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Opening Line

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  • C ColinDavies

    Mike Nordell wrote: "Hi!" tends to work well for me. Hmmm, I was thinking of something to put in a formal letter. Regardz Colin J Davies

    Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

    You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

    A Offline
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    Alexandru Serban
    wrote on last edited by
    #10

    Why don`t you say something like this for an opening line: "I was searching for an opening line, but didn`t seem to find one." This should catch their attention :)

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    • C ColinDavies

      Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

      Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

      You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

      T Offline
      T Offline
      Tomasz Sowinski
      wrote on last edited by
      #11

      Long time ago in the galaxy far away... ;) Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com

      To some its a six-pack, to me it's a support group

      C 1 Reply Last reply
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      • A Alexandru Serban

        Why don`t you say something like this for an opening line: "I was searching for an opening line, but didn`t seem to find one." This should catch their attention :)

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        ColinDavies
        wrote on last edited by
        #12

        CHAPEL wrote: "I was searching for an opening line, but didn`t seem to find one." That's good !! I like it ! :-) Regardz Colin J Davies

        Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

        You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

        1 Reply Last reply
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        • C ColinDavies

          Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

          Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

          You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

          P Offline
          P Offline
          Paul Riley
          wrote on last edited by
          #13

          Colin^Davies wrote: Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. This is exactly why I used an employment agency when I was looking for work in '01. Let them find the job, let them make the opening sell, just give them a CV and let them do their stuff. :) However, for anyone considering using an employment agency, I would strongly advise taking no crap from them from the first time you speak to them. Let them know exactly what you're looking for and where and don't let them talk you out of it. Otherwise you'll spend half your time running round for interviews at places where you're never going accept a job. Paul

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          • T Tomasz Sowinski

            Long time ago in the galaxy far away... ;) Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com

            To some its a six-pack, to me it's a support group

            C Offline
            C Offline
            ColinDavies
            wrote on last edited by
            #14

            Nice !!! Regardz Colin J Davies

            Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

            You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • C ColinDavies

              Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

              Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

              You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

              T Offline
              T Offline
              Thomas Freudenberg
              wrote on last edited by
              #15

              Once upon a time... Regards Thomas Sonork id: 100.10453 Thömmi


              Disclaimer:
              Because of heavy processing requirements, we are currently using some of your unused brain capacity for backup processing. Please ignore any hallucinations, voices or unusual dreams you may experience. Please avoid concentration-intensive tasks until further notice. Thank you.

              C 1 Reply Last reply
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              • T Thomas Freudenberg

                Once upon a time... Regards Thomas Sonork id: 100.10453 Thömmi


                Disclaimer:
                Because of heavy processing requirements, we are currently using some of your unused brain capacity for backup processing. Please ignore any hallucinations, voices or unusual dreams you may experience. Please avoid concentration-intensive tasks until further notice. Thank you.

                C Offline
                C Offline
                ColinDavies
                wrote on last edited by
                #16

                Einmal Is that right ? Regardz Colin J Davies

                Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                T 1 Reply Last reply
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                • C ColinDavies

                  Einmal Is that right ? Regardz Colin J Davies

                  Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                  You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                  T Offline
                  T Offline
                  Thomas Freudenberg
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #17

                  Colin^Davies wrote: Einmal Is that right ? Es war einmal...[^] Regards Thomas Sonork id: 100.10453 Thömmi


                  Disclaimer:
                  Because of heavy processing requirements, we are currently using some of your unused brain capacity for backup processing. Please ignore any hallucinations, voices or unusual dreams you may experience. Please avoid concentration-intensive tasks until further notice. Thank you.

                  C 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • P Paul Riley

                    Colin^Davies wrote: Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. This is exactly why I used an employment agency when I was looking for work in '01. Let them find the job, let them make the opening sell, just give them a CV and let them do their stuff. :) However, for anyone considering using an employment agency, I would strongly advise taking no crap from them from the first time you speak to them. Let them know exactly what you're looking for and where and don't let them talk you out of it. Otherwise you'll spend half your time running round for interviews at places where you're never going accept a job. Paul

                    C Offline
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                    ColinDavies
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #18

                    I appreciate what you are saying. But what about when ajob is advertised at a place, where you wish to work. (for whatever reason) Regardz Colin J Davies

                    Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                    You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                    P 2 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • C ColinDavies

                      I appreciate what you are saying. But what about when ajob is advertised at a place, where you wish to work. (for whatever reason) Regardz Colin J Davies

