english pedants
edit edit: ok here we go:

i need some advice.
i'm writing a letter to ask studios for a job.
would you consider the following to be too informal or otherwise inappropriately written?

hamsterfight.co.uk/drafts/sjl.html

i need to put across some personality in this letter, since i'm sure they'll just bin it if they read a bog standard generic opening paragraph.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:49, archived)

you
should put at the bottom.

p.s I have enclosed a fiver.
( Tyronne Get To Falkirk, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:55, archived)

fiver picture of me doing a "goatse"
( Goatworrier had your mum and she was shit, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:57, archived)

quess
it depends on which job is being applied for.
( Tyronne Get To Falkirk, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:00, archived)

I have 6 years of experince in recording audio to computer based systems, using various PC and Mac software
(Uncle Vinnie, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:55, archived)

thank you
edit: fuck my CV had lots of spellign mistakes in it - i've got them all now ;)
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:56, archived)

You're welcome. Also...
"I hold a batchelors degree"

This should this be "bachelor's" (unless you did a degree in Super Noodles).
(Uncle Vinnie, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:59, archived)

I would *be* grateful?
In case you hadn't noticed...
( The Teviot Moose major 5th., Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:00, archived)

delete it all and write:
"they said it all in Spiderman, ciao"
( mrlogic is copying your beard, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:55, archived)

you have been
"....main engineer or nearly two years"?

the rest of it sounds good to me though :)
( robh, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:56, archived)

thanks

( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:59, archived)

I think saying you are a 'sound' engineer is too informal, no matter how hip you want to look.

edit: Batchelors is wrong I think.
(stop looking at my goats you bag of spunk, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:56, archived)

yes it is, i've corrected it now.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:00, archived)

What is wrong with sound engineer?
I have a friend who is a sound engineer, it is a proper job title. There are only so many things you can call it, none of which detract from, or add to his worth as a potential employee.
( Nimble Colin camera-wrangling, globe-trotting whisky enthusiast, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:04, archived)

'Sound'
as in:

"Yeah mate that was fucking sound night last night"
( Benny Tied To A Tree As much use as Anne Frank's drumkit, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:09, archived)

innit
(stop looking at my goats you bag of spunk, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:11, archived)

Safe, sorted, large, carpet, wicked

( Benny Tied To A Tree As much use as Anne Frank's drumkit, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:20, archived)

this
i could call myself any combination of the following words, but really they amount to the same thing:
studio/recording/sound engineer/technician

i can also technically call myself an acoustics engineer, but that is a slightly different thing - my interest in which isn't what it used to be.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:09, archived)

Beware of sounding like a ponce.
If you mean 'sound', say 'sound', not 'acoustic' or 'audio' or whatever. People appreciate plain English.
( Mr. Tea 'ulmmm'/'mmneurgh', Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:14, archived)

i'm not using ponce language for the sake of it
the title of the degree i hold is Acoustic Engineering.

however, i am currently employed as a sound engineer.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:20, archived)

Hmm. Wasn't suggesting that was the tone you were going for!
I guess you should describe yourself as whatever you do at the moment.
( Mr. Tea 'ulmmm'/'mmneurgh', Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:31, archived)

OK doug
It's not too informal - but you still lost me by the end of the first paragraph. Admittedly I don't recruit in your sector - but you're not really selling yourself enough there. Oh and of course you're wanting to move on to bigger and better things!
(lemonymillenniumbaboon, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:56, archived)

noted
come to think of it, i no longer like that phrase.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:02, archived)

where I have been the main engineer fornearly two years
( grindforcolumbine Terrorism is bloody rude., Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:57, archived)

I am
363 days older than you

aicmfp
( diffy maybs, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:57, archived)

you need a unique selling point
what makes you different?

It doesn't matter if its not earth shattering but you must have one
(negative armadillo There never was much hope..just a fool's hope., Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:58, archived)

His cock looks like a tiny banana?

( Lonewolf - O R'lyeh? Ya R'lyeh!, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:01, archived)

Swap the
If at any time there are any engineer vacancies at your studio...
paragraph with the
I am currently working on a freelance basis at...
paragraph
(Naughty Tortoise, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:58, archived)

Sellotape a used condom to the letter.
And don't bother tying a knot in the end of it.

That'll get you noticed.

Especially if it has brown smears on it.
( baldmonkey a frothy foul-smelling vaginal discharge, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 16:59, archived)

sing it to them, in the key of G,
and stun them with kazoo solos
( glued eel /questions/questionsyoudliketoask/post1648081, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:00, archived)

and accordian.
you can never have too much accordian
( Lonewolf - O R'lyeh? Ya R'lyeh!, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:04, archived)

You've held a job for 18 months from May 2005?
What year are you living in?

Do they still have cars in the future?

p.s. your birthday is the day after mine. Different decade, though.
( Johnny Catfish - Yowsa!, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:01, archived)

no.
as of may this year, i've had my job for 18 months.

hmm... maybe that does sound ambiguous. i'll change it.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:04, archived)

unfortunately speculative letters are likely to get binned
(my wife works in evil HR) - but it's worth a shot when leads are hard to find otherwise.

Make contacts in your trade, and keep your ear to the ground. Read the trade papers or BBS or whatever there is.
Personal contacts are so much more useful in an industry like this. Do a freebie for someone if they're short-handed or swap tips on using some of the kit or software.
At least then you might hear of vacancies coming up at other studios, and if your face is already known, you'll stand a far better chance of getting an interview...

...and keep your CV up to date - you never know when a chance might come. Good luck.
(dognutz, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:03, archived)

yes i realise this
I have made some good contacts through my current work, but I have to keep trying on all fronts.
( sex and dougs and rock n roll, Thu 7 Jul 2005, 17:06, archived)