According to the National Law Journal:
And, that’s only part of the story …
Applications are down almost 40%, but admittances are only down about half that amount.
In other words, the acceptance rate has increased from about 50% to about 80%.
Hmm.
The drop in selectivity wouldn’t be that bad if the weaker applicants were the ones who stopped applying.
But, that doesn’t seem to be the case …
US US News & World Report says to keep these 10 catch phrases off your cover letter:
1. “I meet the requirements for the position.”Explain why you’re an excellent candidate, not just an adequate one.
2. “I’m hard-working and a great communicator.” These are cliches that cause hiring managers’ eyes to glaze over …and don’t convey anything of substance.
3. “I’m a visionary leader.” Proclaiming this about yourself comes across as, well, weird. Show accomplishments.
4. “You won’t find a candidate better qualified than me.” This comes off as needlessly cocky hyperbole — and it’s generally inaccurate..
5. “Dear sir or madam.” In most industries, this will come across as an antiquated, stuffy salutation. If you know the hiring manager’s name, use it … if not, simply writing “dear hiring manager” is fine.
Let me be sure that I have this right.
According to the WSJ …
The government reported that the U.S. economy shrank for the first time in more than three years in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Gross domestic product — the broadest measure of goods and services churned out by the economy — fell at a 0.1% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The drop, a surprise, was driven by a sharp fall in government spending and by businesses putting fewer goods on warehouse shelves, as well as by a decline in exports.
A one quarter contraction of economic output doesn’t mean the economy is formally in recession, but it is unusual for such contractions to happen in the middle of economic expansions.
In fact, a similar drop has only happened one time in the past fifty years.
Of course, the media bellowed that the number wasn’t as bad as it looked since much of the hit came from a drop in government spending which, incidentally, had surged in the pre-election 3rd quarter.
Hmmm.
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The story gets better …
The Homa Files 