                      Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                      You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                      P Offline
                      P Offline
                      Paul Riley
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #19

                      Yeah, I understand the problem, Colin. What I'm trying to say is this: I have no idea, I never did have any idea, I hate dealing with things like this, so personally I try to avoid the entire situation. Sorry, not much help and I probably should have just kept my mouth shut...... .... I'll do that now, right? ;) Paul

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                      • T Thomas Freudenberg

                        Colin^Davies wrote: Einmal Is that right ? Es war einmal...[^] Regards Thomas Sonork id: 100.10453 Thömmi


                        Disclaimer:
                        Because of heavy processing requirements, we are currently using some of your unused brain capacity for backup processing. Please ignore any hallucinations, voices or unusual dreams you may experience. Please avoid concentration-intensive tasks until further notice. Thank you.

                        C Offline
                        C Offline
                        ColinDavies
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #20

                        krieg You said it first !! Regardz Colin J Davies

                        Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                        You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • P Paul Riley

                          Yeah, I understand the problem, Colin. What I'm trying to say is this: I have no idea, I never did have any idea, I hate dealing with things like this, so personally I try to avoid the entire situation. Sorry, not much help and I probably should have just kept my mouth shut...... .... I'll do that now, right? ;) Paul

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                          ColinDavies
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #21

                          Paul Riley wrote: I probably should have just kept my mouth shut No,, what makes this place interesting is the differences of opinions that facilitate the exchange of thoughts. If everyone kept there mouth shut, when they didn't know much about a topic there would be hardly any posts at all. :-) Regardz Colin J Davies

                          Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                          You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C ColinDavies

                            I appreciate what you are saying. But what about when ajob is advertised at a place, where you wish to work. (for whatever reason) Regardz Colin J Davies

                            Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                            You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                            P Offline
                            P Offline
                            Paul Riley
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #22

                            Actually, you know what? I do have some advice for you after all. It's simple enough: Don't think too much. This job that you're going for, they will get a lot of applicants (which is the reason most computer employers use recruitment agencies :)). But they won't look much at your opening letter. My wife is in personel, I know how this works. What they'll do is this: Take the top handful of applicants, look through the CVs for the qualifications and experience they want. They'll be looking for a set number of interviews. If they find that many then they'll simply discard the rest. They will not look through for the people with the experience and then find the ones with the most interesting opening lines. That takes too long. They may discard you if they really don't like your letter ("Give me a friggin' job or I'll come down there and burn the place down") but that's all. I have one more piece of advice for people looking for jobs: Be yourself at all times I know this sounds like the kind of crap people come up with all the time ("Be yourself, people will love you") but that's not what I'm saying. My point is that every company is looking for something different. If you're not yourself you may get turned down for a job where you would have been perfect or you may find yourself accepted for a job you'll hate. Paul

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                            • C ColinDavies

                              Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

                              Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                              You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              Daniel Turini
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #23

                              Colin^Davies wrote: Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses What about a "I'm bored with this VMTU thing and started to look for a job..." :) Concussus surgo. When struck I rise.

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                              • C ColinDavies

                                Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

                                Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                                C Offline
                                C Offline
                                Christopher Duncan
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #24

                                Well, I don't concentrate much on the letter. When I was doing the hiring, they just went in the trash anyway. All I really had time for was the resumes, and not enough time to sort through all the drivel at that. So, personally, I concentrate on making my resume something that catches their attention. That would explain the Far Side cartoon at the bottom of my resume (really). Unprofessional, you say? Perhaps. But ask them if they notice my resume. Of course, you have to tailor it to your personal style. A cartoon works for me, because I'm a, well, you guys know what I am. What could you put on your resume that would tell them who you are, in a manner that no one else has done? Get their attention first. Then make the sale. I also include a skill set summary as an attachment, because really, that's all we look for sometimes. "Yeah, yeah, you worked in a widget factory. Groovy. But how many years of VC++ and APIOTW do you have? That's what we need." Online, I also have a filtered version of my resume so that people can search for just the TLAs that they need. When was the last time you read an entire resume, word for word, when you had 100 of them on your desk? For what it's worth, here's some examples. http://www.showprogramming.com/resume.htm[^] http://www.showprogramming.com/skills.htm[^] http://www.showprogramming.com/ResumeFilter.htm[^] Anyway, hope this sparks an idea or two for you... Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)

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                                • C ColinDavies

                                  Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

                                  Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                  You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                                  J Offline
                                  J Offline
                                  John Hurrell
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #25

                                  Maybe that's not formal enough?

