There are many opinions regarding the importance or relevance of a cover letter in today’s job search. Rather than wonder whether the additional effort should be invested to create this very valuable introductory letter, it is in your best interest to err on the side of caution! It is unlikely you will have the inside […]
Cover Letter – Make It Personal
A professional resume is critical to a successful job search and an enticing cover letter is the key to having your resume noticed! HR professionals and recruiters are accustomed to reviewing cover letters within a matter of seconds noting most are typically generic and quickly discarded. If you want your cover letter noticed, make it […]
A Cover Letter Can Be A Powerful Selling Tool
The need to accompany a professional resume with a cover letter is as basic as offering a handshake, signing a card, saying thank you or the greeting at the beginning or end of a phone call. All may be taken for granted as a common courtesy, but you can be assured that by omitting any of the above, […]
Soft Skills In Your Cover Letter
Are you fully articulating your soft skills in your cover letter? Hiring criteria for some employers may revolve more around hard skills, specific areas of expertise and relevant degrees, but there are many organizations interested in those soft skills relative to their corporate culture and conducive to an established team of employees. A BNET article, […]
Cover Letters
If you are applying for a job, your professional resume must be accompanied by a professional cover letter. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to sell yourself directly to the hiring professional or recruiter. Unlike your resume, your cover letter will be customized for each position you apply for. A “Direct” cover letter is the […]
Pay Attention to Detail!
If you don’t pay attention to detail when sending out critical documents such as your cover letter and your resume, what message do you think that sends to an employer? If your lack of attention to detail results in spelling or grammatical mistakes in your cover letter or resume do you think an employer will want to hire you […]
Recruiter Cover Letter
If you are sending out your resume, it must be accompanied by a cover letter! There are five main types of cover letters; advertising, direct, pain, networking and recruiter. Your cover letter enables you to customize your information appropriately for each submission of your resume. Each type of cover letter requires unique information from the other. The recruiter cover […]
The Pain Cover Letter
There are different types of cover letters and the “pain” cover letter is one type that has evolved as a sign of the times. It is a very specific and powerful document addressing particular issues relating to a company experiencing problems or pain and relating it to your particular realm of expertise. As a professional sales person, it could be […]
Cover Letter – Why It’s So Important
Your cover letter is an important element to marketing your resume! Getting your resume noticed is your objective and a compelling, well written cover letter will do just that. Unlike your resume, cover letters are written in the personal pronoun and there are a variety of types, including: Recruiter – Networking – Direct Mail – Advert – Pain […]
Resumes, Cover Letters and Your Job Search
The competition is fierce! HR professionals are receiving more resumes and cover letters than ever before. Will your cover letter and resume get noticed if it is 1 of 1,000? With so many resumes being submitted for available positions the goal of all HR professionals or Recruiters is to reduce that number to a manageable list of viable candidates. A common […]
Resume and Cover Letter
As far back as you can remember in your job search you needed a resume and cover letter. Today, despite what you hear about Web 2.0, social media, online job sites; despite what you hear about the current economy, job losses, record unemployment rates, a 1.3% job growth rate and despite what you hear about developing a personal brand, you still […]
Professional References
You have presented an impressive cover letter, an enticing and professionally written resume and you are contacted for the job interview. Once there, you are nothing less than brilliant during your interview in front of a panel of three! So why was that the last time you heard from them? One of the most common reasons a highly qualified job applicant is eliminated as a […]
Cover Letter Survey
One of my recent posts, “You Need a Cover Letter!” was based on personal experience and knowledge. If you had any doubts of the importance of a cover letter or are one of many job seekers who believe a formal cover letter is no longer neccessary, read on. A new study conducted by an independent research firm and […]
You Need a Cover Letter!
A resume should never be sent without a cover letter. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself, show an interest in the company or position you are seeking, draw attention to your resume and motivate the reader to interview you. Usually your cover letter is the first contact you have with a potential employer so be sure it […]
Do you follow-up after your job interview?
Resumes and cover letters aren’t the only documents that could have a positive influence in securing your next career move. Follow-up letters after your job interview are just as important. They can position you in the drivers seat! As a Career Management Professional, I am constantly amazed at the number of people who don’t recognize the significance […]
Are cover letters read?
There is a misconception about cover letters. Many job seekers don’t bother to send cover letters because they assume they won’t be read. Wrong. I know that some employers and recruiters prefer to go straight to the resume and ignore the cover letter. However, you cannot assume that will always be true. Over the years as […]
