Journal of Office Workers
Archive for October 27, 2014
31 Secrets to Writing the Perfect Cover Letter
Originally posted on TIME:
This post is in partnership with The Muse. The article below was originally published on The Muse.
Ah, the dreaded cover letter. Every time you sit down to write one, you probably browse cover letter examples online, get overwhelmed, and think something to the effect of: Does anyone really read these? Wouldn’t it be so much easier if I could just let my resume speak for itself?
First off: Yes, we can assure you that cover letters do, in fact, get read. In fact, to some hiring managers, they’re the most important part of your application. And yes, while it would be easier to let your resume speak for itself, if that was the case you’d completely miss the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above all the other candidates.
Ready to get started? To make sure your…
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3 Good Reasons To Spend More Time On Your Cover Letter
We’ve all, in some way, made the mistake of not giving our cover letters the attention they deserve. Some of us tend to regurgitate the information in our resume onto the cover letter. While it’s okay - and sometimes even necessary - to include some of the things listed on your resume in your cover letter, creating a carbon copy of your resume with some added fluff words won’t get you anywhere.
Related: #1 Thing You MUST Say In Your Cover Letter
Here are some reasons why you need to spend more time on your cover letter:
Writing A Generic Cover Letter Will Label You As A Generic Employee
Not spending enough time on your cover letter can lead to a very generic one - and the last thing you want to come off as is generic. According to career writer and blogger, Alison Green, it’s important to proofread your cover letter, even if you think it is “perfectly crafted.” Chances are your cover letter might have some common phrases like: “I’m hard working and a great communicator,” “Dear sir or madam,” or even “I meet the requirements for the position.”
Tip #1: Show, Don’t Tell
One of the biggest lessons I took from my creative writing courses at my undergraduate college is to show, not tell. An employer would be a lot more interested if you show them how you’re a hard worker instead of simply telling them.
Maybe you’ve juggled several jobs and school work in the past. You meet the requirements for the position? How so? Listing the relevant skills you possess might be a better way to communicate your qualifications.
Still directing your letter to a sir or a madam? Show the employer you care by going out of your way to find the name of the hiring manager at the company. Whatever generic phrases you seem to be struggling with, an employer won’t know these things about you if you don’t show them in your cover letter.
Customizing Your Cover Letter Is A Way Of Customizing Yourself
One of the reasons job seekers tend to write unsuccessful cover letters is because they don’t take the time to customize them. If you’re not going to take the extra time to craft a carefully written cover letter, what makes you think an employer is going to take the time to read your generic letter?
Tip #2: Find The Right Keywords
Morris Associates, Inc, a career and employment website, suggests printing out the job description and highlighting keywords, spending extra time on the highlighted words and thinking about how you can relate them to your skills, and crafting the first sentence “around the essence of what they want.” Doing this will set you apart from other applicants and increase the chances an employer will call you in for an interview.
You’re Not The Only Job Applicant Out There
According to career and personal branding strategist and author, Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, “on a weekly basis, any hiring manager probably receives… hundreds of resumes and cover letters.” So, it’s important to catch the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
Tip #3: Have Them At Hello
Using introductory sentences like: “Please accept my resume for consideration of the (XYZ) position within your organization,” isn’t a good way to get any hiring manager’s attention, Hernandez writes. It’s important to note that your cover letter is the employer’s first impression of you, “and nothing is more important than the initial first impression.”
Spend more time on your cover letter and make sure you don’t sound like everyone else. It’s not a waste of time if it has the potential to get you that interview.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
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Does Resume Length Matter With ATS?
A frequently discussed resume question between resume writers, recruiters, and applicants is the question of the influence of Applicant Tracking Systems (“ATS”) on the appropriate length of a resume.
Resume: Why You Shouldn’t Write A ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Resume
Back in ancient history (anyone remember the 90s?), the vast majority of resumes were submitted on paper via snail mail and/or fax. Pre-screening of resumes those days was performed by a real human being that physically touched, handled, and actually “scanned” the documents with his/her eyes.
