The Cover Letter Pitch

Returned from the Thanksgiving trip to New England yesterday. It happened as something of a whirlwind event, running around everywhere to see so many people at the same time without really talking to anyone for much time or for much depth. Does life become this way as we get older and move around?

WORKING ON MY PITCH

One night on the Thanksgiving trip, the fiancee, a friend and I discussed pitching my novel. I, unfortunately, never really thought up one or mangled one together from the various discussions that I've had with people. At least, I haven't mangled a good one together.

After dropping the friend off, the fiancee and I had a little more of an in depth conversation about pitches, which turned into a conversation about writing a cover letter to send with my resume. The novel pitch can wait for another day, after I actually finish the thing, but I need to put together a good cover letter to get myself a job.

The fiancee gave me some good tips, but it pretty much drove the point that I focused too much on what a company could do for me rather than the things that I could contribute to the organization. I seriously didn't think I could let myself get that narcissistic. Really, it all turned out that way by combining a bunch of different templates from some books and the career counsellor I saw last year.

Maybe I just haven't had the right frame of mind. After all, I've heard plenty of times that in the job search, the applicant is "selling themselves" and "marketing themselves." I guess I just never fully realized it meant actually pitching myself.
Entering this mode took some bit of conscious and unconscious thiking about the topic.

Maybe my experience Blue Green has taught (along with a couple sessions of Internet research) me some necessary skills for this bigger quest to get a better paying job. Can't say that I've figured out the cover letter yet, but I think using some of the sales techniques I've used for that job in the letter, possibly even in interviews, could help me get that good job.

At least, most of the time, I'll know what a company wants. Now to show them that I call provide for their need. Too bad I have enough fear to procrastinate on this task, but who doesn't. Then again, entering this frame of mind could help me overcome the fear. I think I'm ready, I think I'm ready.

MISERY DOES ENJOY COMPANY

Yes, Roby, misery does enjoy company. Good luck with your job search.

Any tips?