+1 for the spamming approach. I've been in the software and system engineering field for over 15 years and the best jobs I've got involved the least effort.

Sometimes I painstakingly craft out a cover letter and tailor my CV, but that seems to actually have a negative impact. My success rate is best when I don't write a cover letter at all; just attach your SO's CV to a blank email.

My guess is that it shows you don't really need their job, which makes you a more attractive candidate.