01/20/09: Efficiency Tips for Resume/Cover Letter Packages


By Dalya F. Massachi


Jobseeking is no picnic. Prepare for a time-consuming, frustrating, and sometimes gruelling experience. You may end up pounding the pavement for a period of days, weeks, or even months. I know from first-hand experience, and many of my clients have told me similar stories.

Fortunately, we know some ways to streamline the writing part of the process. Give these ideas a try and see if they make creating your cover letters and resumes a little less taxing.

  • Develop your writing rhythm.

    Ask yourself: What time of day are you at your peak?

    Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you get the most done before breakfast or lunch, right after dinner, or when all is quiet after the lights go out? Armed with that information about your internal clock, make sure that at least some of your writing time comes during those hours of maximum efficiency.

  • Create core material and then reuse it.

    If you are like most nonprofit jobseekers, you will be applying to more than one specific type of job, but you also have some core things you want to always mention. As such, I recommend first creating one solid piece of writing that you can use as your “main course.” Then spice it up as necessary by using (and reusing) bits of “side dish” text you write specifically for each type of position. This is exactly what your word processor’s “cut-and-paste” and “find” functions were born to do.

    For example, you may be looking for work in a specific field you have studied, either on the administrative or programmatic side. Or maybe even both. In that case, you will want to have main drafts of both your resume and cover letter that discuss your general background and interest in the field. And they should also have spots to plug in pieces that emphasize different skills or experience relevant to different job descriptions. You also may need to do some reorganization to help your reader quickly identify your match with any given job opening.

    Just be aware that cutting and pasting can lead to laziness. Don’t forget that—as in puzzle pieces you reuse to make a new picture—you always need to iron out any lumps or awkward disconnects. Tweak your transitions and watch for new flow and redundancy issues that crop up.

  • Don’t let a momentary feeling of “being stuck” slow you down.

    What if you are proceeding along your merry writing way and you encounter a bump in the road that keeps tripping you up? Just make a note to yourself to return later to that missing word, unknown specific data, or problem sentence. I do this by simply changing the type style, inserting a blank space (____________), or holding the spot by filling it with a bum word or a series of options.

    When you go back to the trouble spot, you will at least have something to work with. It is truly amazing how, after a little break, you return and presto: you solve the problem right away. This approach is especially effective if you are on a roll somewhere else in your piece, because the feeling of words flowing can carry over to the previously problematic area.

  • Know when to quit.

    Try not to obsess. If you have edited your piece enough to ensure that it is 100% accurate—though maybe only 99% polished—let it go. Take a bold step and declare it “done” so you can send it out and then move on.

    While you cannot get around an initial investment of significant time and effort in your job search materials, remember that practice will make (virtually) perfect.

    Dalya F. Massachi specializes in helping nonprofit professionals advance their missions through outstanding written materials. She has worked with community-minded organizations for more than 15 years: authoring countless successful marketing pieces, articles, and grant proposals; teaching popular writing workshops; and coaching professionals one-on-one.

    Download her free tip sheets and subscribe to her free e-newsletter at:
    http://www.dfmassachi.net
    dalya@dfmassachi.net

    NOTE:For many more writing tips, check out my forthcoming book, Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact. If you pre-order right now, you will get a pre-publication discount of 15% at:http://www.dfmassachi.net/wmd.html

    Related Articles: