The 3 smartest things I did when looking for a new job

For most of my working life, I wrote very formal, old-school application letters with scintillating opening lines like, "I saw your ad on Craigslist. I think I would be a great fit for this position."

A job coach told me I needed to let my personality and sense of humor shine through in my cover letters, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. My terrific resume should speak for itself, right? Wrong.

When I got desperate, I decided to write cover letters with the filter off. It didn't seem like anyone read them anyway, so why not? I let myself have fun and wrote letters that were honest, personal, and informal.

I said insanely blunt things, such as:

"I'm interested in writing for [press], frankly, because I have read some of your books and, while I found them very helpful, I think I can do better.” (I didn't get that interview, but I stand by my self-assessment.)

And:

"Where were you when I was growing up? I babysat one family just because of all the cool Lego sets I got to build with at their house. [Business] is a brilliant concept and I'm jealous of the lucky kids who get to enjoy it!" (This innovative toy company contacted me right away.)

Sometimes, I felt I'd gone too far after I hit send on an application, but I discovered that the letters that seemed the wildest were also the most likely to get a response. Honesty and humor, with a positive spin, were the magic ingredients for my job search.

When an awesome nonprofit called to offer me a job, I was delighted. Unfortunately, the salary they first offered me was lower than I had expected. Rather than take a salary that would have pinched my budget, I asked for more – and was immediately offered a higher starting pay.

Remember that the salary you start with will be the salary on which they'll base your raises and bonuses. If you hope to stay with the organization, your starting salary could make a big difference in your earnings over time.

I also asked for a four-day work week, to give me time for my creative work. This was another yes. You might be surprised how many employers are willing to offer flexible schedules to keep a valuable employee — like you — happy.