Get The Job By Applying For The One They’re Offering

Sarah recently posted about how having clear specialties in their profiles could have put new dollars in some providers’ wallets.   Today I want to look at the same basic idea from the provider’s side.

As a provider you have two main tools at your disposal for finding work:  your profile and your cover letter.  Of the two I’d say the profile is more important, but that doesn’t mean the cover letter isn’t.  Sarah’s covered profiles rather extensively, but there’s one thing I don’t remember her spelling out.

When a buyer issues an invitation from your profile they are already thinking about hiring you:  Not just hiring someone, but you personally.

I cannot over-stress the importance of this.

When a buyer issues an invitation from your profile they are already thinking about hiring you:  Not just hiring someone, but you personally.

That means you’ve already skipped the first couple of steps.  Normally it starts with someone posting a job, then weeding out the unsuitable candidates, and only then moving to the short list they hire from.  If the provider picks you, that means you’re starting on the short list.   It’s a good place to be.

But what if you didn’t start on the short list?

There are literally thousands of providers on oDesk (and on any other site you care to mention) all of whom are looking for work.  Sometimes a buyer might post the perfect job for you, but not have seen you on a provider search.  They may not even have run one because they didn’t want the hassle of going through all the profiles when they knew they would have to do it again when people applied.

So, you’re coming at it cold:  What do you do?

The easy answer is use all the tools you have available, but that’s a cop-out.  It’s true, but still a cop-out.  What you do is write a killer cover letter that does one thing and one thing only.

It tells the buyer that you are perfectly fitted for this particular job.

It doesn’t focus on your other skills that the buyer doesn’t need for this job.

It doesn’t focus on the really cool job you did last summer.

It tells the buyer you have read the posting, are familiar with what they are asking for this specific job, and explains why you are a great candidate for it.

Don’t use a generic cover letter.  I know the temptation can be pretty high, but trust me:  Just Don’t.   Your cover letter is the first thing a prospective buyer sees.  It’s your first impression.

Do you really want to make a first impression by saying you don’t care about this job?

That’s what you’re doing when you send a generic cover letter.  You’re telling the buyer that their job isn’t important and you don’t care about it.  Well, the buyer does care about it.  If they didn’t they wouldn’t be spending money to get it done.  It’s the wrong foot to start with.  It really is.

Now I’m sure there are people out there who can bring up counter-examples of generic letters getting them jobs, but those are the exception not the rule.  I also believe those people were likely hired despite the generic letter, not because of it.

Write a specific letter for each job.  It will increase your chances dramatically.