, but still doesn't make me care. 04.05.09
*There’s a product in need of a more compelling brand identity. Sure, we should call it H1N1 to remove that negative association with swine (seriously, don’t stop eating pork (if you’re into that kind of thing) and don’t cull the pigs), but H1N1 is not an enticing name. We should create a new, catchier brand identity for the virus; “New for spring 2009: the Vista Flu”.
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