Archive for the ‘Job Search’ Category
Job Search Tips – Writing Effective Cover Letters
During your job search, a cover letter is an excellent opportunity to market yourself to your prospective employers. A well written cover letter can be the deciding factor on whether you get the job or not. Therefore, you should give as much attention to its construction as you do to your resume.
The main goal of a cover letter is:
- To bring the focus to the qualifications and experience you have that are specific to the position you are interested in.
- To give a good example of your written communication skills.
- To give your potential employer a bit more insight into your personality, interests, philosophies and enthusiasm that is not easily conveyed in your resume.
In short, the cover letter should outline what makes you a good match for the job being offered. What makes you different from others who may be applying for the job? Entice the reader to want to learn more about you.
What should you include in a cover letter?
- You want to begin with the reason for the letter and where you heard about the company or position available.
- Next you will follow with why you are interested in the position or the company.
- The next topic should be why you feel you are qualified for the position and what makes you a good match. You should make reference to your resume and suggest they get more details of your training from within the resume.
- The important thing to remember is you should not just repeat what you have on your resume. The person reading the cover letter will also have a copy of your resume.
- Let the employer know that you will be in touch and how. Give them a specific time or date that you plan to follow up and then be sure you do!
When should you include a cover letter with your resume?
This will depend on whether you are applying for a position online or in person or by mail. If applying through a job search online, the ability to submit a cover letter will be dependent upon whether the employer has requested or allowed it.
For all other instances, I would recommend including it whenever possible. You must have done some research on the company or the position available to make a cover letter effective. You should avoid a template or broad range cover letter. This defeats the whole purpose.
Related Posts:
Job Search Tips: How to Write a Powerful and Effective Resume
Job Interview Questions You Should Ask Your Prospective Employer
Job Search Tips- Writing an Effective and Powerful Resume
How to write a powerful resume:
Writing a resume can be a bit intimidating if you are new to job hunting or if you have been job searching for a while with little or no results. Using a “one-size-fits-all” resume might be a big mistake when you are looking at a variety of employment opportunities.
You should always tailor your resume to the position you are applying for. This does not mean that you have to write a new resume for every situation, but it does mean you should “tweak” it to make it more meaningful to the person who will be reviewing it.
It does take a little more time to customize your resume for each job you are applying for, but if your resume is more powerful and effective you should not have to send out as many. The key is to do as much research as possible on your potential employers.
The more you know about the company, the products and the position, the better able you are to give them what they are looking for in your resume and land that critical job interview. Once you know more about the employer you can then decide on the format you will use.
Should You Focus Your Resume on Job Skills vs Work Experience?
I suggest you write two resumes. One focusing on your job experience and the other focusing on your acquired job skills. When you find an employer who is most interested in hiring employees with plenty of job experience, you naturally will give them the resume which details your employment record in chronological order so they can see at a glance how experienced you are. For all others, you should put the highlight on the skill sets you have that pertain to the position you are applying for and how you attained them.
Keep your resume brief, concise and specific. You must keep in mind that the company likely will receive hundreds of applications for every position that is available. Make it easy for them to select you over someone else by organizing your information so they can take in as much of the important information in the shortest amount of time. If they can see at a glance that you might be a good match, your resume will quickly be put in the pile of “possible candidates” for more consideration.
Support your skills with numbers and percentages whenever possible. For example: Instead of putting “office supervisor” you might put “Office management supporting a staff of 25 clerical workers”. “Regional sales” might be better represented as “Managed the South Central area comprising of 120 key accounts generating $1.5 million in annual revenue”.
By including these key numbers in your resume, you are giving the prospective employer a glimpse into how well you did your job without having to go into lengthy detail on job performance. This is what makes your resume stand out above all of the others and will help them see the benefits of hiring you.
Job Interview – Questions You Should Ask Your Prospective Employer
Let’s face it, job interviews are stressful. Sometimes the stress of the situation makes it difficult to think on the fly so it is best to be prepared and well rehearsed before you go into the interview. Many people focus solely on the questions they may be asked but very few consider the questions they should put forth during the process.
Asking your own questions during the job interview will be of benefit to you in several ways.
- It shows your prospective boss that this job is important enough to you to have done your research about the position you are applying for.
- Questions will help you clarify whether this company and job is really a good fit for your skills, qualifications and personality.
- The more questions you ask, the more aware the person doing the hiring will see that you fully understand what is expected of you.
The trick is knowing what to ask. There are a few questions to avoid as well. Before going into the job interview, get out a piece of paper and write down any pertinent information you would like clarified. Go over the research you have done about the company and write a specific question about the operation.
