Job Hunting Tips

My professor kicks ass.

He's this charicature of an old-school investigative reporter - I mean, he literally digs through financial disclosure forms from Members of Congress to see where there being sketchy. He called out the Ethics Committee for circumventing the law (by accident) on an instruction form. He actually makes things happen with his articles.

Every time I talk to him, I feel like getting a job is POSSIBLE. His perspective on the hunt is like something out of those movies where the main character knows she'll get a job where she wants... and (after hard work) she gets one. Then ends up running the place.

I want to be that main character.

Here are some tips I gathered from him:

- You are looking for the answer to one question: WHO HAS MY JOB?
- Be persistent. (but not stalkerish)

Cover Letters
- Don't give a BS I'm-selling-myself shpeal. They can tell.
- Put heart into cover letters, think of it as a LETTER to someone
- STRONG WRITING.
- Tell a story; your story. This is who I am, these have been my strengths, this is why I'm interested in you, this is why we might be friends...
- Write something they'll remember, not "I am a team player" BS.
- DO NOT use a form letter you send to everyone; write each letter from scratch
- Ask questions in the letter; you're inquiring; you want to learn more
- Tell them you'll follow up with a phone call in a week... then DO IT.