Cover Letters/Resumes/Application Help

[Miles]

Hello All, I was wondering if I could ask for your help by reviewing my cover letter (resume to follow) and making some suggestions for how I can improve it. Long story shot, I'm still employed but finally ready to move on.

I'll be targeting Project Manager, Product Manager and Quality Assurance Manager positions but also considering software tester, technical writer, tech support supervisor and IT project management positions that meet my minimum salary requirements. Would y'all mind reading through my cover letter and let me know what you think? I'd like to use this as a template, making minor adjustments as needed for the position to which I apply. Please feel free to forward to this anyone you know that might also provide good advice.

I am submitting my resume and cover letter for the position of Project Manager. With over thirteen years of experience throughout all phases of the software development lifecycle, I am confident that my skills and a passion for efficiency make me an ideal candidate for this position.

Thirteen years ago I helped two entrepreneurs turn their idea into a reality. As a consultant and business analyst, my talents helped them to define product specifications and build solid working relationships with investors, industry experts, and customers alike.

As our company grew from five to twenty-five employees, I recognized the demand for improved software quality and spearheaded the establishment of our Quality Assurance program. New defect tracking software, testing workflows and standards provided a solid framework for realizing the health of our products and improving quality of our deliverables.

With a well-established testing program, I focused my attention on project management after discovering the theories of Agile development and Lean manufacturing. As our new Agile Evangelist, I assumed the position of Project Manger and implemented a Scrum-based, iterative method that immediately raised visibility of project status and allowed for better risk management throughout the company.

As my resume demonstrates, my experience in a fast-paced development environment where evolving requirements and daily collaboration are the norm, I feel that my passion for quality, hunger for knowledge and a real love for software development provides me with the traits needed to ensure success at your company. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can help your company exceed expectations. Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks and wish me luck!

[CathyCA]

You knew I'd respond, didn't you?

Three things jump out at me at first glance:

1. "lifecycle" should be two words, unless you're referring to a piece of exercise equipment

2. In paragraph 4, "manger" is misspelled. Manager.

3. In the closing paragraph, you have a comma splice. Insert a period there instead: "Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you."

There may be other corrections, but I don't know all of the technical language and terms that you were using in your letter. It's likely that the technical person who reads your letter won't care about the three things I pointed out above.

Good luck! I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

[windsor]

It is quite good, but probably a liitle long. What you might wish to do with your resume is what I did.. I wrote a monster (like you I have worn a lot of hats) that included all of the relevant things I had done at past jobs ...and then edited each one for each job. You need to save a copy with the description of the job you submitted it for so that you bring the same resume to the interviews! Hard numbers get jobs. Quantify anything you can in terms of dollars, person hours, quality improvement etc.

[Miles]

You knew I'd respond, didn't you?

Three things jump out at me at first glance:

1. "lifecycle" should be two words, unless you're referring to a piece of exercise equipment

2. In paragraph 4, "manger" is misspelled. Manager.

3. In the closing paragraph, you have a comma splice. Insert a period there instead: "Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you."

There may be other corrections, but I don't know all of the technical language and terms that you were using in your letter. It's likely that the technical person who reads your letter won't care about the three things I pointed out above.

Good luck! I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

Thanks CathyCA! Really appreciate the proofreading.

[Miles]

It is quite good, but probably a liitle long. What you might wish to do with your resume is what I did.. I wrote a monster (like you I have worn a lot of hats) that included all of the relevant things I had done at past jobs ...and then edited each one for each job. You need to save a copy with the description of the job you submitted it for so that you bring the same resume to the interviews! Hard numbers get jobs. Quantify anything you can in terms of dollars, person hours, quality improvement etc.

Quick clarification: this is my cover letter. My thought was to get attention with this, highlight the accomplishment and then bullet points in the resume that quantify how I acheived the accomplishment.

[Miles]

It is quite good, but probably a liitle long. What you might wish to do with your resume is what I did.. I wrote a monster (like you I have worn a lot of hats) that included all of the relevant things I had done at past jobs ...and then edited each one for each job. You need to save a copy with the description of the job you submitted it for so that you bring the same resume to the interviews! Hard numbers get jobs. Quantify anything you can in terms of dollars, person hours, quality improvement etc.

Quick clarification: this is my cover letter. My thought was to get attention with this, highlight the accomplishment and then bullet points in the resume that quantify how I acheived the accomplishment.

And, many thanks for taking the time to read and respond. Your help is also greatly appreciated.