Here are some samples of job interview questions to ask:
- What are the responsibilities of the position?
- What is a typical work week like in this company? Is overtime expected or required to complete the job tasks?
- Is this a newly created position? If not, where did the previous person holding the job move on to?
- What are my opportunities for growth and advancement within the company?
- What is the management style of this firm?
- Can you tell me what you like best about working for this company?
- Is there anything you do not like about working here?
- Will there be travel involved with this position?
- Is relocation a possibility in the future?
- How many people work in this office?
- If I am the successful applicant, who will my supervisor be? Will it be possible to meet with him/her?
- Would you like a list of my references?
- When will you be making a decision about this position and when can I expect to hear from you?
Samples of job interview questions you do NOT want to ask during an interview:
- If I get hired, how soon can I take vacation?
- If I get the job, can I change my work schedule? (you do not want to give the impression that work is interfering with your daily life or that you will have difficulty showing up for work as scheduled)
- Do I have the job? How soon can I start? (Chances are there are many others to be interviewed and the interviewer will need time to go over all applicants and make a decision. Be patient)
Try to fit your job interview questions into the whole process when they are most applicable. Many interviewers will end the session by asking, “Do you have any questions?” This is your opportunity to ask any unanswered questions you may have.
Health Care Employment Is More Than Just Doctors and Nurses
The health care industry is one of the most stable employment sectors today. Getting a job in health care does not mean you have to become a doctor or nurse. There are many, many employment opportunities waiting for individuals who can think outside the box and apply their skills in this field.
Don’t want to be a doctor or nurse?
While doctors and nurses are always in demand for employment, not everyone has the desire to be up to their elbows in body fluids every day. You need to look at health care as being more than just caregivers. There are massive employment opportunities in the medical service and support industry that does not involve direct contact with patients.
Health Care Employment Opportunities
There are ways for you to re-purpose your existing skills or enhance them with new skills that will make you very desirable for employment. For example, if you have years of experience in clerical work, why not take a course in medical terminology or medical transcription? This will make you 100 times more employable in today’s market than your competition. Every doctor, hospital or health care provider needs someone knowledgeable in medical terminology to handle their paperwork.
If you are a bookkeeper or an accountant, the medical billing field may offer you great opportunities for employment. You might even consider starting your own medical billing business where health care providers could outsource all of their billing to you.
Corporate sales reps that have been let go may want to look at pharmaceutical or assistive devises companies as the way of their future. A little research or upgrading of your education may yield big returns in this industry.
Gaining Stable Employment
The whole point of this being that health care is big business and big money. It is currently stable and will always be so as people will continue to need care and treatment when they are ill. By specializing your current skills in the medical field, you are ensuring that you will always be in demand in the job market.
If you are considering starting your own business, look at ways that you can provide support to health care facilities and providers. It may mean a little bit of re-training or upgrading but the efforts will be rewarded with job stability and security.
Finding Employment in 2011, Where Are The Stable Jobs?
Unemployment and underemployment numbers have jumped to over 26 million people in the US according to figures released on Good Morning America. With so many people competing in the job market today, it is no wonder that times are tough. Job security no longer exists and those few who have been lucky enough to have found employment are most likely working in positions below their capabilities.
Where does that leave you in your job search for 2011?
If you have been unemployed for a period of time, it is advisable for you to take a look at other fields and other positions. While some industries have taken a hit, there are other industries that have enjoyed growth, even in these recessionary times.
Stable employment sectors:
Health care will always be considered a relatively stable industry because no matter how bad times are, people still get sick and need treatment. In 2010, more than 400,000 new jobs were added within the health care industry.
Retail sales are on the rebound and growing. More sales and customer service jobs are becoming available as consumer confidence recovers. Over 55,000 jobs were added in the retail sector in 2010 and the industry is expected to continue growing.
Is temporary employment for you?
Temporary employment is a growing trend and no longer holds the stigma of being considered undesirable employment options. For many this has been a growth experience and a chance to “get their foot in the door” so to speak. Temp positions give you the opportunity to gain new skills and experience in areas that will aid you in gaining permanent full-time positions in the future.
Re-think and re-purpose your skills to fit a new industry.
The important thing to keep in mind when searching for employment in 2011 is that you may need to re-think your past experience and skills sets to determine how you can re-purpose them to fit more stable industries. You need to be more than a one trick pony in order to stand out from the crowd.
Take the opportunity to grow your knowledge and skills if you are currently unemployed. Do volunteer work, re-train, research or network in a stable industry. Do anything you can to gain skills and connections but do not get discouraged and give up. Finding a job in 2011 is difficult, but it is not impossible.
