Any advice on a killer cover letter? This seems to be my biggest hang-up...<br><br>[color:red]5.19.05 - The 'Jedi Slaughter' tour begins!</font color=red>

Simple and to the point:<br><br>Dear blah blah:<br><br>I'm interested in your position of blah blah. I am search for a position that allows me to do blah blah and this seems to be a perfect match.<br><br>In the past I have done blah blah blah, and have learned blah blah in blah blah and feel this would be a benefit to company_name as well as myself.<br><br>I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience. Please do not hesitate to contact me for an interview or to answer any questions you may have.<br><br>Thank you for your time,<br>Pete.<br><br><br>

No hooks, no gimmicks? I've read different things that tell you to rope people in with some sort of line or gag...<br><br>[color:red]5.19.05 - The 'Jedi Slaughter' tour begins!</font color=red>

As a default, I wouldn't resort to hooks or gags. But I don't know who you are applying to. For example, if you were an animator applying to Pixar, then I'd say, heck yeah, make a funny animation.<br><br>Unless you know the people hiring would appreciate such things, then I wouldn't. To me, it's like if you met someone in a formal situation and you say to them "Hey, can I call you Steve!" instead of calling them Mr. Smith (or whatever their name is).<br><br>But hey, that's just my opinion.<br><br><br><br>

Type the following in google:<br><br>good resume cover letter<br><br>_________________________________________<br>Just a different kinda geek...

Don't go with a one-zize-fits-all letter. You can have a core that's factually consistent (kinda like a radio donut), but the shell of the letter — especially the opening — should be relevant to the position, situation, location, or other prominent feature within the ad you're responding to. It can be witty, but should also be credible and professional. And if it's a cold-call resume, make a case for why you're contacting them out of the blue.<br><br>I've begun putting out some feelers back in NYC (ya never know...), and the title/subject line is usually "Creative Director Seeks Northern Exposure". No bankable results yet, but so far, the response rate is about 30% — which in Direct Mail terms is pretty darn good, considering 2% is a good response.<br><br>

Don't misspell résumé (resumé). It matters. Either include the acute accent over both es or leave them out entirely.<br><br>

<br><br>Looks like mine's acceptable...<br><br>[color:red]5.19.05 - The 'Jedi Slaughter' tour begins!</font color=red>

Pffft. That means NOTHING. Dictionary dot com is hardly a reliable source. Sorry. It doesn't even give the etymology of the word. <br>Miriam Webster Online also gives those variations but they at least include the origin, and the main entry is the same as the Oxford's. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary gives only one spelling, resume, with no accents.<br>The Oxford dictionary gives only ONE spelling for it, résumé. The Oxford, if you don't know, is generally regarded as the difinitive orthographical source for the english language outside of the US.<br>If you want to be an American, leave the accents off since there are none in American english, otherwise look like a Dictionary.com-using bumpkin on your really important curriculum vitae.<br><br>

Well, the first job I get turned down for due to my 'bumpkin'-ish spelling, I'll let ya know....<br><br><br><br>[color:red]5.19.05 - The 'Jedi Slaughter' tour begins!</font color=red>