[windsor]

It is quite good, but probably a liitle long. What you might wish to do with your resume is what I did.. I wrote a monster (like you I have worn a lot of hats) that included all of the relevant things I had done at past jobs ...and then edited each one for each job. You need to save a copy with the description of the job you submitted it for so that you bring the same resume to the interviews! Hard numbers get jobs. Quantify anything you can in terms of dollars, person hours, quality improvement etc.

Quick clarification: this is my cover letter. My thought was to get attention with this, highlight the accomplishment and then bullet points in the resume that quantify how I acheived the accomplishment.

I know it is the cover letter..they barely get a glance which is why I think it might e too long

[DukeUsul]

I presume you're looking to stay in the Charlotte area?

[DevilAlumna]

https://careers.microsoft.com/search.as ... all&p3=all



PM me if interested.

[Turk]

Yes, I think the cover letter is too long also. But you have great GREAT talking points to have in your pocket for the phone screen or the face-to-face. Good stuff there.

When I read cover letters, I look for clear writing, no errors, and some customization to the job description. (I think my editing eye is almost as sharp as CathyCA's). If it smells like a generic cover letter, the judges automatically deduct points.

When I write them, here is the basic form I use:
1. I saw Posting X on slow clumsy ad-plagued job board Y
2. The position calls for 1, 2, and 3
3. I did exactly that (and more) for Z years at Job A, B, or C
4. CALL ME DAMMIT!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!

And Windsor is spot on with tailored resumes. In your case, you need a master one for each of your desired roles: QA, Project manager, Product manager, etc. Within those categories, you then modify to play up the experience, skills, and stats to match up as close as possible with the specific job you're applying for.

[Miles]

Thanks for everyone's great advice! I haven't written a cover letter in fifteen years. I couldn't even buy alcohol back then!

So I feel like now I've gotten my ideas organized, I need to tailor the letter for each position and let the resume and interviews (hopefully!) highlight the breadth of experience.

Y'all are the best.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The only time I ever got a job in the "conventional way" was coming out of college, when I went through the campus interview process and landed the first one that way. The next one was through a head hunter and the one after that, after being out of industry for two years and deciding I needed to find a "real job" again, I went to the local annual trade show and went table to table talking to the vendors and one of them, a small rep in Charlotte, happened to be thinking of making a change in my area, and we were a perfect fit, at least for a few years... In the 17 years I've been self employed, I've been offered jobs (commission only, mostly by car dealers) several times, and have politely declined. Been there, done that, would prefer not to do that again (the car sales part). Drawing a regular paycheck might be nice...

At the age of 57, in today's job market, I doubt I'd find a job in the conventional way. Good thing I'm not looking. Good luck to those of you who are.

Maybe I'll run for congress. Nah, too many buried out there, not to mention all the It would be tough for me to win in this state ... ;)

[Miles]

Thanks again for everybody's help. Here's round two, also including the job description for which I'm applying.

Letter
I am submitting my resume for the position of Mid Level QA Analyst. With over thirteen years of experience throughout all phases of the software development lifecycle, I am confident that my skills make me an ideal candidate for this position.

My experience includes establishing the Quality Assurance program for a startup software company. In addition to writing user-acceptance test plans and functional test cases, I have implemented automated tests and reporting for SOAP and RESTful implementations of Web Services, reducing manual regression tests from twenty hours to one hour.

As my resume demonstrates, my experience in a fast-paced development environment where evolving requirements and daily collaboration are the norm, I feel that my passion for quality, hunger for knowledge and a real love for software development provides me with the traits needed to ensure success at your company.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can help you exceed expectations. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Description
Scrum Agile Exp, hardware and software exp, test script, defect write-ups, able to communicate, run with little supervision
Able to run UAT, run their own QA scripts, talk to developers on issues, good communication skills.

Qualifications:
• 4-8 years of project management, business analysis, and quality assurance testing experience in an application development setting
• Experience writing test plans and test results reports
• Strong knowledge of QA methodologies and concepts
• Data integration and/or mapping experience is a plus
• Knowledge of Web Services is a plus
• Media and Content Management Systems background is a plus
• Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) is necessary
• Strong analytical skills are required
• Must have the ability to work through complex system issues with a creative mind set
• Must possess good oral and written communications skills
• Must be a team player
• A Bachelor's Degree or equal work experience

DUTIES
• Collaborate with Product and Technology Teams to discuss system enhancements
• Develop and implement test plans for development cycles and system integrations
• Write and execute test scenarios based on analysis of system enhancements
• Create spreadsheets, calendars, and matrices to improve the testing process
• Identify and regression test system bugs
• Identify operational implications of enhancements
• Coordinate with Operations to discuss enhancements and implications
• Provide support and training for Operations and Client Management Groups
• Assist with special projects
• Document testing procedures and methodologies
• Report problems / errors in our client's system and recommend resolutions
• Research and resolve Production Support cases in a timely manner.