What Happens After Graduation? Where Will You Find A Job?
Recently I read an article by Ariana Toro titled “You Made it to Graduation! What Happens Now?” that I thought I would share with you. It details a new 6 week training program that takes you beyond graduation and into a job. With the job situation being as it is and the amount of competition for the few jobs that are available, I thought this information would be very helpful to my readers.
Caps and gowns and diplomas…oh my! Graduation season is upon us and with that comes a slew of recent college graduates (over 1.6 million according to the National Center for Education Statistics) ramping up to join the workforce of America, but what they may be greeted with is less than favorable for young job seekers. Recent college graduates will undoubtedly face fierce competition with the decrease in college hiring, but hunting for a job is not a recent college grad’s only option. Many companies are offering new and unique ways for young job seekers to gain real-world work experience.
“I started my job search a couple of months prior to graduation,” says Kenny Fellows, a graduate of the University of Michigan. “Prior to graduation, I had heard countless times about how tough it was in the job market, but I was pretty lucky in terms of being able to find an opportunity pretty quickly.”
The opportunity Fellows found was with SkillStorm, a San-Diego based technical and professional services firm, and their new training program targeted specifically for recent college grads. The SkillStorm Program for Extreme Educational Development, also known as SPEED, is a six-week sales training program. The company covers all expenses including travel costs to the training site in San Diego, California, lodging, food, a weekly salary and performance bonuses.
“SPEED is a very innovative program. I hadn’t heard of any other programs like it,” says Fellows. ” It was very intense, and not only allowed SkillStorm an extended period of time to train and evaluate us, but it also gave the us an extended period of time to evaluate SkillStorm, and the potential career opportunity set in front of us.”
SPEED offers both lecture-style sessions and hands-on work experience similar to a traditional internship, but unlike internships, trainees that successfully complete the SPEED program are guaranteed a full-time recruiter position in one of the company’s offices nationwide.
Fellows is now a full-time recruiter at SkillStorm and would strongly suggest training programs such as SPEED to other recent college graduates. “It is truly an unbelievable opportunity. If you are invited out to training, the worst case scenario is that you get a few weeks of intense sales training, and meet some really great people along the way. No matter the outcome, it is a very valuable experience and opportunity.”
In the current economic state, post-graduation internships are also becoming more and more common. According to NACE’s 2009 Student Survey report, more than 50% of college seniors had secured employment after graduation in 2007; in 2009, that number fell to a dismal 19.7%. An internship can be a great way to gain hands-on experience in the field rather than search endlessly for open full-time positions.
Rob Nunnery, a broadcast journalism major from the University of North Carolina – Ashville is a big fan of internships, both during and after graduation. “I actually had four internships,” says Nunnery. “For me, it was an opportunity to get a glimpse into the broadcasting industry and my future career. It was a blessing for me because I realized that it really wasn’t the career path I wanted and I was able to focus my attention elsewhere.”
While most graduates find internships to be beneficial to their future, potential interns beware-internships are not necessarily a guarantee of full-time employment and, while the number of unpaid internships has increased in recent years, the Department of Labor is cracking down on many unpaid internships nationwide for illegally using interns for free labor. So how can students avoid being taken advantage of? First, interns should be familiar with federal regulations regarding internships. The Department of Labor recently released a new set of criteria for paid vs. unpaid internships, which can be found on the department’s website. Potential interns should also ask questions – does this company have a formal internship program? Has the company ever sponsored interns in the past? Is there a clear list of responsibilities for interns? Asking these types of questions not only protects the potential intern, it also demonstrates a high level of interest in the internship opportunity, increasing a college grad’s chances of being selected for the internship.
According to a September 2009 study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers plan to hire 7% fewer college graduates from the class of 2010 than they did from 2009′s graduating class. This figure alone may not seem so troubling, but when you take into consideration the fact that employers hired 21% less college graduates in 2009 than in 2008, the outlook is not so cheery for recent grads. Does this spell disaster for upcoming college graduates? Not necessarily. While many graduating students may be nervous about starting a job search after graduation, there are other options they can explore.
Some great resources for recent college grads to check out include http://www.SkillStorm.com/SPEED, the official site of SPEED, and http://www.internships.com, a website chockfull of internship and internship-prep tools.
Article Source: You Made it to Graduation! What Happens Now?
While an internship may not be the answer to all of your employment woes, it may be a step in the right direction to gaining experience and adding to your skills set that will take you that much closer to grabbing the job of your dreams.
