Qualifications for the Ideal Candidate

I thought you all might enjoy reading the Cover Letter that I sent (along with my resume) when I applied for the Real Estate Assistant Job.


As I told you, the job posting on Craigslist made it clear that this would be a FUN company to work for.  I knew that if I got "funny" in my letter, that it would "make it or break it".  However, I really felt like my cover letter needed to say some things that just couldn't be found in my resume (a resume which included receptionist jobs 30 years ago ... because obviously I've been a stay-at-home mom for much of the past 27 years).  Here's what I wrote ...  


(This is not what you would expect for a professional cover letter; but I really had peace about sending it.  This is not the type of cover letter I would send to most companies; but again, really believed it would be well received.)




Dear Director of Personnel,


I am very interested in the Position of Real Estate Assistant.  I have attached my resume and both of the Creative Challenges, as directed.


There are a few things that set this position apart from other administrative positions that are currently open in the county.  First of all, I can tell by your posting that you are a professional company, yet fun.  You know how to get things done, but you also know how  to laugh.  This is the type of work environment that I am looking for.  Secondly, I really like the 50/50 aspect of this position.  I enjoy office work; I'm a stickler for details.  Yet, I also enjoy being out and about in the community.


I also like the variety of tasks required for this position.  I am just as comfortable behind the lens of a camera, or designing a flyer, as I am using my thesaurus to write the perfect real estate description.


While my resume covers my professional experiences of the past 30 years, it can't begin to tell the story of my hands-on, life experiences.  As I looked at your list of qualifications for "The Ideal Candidate", I laughed.  It is my position as "The Homeschooling Mother of a Dozen Children" that has refined so many of the character qualities you are looking for.  


(The next section was all in paragraph format, so that it would fit on 1 page, but I thought I would separate it for your reading enjoyment.)


Self-Motivation:  It takes a lot of self-motivation just to get out of bed some days, to face the challenging crowd at the breakfast table.


Team Player:  Our family is all about teamwork.


Problem Solver:  Oh my.  My days are filled with problem solving.


Creative:  I've learned a lot about creativity by planning homeschooling lessons for the past 21 years.


Incredibly Organized:  My life is run by my calendar and to-do lists.  Have you ever attended 10 of your children's baseball games, at 7 different fields, in 1 day?  I have.


Sociable:  I love people.  I am surrounded by people 24/7.


Excellent Communication Skills:  I have had a speaking and writing ministry for 25 years, writing for 2 magazines for 8 and 10 years.


Professional Appearance:  Due to the fact that I don't want to look like "the old woman in the shoe", I am not a sweats and tennis shoe mom.


Detail-Oriented:  You can't imagine the details it takes to run a household of 14 people.


Multi-Tasker:  My middle name.


Time-Management:  As I said earlier, I live by my calendar and to-do lists.


Walks On Water:  Not yet, but I'm working on it.




I look forward to hearing from you soon.




Laurel


(Yes.  They actually had listed "Walks on Water" as one of the "Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate" ... which showed me they definitely had a sense of humor.)






Now, while I told you that it ended up that I knew 2 of the 3 realtors that were hiring the assistant, it was the one that I did not know that was screening all of the applications.  She got 25 applications ... passed 12 along to the other realtors ... and gave her recommendation of the 6 that she would like to interview.  And ... I was in her Top 6, even though she had no idea that I knew the other 2 realtors.  That meant a lot to me, to know that I wasn't just interviewed because I happened to know the realtors.






What did you think?


Would you ever be daring enough to send such a Cover Letter?


Have you ever considered how your career experience as a mother might transfer over to a professional position?






By the way ... all 3 realtors told me they LOVED my cover letter.