Writing Letters for Cold Canvassing (IT) Jobs?

jtan163 asks: "I'm trying to help a friend write job applications for cold canvassing jobs in the IT industry but we're quite stuck. His CV/Resume shows his skills and employment history and even to some extent, what he is looking for. So, what do you put in the letter for cold canvassing IT (and probably any other field) job applications? With cold canvassing, is the letter really important or is it just 'fluff' so the CV/Resume doesn't get lonely in the envelope (electronic or otherwise)? We'd love to hear about what has worked or not for you. Or, if you happen to be a job application consumer, what you look for in, or at least what would make you consider (or at least not throw out), a cold canvassed application?"

Comments

Print them on the cheapest paper you can find

[bconway]

Because they're all going to be thrown out. Seriously. There is such an oversaturation of qualified people in the current tech job market, that unless you're sending a tailored resume AND cover letter, it's just going in the trash. No employer is going to take the time to try to fit you to one of their jobs when they already have two dozen qualified applicants that were able to correctly follow instructions for submitting resumes.

Re:Print them on the cheapest paper you can find

[edunbar93]

Sysadmins are being automated out of existenance.

And the way you automate a sysadmin out of existence is by first hiring a sysadmin...

Re:Print them on the cheapest paper you can find

[jbplou]

we manage something like 50,000 desktops and 2,000 servers with a staff of 20. The only way I believe this is if you have about 100 contractors who come in and help out. 50,000 desktops, if they are being used take more than 20 people alone. I've never seen a support ration of 2500 workstations to 1 admin. Each person admins 100 servers as well thats quite impressive as well. Just basic hardware failures would consume almost all of your staffs time, especially since this has to be a distrubeted environment due to the number of computer we are talking about. There is no way 20 sysadmins can control all those desktops and server plus there associated software.

Here's your content:

[Neil Blender]

To whom it may concern,

Please allow me to waste ten seconds of your life.

Sincerely,
459 of 3021

Networking

[geekyMD]

I'm sure you've heard it before, and you will hear it again, but in my humble experience networking is the best (the only?) way of breaking into the tech industry. Ask a friend at the company you're applying to, a former boss, contacts from conferences, etc. if they would be willing to submit your resume and give you a recommendation at their company. Many companies will look more favorably upon recommendation from within. Even consider asking former coworkers if they'd be willing to put in a good word at their old job: anything to lift you out of that cold-calling pile. Networking.

Beyond that, I don't have much. But I would definately at least Include a cover letter. If you don't its going to look like you don't care, and thats the last thing you want.

*now I'll sit back and wait to be corrected* :-P

Don't write, call

[DamienMcKenna]

Don't write to prospective employers, call them. Research each one you are interested in, find out who would be the hiring manager for a position you are interested in and contact them directly.

People are overly sensitive to junk mail these days, especially managers, so unless you are willing to take the time to research it properly you're going to go nowhere.

Damien