Tips For Acing a Telephone Interview
Telephone screening interviews are becoming more commonplace as companies seek to cut hiring costs and streamline the selection process.
The telephone interview can be either a brief screening interview or surprisingly in-depth. Whichever you encounter, it is better to be thoroughly prepared to reach your goal and to obtain a face-to-face interview.
Phone interviewing is unique. You can’t count on visual stimuli such as good looks or power suits, eye contact or body language, to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewer’s response. In this context, faceless conversation takes on an added dimension of importance. Both strengths and weaknesses, as conveyed by voice, are magnified through the phone. Your voice personifies everything about you.
HR professionals and hiring authorities listen for a relaxed style that communicates confidence, enthusiasm and intelligence. This is reflected in a smooth conversation flow devoid of clichés or verbal catchalls to stall for time as well as other negatives.
The more convincingly you make your case over the phone will determine further interest in you as a job candidate.
The following techniques will help you prepare and handle any type of telephone interviewing situations.
If you’re currently employed, arrange for a phone interview in the evening rather than during the workday. Confidentiality and discretion may be at risk if you interview during working hours; you never know who might barge into your office unannounced or overhear something by accident. In the privacy of your home, you can be more at ease and in control of your surroundings. You should always make sure you will not be interrupted.
Before the actual interview, it will help to know the topics to be covered, objectives to attain and the basic information regarding the position to be discussed. It also helps to rehearse: Try to think as the employer, what key information is the interviewer looking for? What questions is he likely to ask? What things do you hope he doesn’t ask?
Career Coaching – Job Interview Tips
Preparing for a job interview
Job interviews can be a scary but rewarding experience, no matter the outcome. Going into it, there are many things you need to remind yourself of, bring, and do when you’re speaking with the employer. Job interview coaching can correct your performance and your presentation skills, but really effective job interview coaching will address the content of the interviews, as well.
Dress appropriatly for the occasion. When you drop off a resume it is a good idea to make note of the attire other staff members are wearing. You want your employer to see you fitting in within the organization. Keep conservatively within the dress code of the company. This is not the time to be flashy or seductive. You want to be remembered for your abilities, not your cleavage. Wear something that both makes you feel confident and comfortable. Looking great is no good if you are fidgeting with an uncomfortable outfit.
Prospective employers want to see people who think on their toes and are interested in the position as much as possible. Write out a few quick questions that you can ask at the appropriate time of the interview so that you are not trying to think on the spot of what to ask. Employers don’t want to know why you can’t do the job, they are concerned most with what you can do for them. Focus on your ability to tackle new situations, your communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents, and other skills developed while in college or experience from previous positions.
Preparation is the key to success. Preparing for the interview enhances the quality of your interaction skill. It helps you to empower yourself with confidence in your own abilities.
Research the company beforehand so that you can showcase that knowledge during the interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her. Research an opportunity as much as possible. Seek out company/officer profiles, news clips, past and present company projects, current issues and events relating to an agency’s specialty. Research about the company’s background, the work you are applying for and the work environment and ponder about these matters. Stereotypical questions must be answered intelligently and with conviction.
How to Write a Cover Letter
When should I send a cover letter?
Pay attention to times when you need to send a cover letter to a potential employer or contact. If you are conducting a job search sending a cover letter will provide the employer with helpful information to complement the resume. A cover letter can convey your interest for a position and indicate that you are a “match” for the position.
What should my cover letter say?
- Why you are writing and how you learned about the organization or opportunity
- Why you are interested
- Why you are qualified and would be a good “match” for the position
- How you plan to follow up with the employer
- Do not restate what is on your resume
- Emphasize personal attributes/strengths related to qualifications for the position
How do I begin to compose the letter?
Use your own words! Resist the temptation to compose your letter simply by replacing a few words of a template. Remember, the purpose of your letter is to showcase your individual strengths and your own written communication skills. Use a template as a guide, but be unique.
To whom should the cover letter be addressed?
If possible, address the cover letter to a specific person, not “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.” If contact information is not available on, use a position title (e.g. Dear Internship Coordinator or Dear Recruitment Manager). Make sure to use current information.
How long should a cover letter be?
Cover letters should not exceed four paragraphs or one page in length. They should be clear and use concise sentences and short paragraphs. Use proper business format when constructing your cover letter.
What is the best way to print and send my cover letter?
Print the cover letter in the same font and on the same type of paper as your resume. The cover letter and resume may be folded for mailing. Use envelopes that match your cover letter and resume. Make sure to use good-quality paper with a good-quality printer.
January, 2010
(June 2009 issue, page 95)
