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A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Since we published the first edition of this book, the company for which I
worked made a major acquisition. As a result, my position was eliminated.
To my surprise and chagrin, I found myself in the job market once again.
Although there is never a good time to be out of work, I was one of many,
many others who discovered that the timing couldn’t have been worse. I was
forced to begin my job search in September of 2001 as a deeply stunned
America struggled to regain its footing and courage in a shocking new world.
Nevertheless, I started a new job in June of 2002. What happened in between
went literally “by the book.” And by that, I mean this book! I used every type
of letter, every tactic and tip that we recommended to you in the first edition
of 201 Killer Cover Letters! Not only are the letters and advice still applicable,
advances in technology have made the job search easier...even in today’s
challenging economy. That’s why, in this new edition, you’ll find guidelines
for jobhunting in today’s new world along with samples of letters formatted
for e-mail and designed to help you secure jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago!
Above all, my own job search convinced me that before you launch yours,
you must take the time to develop a plan for achieving success. This, I found,
must spring from an attitude of success. Where to start? Take a look at the
guidelines I developed, employed, and profited from—we’ve included them
in this new edition—they’re sure to save you time and trouble.

—Andrea Paxton

DEVELOP A 10-MONTH PLAN

In today’s challenging job market, many jobhunters are finding that the search
takes somewhat more time than it did in the past. Regardless of what expectations
you may have or may hear, assume a time frame of at least 10 months for your
search. Then, set consistent and realistic daily objectives—ones you can sustain
throughout that period. Chances are, you’ll find that your job search is less like a
sprint and more like a marathon. Don’t expect to reach the finish line in a day. In-
stead, expect to reach for and achieve daily goals—such as networking with 5 con-
tacts per day or 10 new contacts per week. Without this attitude, you’ll view every
day as a laborious burden that does not produce results. You’ll risk losing focus,
motivation, and direction. You’ll neither write nor interview well, and your search
may take even longer.

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