Much of my time as a Domino Administrator and Systems Engineer has been spent architecting critical e-business solutions for retailers and manufacturers. I also have designed Domino infrastructures for midsize organizations and have been a member of a team that designed the infrastructure for three manufacturing plants. I have a solid experience base with Internet, intranet, and client/server application development. This development experience coupled with a strong "hands on" understanding of networking principles lead me to believe I could be an asset to your firm.

I desire a position in which I regularly interact with my peers; I feel my people skills and industry knowledge will allow me to perform well as a member of your team. I am a permanent resident of the United States with the ability to work for any employer.

My present salary is near the range advertised. I have visited your Web site and researched your company's culture, and I believe I could flourish in such an environment. I am available to interview with your firm on a few days notice and appreciate your time in reviewing my resume.

Regards,

John Q. Public

Do you see how the job advertisement and your credentials have merged to become one? Your experience is so clearly highlighted that a rookie recruiter with a hangover can see that you are perfect for this position. Remember, this same recruiter is getting flooded with resumes; most of them will be filed in the circular bin. Stay out of that dreaded file by closely matching your skills with the job description.

One important point: Don't lie just to match your skills with the position description. You'll eventually get busted, and everyone's time will be wasted. Find a position where you can write a cover letter that intertwines your experience with the job requirements and you may have found the perfect job!

Do the same thing for your resume as you did for your cover letter by changing the summary and objective sections on your resume to match the position description. Again, dissect the job posting and make certain your resume contains all applicable information--and is easily found. Generic resumes are tossed out; use yours to show why you are right for the position by highlighting responsibilities and achievements that mirror the responsibilities and requirements on the job positing. Follow these "insider" tricks of the trade, and you'll stand out from the pack every time.

DominoPower Contributing Editor Jeffrey R. Burrows has been working with Notes for several years and Domino since its beta cycle and is currently implementing Notes and Domino solutions for the local government in Scotland. His web site experience stretches back to 1992. He still maintains the popular rec.travel guide to Morocco--with a trusty DOS editor. Jeffrey can be reached via email at jey@compuserve.com.