A lot of places I've applied to in the past have said "no resume, fill in our automated thingie" where you fill in your job history and stuff.

My resume is two full pages, but I need to add a competencies section. My mad skillz are at the bottom, but I think the phrasing and such is rather good.

I write pretty kick-ass cover letters, and personalize every damn one. I've had several interviews where they said plainly my cover letter got me the interview.

I am so proud of myself. I kicked myself back from an illness-related depresso session, re-evaluated some important things on a personal and career level and STILL got a shitton done, while recovering from a nasty, nasty flu.

Updated resume (still needs work, obvs, but still), wrote two cover letters, sent out one app. Job hunted. Worked on lesson plans/assignments for about 8 hours (down from usual 14 -- I AM achieving work/life balance, dammit!!), watched a whole damn movie with my husband, filed 2009 and did 2010 taxes (don't ask), planned my garden, cleaned the garden for an hour, talked to my whole family, didn't throw up since Friday, did a load of laundry and shaved my legs for the first time since December.

It's fucking SPRING!!!

I was rather amazed at how much you did with an evil stomach flu.

I am without relent.

We pay attention to the cover letter. It always scores points to see the applicant apply specific skills to specific needs,, i.e., "My time as an Ewok Wrangler allowed me to learn to handle fur, which would be helpful in the advanced combing position you have open."

My CV is three pages, but I have a one page functional resume. In academia, you will often be asked for a resume and a CV.

Meara'ing like wow:

I have read every single post. Well, skimmed the last 100 or so, but I kindda read them as well. Because you guys wowed me. Maria, I hold you and yours in my thoughts. Everything Buffistas wrote here is true.

Teppy, I'm so glad you're post this thing. I know you probably still have a huge pile of shit to handle, but I'm glad this one's done.

My ~mas to everyone else who needs them.

OMG! That Content Writer job I was zizzing about? the way I was just bragging on my cover letter? I opened up my Monday morning mailbox to find a note -- from their freakin' CEO:

"I like your cover letter so much that i passed your info along to a few of our editors. If I can find a good match, I will let you know."

I might take this down at lunch or something, but I what a way to wake up on a Monday!

Do you mean customised for each job?

Yep, It only takes a phrase or two to make the cover letter personalized and special. And at least in our case it is rare enough that it gets read. The ads we run are for programmers, network support, software support. Even when we run an ad for clerical (scanning and document prep) and we get hundreds of responses in the first few minutes the ones that took time to write a few personalized words go to the top.

Truly it is scary how many responses we get whenever we place an ad. People so overqualified, and so many responses. It is overwhelming. I used to write some kind of thanks for applying response to all, but I had to give it up because there were too many. I need to write at least a couple varieties of canned response to let people know something. Because I feel guilt when X number don't even get more than a glance. Too many qualified people, too few openings.

Ha, that was some cross post!