[shereec]

The cover letter works. It's how well the points in your resume match up to the points in the job description match that will really make the difference.

Good luck and mucho vibes!!

[Miles]

Ok so how would y'all reccomend listing 13 years of multiple roles inside a company? At my current company I have done the following:
2008 - Present: QA Manager/Director of OEM Integration
2006 - 2008: QA Manager/Project Manager-Coach
2004 - 2008: QA Manager/Solutions Manager
2000 - 2004: Business Analyst

I've always understood that you should work backwards from the present time. Should I just add my roles and accomplishments as QA Manager through each time period? For example: this year I increased regression testing efficiency by almost 2000%. In 2004 I established quality standards and metrics reducing the number of critical defects blah blah blah.

No matter what, I have been the QA Manager since 2004, but have also taken on additional roles in the company. I want to empahsize QA, but I think the other accomplishment are noteworthy.

[Turk]

Try this one. Best I've ever seen...

[Lavabe]

Yes, I think the cover letter is too long also. But you have great GREAT talking points to have in your pocket for the phone screen or the face-to-face. Good stuff there.

When I read cover letters, I look for clear writing, no errors, and some customization to the job description. (I think my editing eye is almost as sharp as CathyCA's). If it smells like a generic cover letter, the judges automatically deduct points.

When I write them, here is the basic form I use:
1. I saw Posting X on slow clumsy ad-plagued job board Y
2. The position calls for 1, 2, and 3
3. I did exactly that (and more) for Z years at Job A, B, or C
4. CALL ME DAMMIT!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!

And Windsor is spot on with tailored resumes. In your case, you need a master one for each of your desired roles: QA, Project manager, Product manager, etc. Within those categories, you then modify to play up the experience, skills, and stats to match up as close as possible with the specific job you're applying for.

The cover letter in tenure-track academic positions has to be longer than what you describe, and you must explicitly state why you want to work at XYZ university. Now that I've chaired some job searches the last few years, I am VERY glad that I did a longer cover letter.

Tailoring is VITAL. HOWEVER, I do remember one application in which the applicant really felt he/she was a good fit for XYZ University (some place other than ours).

[colchar]

Thanks for everyone's great advice! I haven't written a cover letter in fifteen years. I couldn't even buy alcohol back then!

So I feel like now I've gotten my ideas organized, I need to tailor the letter for each position and let the resume and interviews (hopefully!) highlight the breadth of experience.

Y'all are the best.

Have you ever even remotely considered moving out of the US for a job? Here in Canada our economy is in far better shape than the US economy so there are probably more opportunities here. The city I lived in for ten years (throughout university and grad school) is known as Canada's Silicone Valley and I know a bunch of people who work in the tech industry there (there are two universities - including one of the top computer and engineering universities in the world - and a college, it is the insurance capital of Canada, and there are more tech companies than you can shake a stick at including the headquarters of RIM, who make the Blackberry, as they were founded by someone from one of the universities and their main campus is a corner of that university's campus). Your skills look like they would be in demand at some, or many, of the companies in town so if you have ever considered moving, even for a few years, let me know and I can start asking around to see what is available.

[windsor]

I should add make sure you use the 'buzzwords' in the job posting in your resume and or letter. If software/products/tools are mentioned by name and you have used them make sure you mention them by name (helpful to included versions as well) and where possible a snippet saying what you used it for if it is a technical tool (created scripts to perform cross platform load testing on ...)

Some companies used sofware to scan electronically submitted resumes (read "all resumes") others use generic HR folks who are NOT techie. Make sure the village idiot could look at your resume and know you have the specific skills they are looking for.

Phone interviews as the first (and second wave) are the norm. Usually the first one is with some HR type who is just trying to get feel for who you are and that you don't sound like a psycho axe murderer. The second is usually with someone on the hiring panel to verify that you really did what your resume says and to get more detail on your skill set.

In a phone interview use notes (hint: lay them out flat across your desk - no paper shuffling!) include points you want to make (mine often included full phrases exactly how I wanted to say them) questions for them, answers to stock questions (why are looking to leave your current position) etc. Take notes - the interviewer will reveal more about the job - write it down and use it in prep for your face to face

[captmojo]

Try this one. Best I've ever seen...

resume.jpg

Damn!
I thought I wrote that shit until I saw the part about killing a hawk. I never did that shit.

But, once I shot and decapitated a Carpenter Bee with my son's trusty 'Official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200 shot, range model air rifle with a compass on the stock and this thing which tells time', from a distance of ten feet.

That was some shit!


And, I fired from the hip!