I'm helping out a published author friend to find a job in the industry as a designer/writer, and I'm just looking to get him some tips on applying for positions. He does have previous work experience on Operation Flashpoint, but he's unsure as to whether or not this experience would count for or against him seeing that OFP, being close to 9 years old now, is such an ancient qualification. Now, the thing is, I've normally applied for programmer/artist positions, and I've generally been of the mindset to keep your applications as formal as possible. However when it comes to positions that are far more centered around a applicants personality, would it be best to try and let some of that character show through and go for an informal cover letter or just go for the standard 'This is what I have done, what I can do, what I want to do, and how I intend to do it' sort of approach. Does anyone here have any experience in such a position? What's worked for/against either you or potential applicants?

Quote: Original post by PlayfulPuppy
However when it comes to positions that are far more centered around a applicants personality.....

Writers are hired for what they can do - write, just as programmers, artists or designers are.

A non-standard resume/letter just tells me that the applicant either
a. Hasn't bothered to find out how to write a resume/letter
b. Feels that their resume is lacking and is attempting to distract from that

It is basically a red flag and will make me look closely to see what it is they are trying to hide.

Quote: ...he's unsure as to whether or not this experience would count for or against him seeing that OFP, being close to 9 years old now, is such an ancient qualification.

and this would appear to be what he wants to distract attention from.
He has some experience. That is good. There is a 9 year gap, that's bad. How bad depends on what he has been doing over the last 9 years. If he has been writing in another field then that is current experience. If he has been working is a supermarket then he is going to have a much harder time convincing an employer that he is actually a writer.

In either case the best way to show that he can write is to include some of his best work in a portfolio and leave the cover letter alone.