Okay, so here I am, sitting in the Chapman University library with my good friend David. We're here for the sole purpose of applying for jobs. I bust out my laptop and start looking for listings.
I think technology has wreaked havoc on our minds. I can't even concentrate and starting working on tasks that I've put off for awhile--namely accounting. It doesn't help that when we first start, David starts asking me all sorts of weird dietary questions.
So after I figure out my budget for the next three months, how to best pay down my student loan debt, and pay off my car insurance until July, I finally face my first task.
The listing is for being an investigator for a firm that works with insurance companies and specializes in worker's comp (I presume the latter because the listing prefers experience in that field). I tenuously meet the basic requirements but my resume doesn't show a lot of experience. It's clear I'm going to have to rely on my cover letter to do the heavy lifting.
Whenever I reach this critical point, of writing a cover letter, my entire arsenal of writing skills goes kaput. I am reduced to shell of an inferior self (which is like a double reduction in true ability). This mental block always hits me and pretty much destroys any chance of me actually taking a chance.
So what can I do?
I decided to write this post. Certain topics just unleash a fury of words from my brain like a river stream of consciousness. Maybe if I can approach writing a cover letter like this, I might be able to throw up a passable attempt of self-marketing.
For a job like investigating, I think it requires a specific mindset. Maybe I'm working off crime procedural tropes, but I think an investigator needs a big imagination. I got that covered.
And next...
You know what? I think I just unlocked it, my mental stream! Time to see if I can tap into this vein and draw out some good blood!
After my last sentence, I just went to my laptop and pumped out a cover letter. I wonder if it's any good?
To Whom It May Concern,
I am applying for the position of Field Investigator because I know that the job will satisfy my craving to utilize my unique skill set. I possess a combination of skills that complement each other, work in tandem, and in conjunction for a single purpose: producing results. I've thought about the Field Investigator position, looked over the requirements, and determined that this job gives me the best opportunity to use my talents.
There is one thing that I'm proud of, if nothing else, and that is my capacity for imagination. With an imagination, I can envision the past and reconstruct events to figure out exactly what happened. Not only can I imagine it, but I can relay it. I have a great range of writing ability, but there is always one constant to my style: it is clear and communicative. I'm proud of my ability to render scenes with accurate and relevant details.
I hold a curious drive to explore the world. I like meeting new people, I can deal with different personalities from all walks of life and I've intentionally put myself in intense situations all in an attempt to learn more. I have no issues with going to new places and investigating. When it comes to investigating, I think it requires a great deal of patience, an ability to look at things from multiple perspectives, and a certain attitude about the world. It demands some psychoanalysis, the ability to read people, and to catch on to the subtleties of human expression. I draw from my experience as a journalist, as a teacher, and as a writer to engage people, to examine the environment, and to pick up on the small details.
I hope you consider my application for the position, and give me a chance to fulfill the desire and potential to succeed at this job.
Sincerely,
Jomatto