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • C ColinDavies

                                    Can anyone give me a good opening line for a job application letter instead of the same boring stuff everyone else uses. Regardz Colin J Davies

                                    Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                    You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                                    R Offline
                                    R Offline
                                    Roger Wright
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #26

                                    "You may already have won!" [include picture of a smiling Ed McMahon] or "Act now, supplies are limited! There's only one of me and demand is skyrocketing! Order now and you'll receive not only a highly skilled programmer, but also this free set of 6 colored markers in a wonderfully convenient, personalized pocket protector! But wait, there's more..."

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • C ColinDavies

                                      Mike Nordell wrote: "Hi!" tends to work well for me. Hmmm, I was thinking of something to put in a formal letter. Regardz Colin J Davies

                                      Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                      You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                                      M Offline
                                      M Offline
                                      Mike Nordell
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #27

                                      I am talking about a formal letter. I usually begin them with "Hi", and so far I've been hired to do more software than I'd like to think of. Tell them who you are (professionally). Tell them what you've done. Tell them what you know. End with telling them how your life is (if you feel the need). Then end it with: If you think this competence might benefit you, don't hesitate to mail me! (Always make sure to suggest it's something positive to get back to you! That is VITAL!) If you get a job due to my suggestions, I only want 5%. Hey, it's way lower than many head-hunting companies! :-> Just kidding. You get your job yourself (but you better prove your own competence) and keep your money. If we ever meet, and you got a job due to my ideas, you buy the dinner though. All of it. :-)

                                      C 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • C Christopher Duncan

                                        Well, I don't concentrate much on the letter. When I was doing the hiring, they just went in the trash anyway. All I really had time for was the resumes, and not enough time to sort through all the drivel at that. So, personally, I concentrate on making my resume something that catches their attention. That would explain the Far Side cartoon at the bottom of my resume (really). Unprofessional, you say? Perhaps. But ask them if they notice my resume. Of course, you have to tailor it to your personal style. A cartoon works for me, because I'm a, well, you guys know what I am. What could you put on your resume that would tell them who you are, in a manner that no one else has done? Get their attention first. Then make the sale. I also include a skill set summary as an attachment, because really, that's all we look for sometimes. "Yeah, yeah, you worked in a widget factory. Groovy. But how many years of VC++ and APIOTW do you have? That's what we need." Online, I also have a filtered version of my resume so that people can search for just the TLAs that they need. When was the last time you read an entire resume, word for word, when you had 100 of them on your desk? For what it's worth, here's some examples. http://www.showprogramming.com/resume.htm[^] http://www.showprogramming.com/skills.htm[^] http://www.showprogramming.com/ResumeFilter.htm[^] Anyway, hope this sparks an idea or two for you... Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        ColinDavies
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #28

                                        I don't disagree with much you say. However when I was employing, I actually once, had all the CV's/resumees repacked back to the applicants and asked that if they wanted to apply they produced ones side on A4 paper. Not many complied which help cut down the pile. The covering Job Application letter I always had analyzed for a couple of factors. 1. Was it unique, 2. What errors did it contain. 3. Had they done any research into our business or products. 4. What skillsets do they mention strongly. If the Job Application letter didn't pass muster, the CV / Resumee would be sent back immediatly. {Right or wrong way to do it, It was the way I chose} Regardz Colin J Davies

                                        Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                        You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

                                        C 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • M Mike Nordell

                                          I am talking about a formal letter. I usually begin them with "Hi", and so far I've been hired to do more software than I'd like to think of. Tell them who you are (professionally). Tell them what you've done. Tell them what you know. End with telling them how your life is (if you feel the need). Then end it with: If you think this competence might benefit you, don't hesitate to mail me! (Always make sure to suggest it's something positive to get back to you! That is VITAL!) If you get a job due to my suggestions, I only want 5%. Hey, it's way lower than many head-hunting companies! :-> Just kidding. You get your job yourself (but you better prove your own competence) and keep your money. If we ever meet, and you got a job due to my ideas, you buy the dinner though. All of it. :-)

                                          C Offline
                                          C Offline
                                          ColinDavies
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #29

                                          Mike Nordell wrote: I am talking about a formal letter OH !! Mike Nordell wrote: If we ever meet, and you got a job due to my ideas, you buy the dinner though. All of it Ok If I use your approach, you are on :-) Regardz Colin J Davies

                                          Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

                                          You are the intrepid one, always willing to leap into the fray! A serious character flaw, I might add, but entertaining. Said by Roger Wright about me.

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