Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with reapplying

How to get re-hired?

unsigned — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:28:22 -0800

What’s the best way to get re-hired by a company you left (in a different location, branch, area of work) for non-work related reasons and they were the last company you worked for? Job search/cover letter question. A friend had worked for a large international company when living in a different state. For reasons outside of work, he had to move and left the company, though on good terms. He’s been unable to find work in the new location and is considering moving to another location where his old company has a branch.

There is a job listed on their website that he is qualified for. The posting is a little out of date (September) and a Google search shows that it had been posted on job boards, but those listings are expired. It seems that perhaps they just don’t update their site as often as they should, although I suppose there is a slight chance the job is still open. There is no contact email or phone, probably because they are such a large company and would be inundated with questions (all the job postings on the boards say no phone calls please). Also, I don’t think he is able to call any former co-workers for help on this.

I’m thinking he should go ahead and apply for the job in one of two ways (or if any of you have a better suggestion):
1. Just assume the job exists since it still on their site and treat it as such, or
2. Express hope that the job is still open but acknowledge that the posting date is a few months old and then, as a former employee, express his general interest in rejoining the company and ask if they have something else that would fit his experience.

Also, I feel like both of these scenarios are a little out of the ordinary as far as cover letters are concerned. What would be a good way to write one of these up? They were the last place he worked so obviously they found his prior experience sufficient enough to hire him the first time and he could highlight what he did in his previous job with them to fill space, but of course it’s on his resume and they could look at whatever records they have on him.

I guess this is a (long) two-parter. Should he go with scenario 1 or 2 and in either case what’s the best way to structure the cover letter? (I did see some of the questions asking about cover letters for the same exact job, but this isn’t the same job, just the skills are fairly transferable, if that matters. Though I will be reading through them for inspiration.)

Thanks!

How do I best reapply to a job I really want ?

modernhypatia — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:16:17 -0800

Last October, I applied for a library job that I really want. In December, they sent me a nice letter saying they weren't hiring anyone right then, but might relist it in 2008, and if they did, please reapply. (There are some comments that suggest they liked my application quite a bit, but that might just have been a pleasant form letter.) They've now relisted the job: how do I put my best foot forward on the reapplication? Background: I'm a recently degreed librarian, looking for a MLIS requiring library job (I've been working as a paraprofessional since 2000.) This job is very much in my area of interest, and has a lot of other things going for it. I'm in Minnesota and so is the job, which is why I'm not sure whether the "not filling this right now" letter was a "please, please reapply, we really wanted you" or whether it was pleasantness said to everyone. (I'm a transplant: traditional Minnesotan understated politeness is something I'm not totally fluent in.)

I'm comfortable doing cover letters and all, but this situation is puzzling me a bit. My specific questions:

1) What's the best non-clunky and non-cheesy way to say "Hi, I'm reapplying, remember me!" that is neither stilted nor flippant? Does "I'm writing to express my ongoing strong interest in [full job title]. I applied last October and was encouraged to reapply if it were reposted." work? It feels really flat and insufficiently enthusiastic to me.

2) Obviously, I'm talking about mostly the same material: how much should I try to vary my initial cover letter? For anyone who's done hiring in this situation, did anything catch your eye the second time around? Turn you off?

3) I'm working for the month of January as a temporary librarian in very much the same kind of job I'm applying for (while the person normally in it is teaching elsewhere.) I'm inclined to put this (new to them) information right after my intro paragraph, rather than chronologically in the cover letter. Any reason I shouldn't?

4) This temporary job has had me working on a number of database guides that are very relevant to the job I'm applying for. I'd like to mention them in the cover letter, but am unsure how best to provide pointers (they don't have easy URLs). I'm leaning towards mentioning which guides, and assuming librarians can figure out how to find them, given the name of the school they're at, but should I/could I be more specific in a useful way?

5) My current resume is 1 page, but doesn't include this temporary job. It does include two non-library but geeky-skill related jobs (relevant to what I'm applying for.) Should I condense the non-library jobs to a single line or 1 sentence description, and keep the resume to one page, or is it okay to go to 2 pages? (The cover letter will almost certainly be 2 pages.)

Any other relevant advice is also quite welcome. Thank you!

How do write a cover letter for the exact position I left two years ago?

ArsncHeart — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:34:07 -0800

How do write a cover letter for the exact position I left two years ago? I've seen this question and the other cover letter questions, but my circumstances are a bit different.

Three years ago, I held a job that I really loved, and worked there for a year. I left because I was accepted to a Master's Program halfway across the country. Now, two years later, I have my degree, and am moving back to the place I left. I've maintained contact with the people I used to work with, and it so happens that there have been some internal promotions, and my exact position is now open.

The people I worked with are encouraging me to apply for this position, and I am very interested in returning to the company, especially because it's a great place to work my way up in a career I would enjoy.

How do I write a cover letter applying for the exact same position I left two years ago? I obviously have the skills, as I did the job for a year. My co-workers and supervisors were all impressed with the quality of my work. I just want to convice these people that I'm not going to run off on them again - that I'm finally at the stage of my life where I want to commit myself long-term to a company that can offer me a good career.

Options when you don't get accepted to your first choice graduate school?

hummus — Mon, 10 May 2004 07:44:20 -0800

Graduate school acceptance. Or really, not. I need some advice from all of you over-educated metafilterites. What do you do when you don't get accepted to your first choice graduate school? Besides, obviously, not attend. Have any of you had any luck with reapplying, and if so, what did you change on your application to "do the trick?" Anyone have luck with taking classes as a non-matriculated student just to get your foot in the door? Any advice is much appreciated.