Cover letter ideas, please
April 17, 2013 11:26 AM Subscribe
The job is part-time Administrative Assistant for a small engineering firm. I have all the experience and qualifications, which can be seen on my resume. They want a hand-written cover letter. The problem is that I am overqualified -- a recently retired professional in his early 60s.
This type of job does not typically go to someone like me. But, I would bring a career's-worth of understanding of building engineering and design and the processes involved. Most other applicants will not likely have this. I know the firm is not explicitly looking for this, but in addition to phone and filing and computer skills, it is a bonus.
There are a number of good reasons I'd like to work part time in an engineering office again, and have no problem with working as an Assistant. So, ideas please on how I can best present myself in a letter (and/or couch the resume) in order to get in the door for an interview. Thanks in advance for your ideas.
This type of job does not typically go to someone like me. But, I would bring a career's-worth of understanding of building engineering and design and the processes involved. Most other applicants will not likely have this. I know the firm is not explicitly looking for this, but in addition to phone and filing and computer skills, it is a bonus.
There are a number of good reasons I'd like to work part time in an engineering office again, and have no problem with working as an Assistant. So, ideas please on how I can best present myself in a letter (and/or couch the resume) in order to get in the door for an interview. Thanks in advance for your ideas.
There are a number of good reasons I'd like to work part time in an engineering office again .
What are these?
posted by Capri at 11:39 AM on April 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
What are these?
posted by Capri at 11:39 AM on April 17, 2013 [4 favorites]
I'd actually go for honesty.Give a reason as to why you want to do this job position and why it is likely to hold your interest and that you still stay with the job and are not expecting a higher salary.
As an example-I have a friend who has a small business and he needed to hire a person with very basic skills (pack boxes/answer the phones). In his ideal universe, the person that he hired would be independent, smart, and would stay at the job because he could not afford the time to train new people. He could not offer and exhorbitant salary.
The person who got the job was a person in her early 60s with a life long experience as a computer programmer who wanted to only work as a part time employee.The most important thing to the job applicant was that she be able to leave early in the afternoon in the summers. Anywho, my friend realized she would meet his criteria and there was an advantage to the work setting that he could provide.
So I would be honest with your current skill set, state point blank that you only want a job as the assistant whatever, and the reason that you want it is reason X.If you don't get this job, wait to find another job that is a good fit.
posted by Wolfster at 11:45 AM on April 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
As an example-I have a friend who has a small business and he needed to hire a person with very basic skills (pack boxes/answer the phones). In his ideal universe, the person that he hired would be independent, smart, and would stay at the job because he could not afford the time to train new people. He could not offer and exhorbitant salary.
The person who got the job was a person in her early 60s with a life long experience as a computer programmer who wanted to only work as a part time employee.The most important thing to the job applicant was that she be able to leave early in the afternoon in the summers. Anywho, my friend realized she would meet his criteria and there was an advantage to the work setting that he could provide.
So I would be honest with your current skill set, state point blank that you only want a job as the assistant whatever, and the reason that you want it is reason X.If you don't get this job, wait to find another job that is a good fit.
posted by Wolfster at 11:45 AM on April 17, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: @Capri -- I'd rather get ideas about the letter and resume instead of diverting this thread into that subject.
posted by partner at 11:46 AM on April 17, 2013
posted by partner at 11:46 AM on April 17, 2013
I think Capri means that you should narrow those reasons down and articulate them in the cover letter.
posted by cooker girl at 11:48 AM on April 17, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 11:48 AM on April 17, 2013 [7 favorites]
All good advice above. I just wanted to add that companies worry about "overqualified" for two reasons:
1 -- You're only using this as a stopgap until you find something better.
2 -- You'll want more money than they want to pay.
If you can allay these fears in your cover letter, or in discussion with the hiring manager or the equivalent, you'll be better off.
Also, work your contacts. If you know someone at the company or someone who works with the company, talk to him or her about why you're applying for this job.
posted by Etrigan at 11:49 AM on April 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
1 -- You're only using this as a stopgap until you find something better.
2 -- You'll want more money than they want to pay.
If you can allay these fears in your cover letter, or in discussion with the hiring manager or the equivalent, you'll be better off.
Also, work your contacts. If you know someone at the company or someone who works with the company, talk to him or her about why you're applying for this job.
posted by Etrigan at 11:49 AM on April 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
You're a professional that used to work in this field, and a former peer of the people you'd be working for. Can you network into a meeting with the hiring manager, or just cold call based on your work history and reputation?
My biggest fear as a hiring manager would be that this is a case of someone downsized out of a job that's looking to do something while they look for something better. A personal conversation could pretty quickly set those fears aside.
posted by bfranklin at 12:02 PM on April 17, 2013
My biggest fear as a hiring manager would be that this is a case of someone downsized out of a job that's looking to do something while they look for something better. A personal conversation could pretty quickly set those fears aside.
posted by bfranklin at 12:02 PM on April 17, 2013
Best answer: In addition to phone and filing and computer skills, I bring a career's-worth of understanding of building engineering and design and the processes involved.
I want to work part-time as an administrative staffer because _
I have chosen not to retain my licensing and full-time professional status because _
In any cover letter, you try to address the unspoken concerns you think they'll have while you highlight your strengths. You have maturity, and likely the stability and dependability that comes with it. Emphasize how and why your unique situation will be a huge benefit to them, which it will.
posted by theora55 at 2:51 PM on April 17, 2013
I want to work part-time as an administrative staffer because _
I have chosen not to retain my licensing and full-time professional status because _
In any cover letter, you try to address the unspoken concerns you think they'll have while you highlight your strengths. You have maturity, and likely the stability and dependability that comes with it. Emphasize how and why your unique situation will be a huge benefit to them, which it will.
posted by theora55 at 2:51 PM on April 17, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Emphasize the skills and qualifications in that 10 years worth of jobs that are directly applicable to being an Administrative Assitant.
For example instead of:
Lead Engineer-Hoover Dam: Directed the activities of a team of engineers tasked with observing improvements to Hoover Dam.
Lead Administrator-Hoover Dam: Supported a team of engineers. Compiled data for Federal Reporting. Arranged travel for team members.
In your cover letter, simply say that you've recently retired from the industry and that you're interested in a part-time position as a way of keeping a hand in.
Don't try to dazzle anyone with your knowledge or your experience or any of that. What they may fear is someone who might try to tell them what to do and how to do it.
Even then, don't get your hopes up. There is age descrimination, and this is a rough job market.
Good luck!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:33 AM on April 17, 2013 [1 favorite]