That meant a lot of work for HR. Just imagine having to sift through 200 or 300 applications. The rule of thumb in those days for job hunters was thus to not “aggravate” or “bother” the pre-screening human being with overly long resumes that might have meant a quick toss to the “no” pile. As a consequence, job hunters were advised to limit their resumes to one or two pages.
The Influence Of The ATS
Today, HR does not have to bother with manually screening of the first round of resumes. That job is done for 80% of all open positions by ATS software.
But what does that mean for you job hunters? Does the old rule of thumb to limit your resume to one or two pages still apply?
As far as the ATS is concerned, the answer is easy: it does not. ATS does not generally get aggravated because a resume might seem long. Quite the contrary, recent industry studies suggest that longer resumes tend to perform better in ATS rankings. Why? Because it is easier to reach the required keyword density with a longer document.
But be aware: just because you decide to submit your long resume version that includes any certification and internship you ever did 15 or 20 years ago, does not equate to a better ATS ranking. No, ATS are smart enough to scan and rank the density of content relevant keywords. So, more does not necessarily mean better.
The Process Is Twofold
You should also bear in mind that passing the ATS is only the first step in the process of netting an interview. After the ATS have filtered down the amount of applicants to maybe 10 or 20, an actual person will start reading these resumes. And that actual person might not be too amused to see that your document takes more than twice the time to read than some of the other resumes.
And bam – your resume goes straight to the “no” pile (just like in the 90s; just at a later stage).
And that’s where I usually leave the discussion to the academics about what the adequate resume length might be is in this time of ATS. They will be discussing it over and over with no “right” or “wrong” solution. No benefit for you as the job hunter.
The real important take-away for you as the job hunter here is: your resume has to equally please the computer and the human eye.
Consequence
As the job hunter, you have to please the ATS first. So, if you have enough relevant (!) content then don’t feel bound to leave information off just to keep your resume to two pages. However, bear in mind that this does not give you a free ticket to ramble on and on just because the computer does not care. You still want to please the human reader as well.
So, two or three pages? Whatever you feel better suits the needs of the ATS AND the human reader.
Related Posts
5 Personal Branding Resume Techniques You Must Try
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About the author
Tim Windhof is a published and enthusiastic Resume Writer and Career Coach who is fascinated by helping people take their careers to the next level. Tim is a resume expert and educator for the American Writers and Artists, Inc. and their Resume Writer Training program. Tim has written interview-yielding resumes for clients from the US, Canada, India, Australia, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
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Why Creative Minds Are Mandatory For Success
Here at CAREEREALISM, we pride ourselves on being at the tip of the curl when it comes to business strategy. Creativity is mandatory.
Related: 5 Dream Office Must-Haves For CAREEREALISM Media
When it comes to trying new things, we get excited, not scared. This mentality started way back when CAREEREALISM Media was in its infancy.
Social media was a sleeping beast.
Today, social media is widely accepted as one of the easiest ways to connect with your audience and promote your brand. In fact, it’s changed the game for many people and companies. But it wasn’t always looked on so lovingly.
Social media was for celebrities.
Do you remember when everyone thought Twitter was a useless waste of time? I do. I thought tweeting was just for bored celebrities and overly-obsessed fan girls who got a kick out of knowing that Ashton Kutcher was getting coffee at that very moment.
At first, many people didn’t understand the appeal of social media – including myself. They didn’t see it as a tool that could set their brands apart from the competition. And they certainly didn’t see how they could connect with their audience using it.
We changed our game.
Well, way back in 2009, CAREEREALISM’s founder and CEO, J.T. O’Donnell, decided to embrace social media instead of trash talk it. She knew the potential was there, people just too blind to see how they could use it to their advantage.
Long story short, her insight on social media paid off - BIG TIME.
(Want to know how? Read this awesome article on BBC!)
That was five years ago – Now, we’re stronger than ever on social media with over 150k followers.
Now, we share our success.
We pride ourselves on embracing change and figuring out creative ways to make it work for our brand. That’s why this company was built and that’s how it’s going to continue to succeed.
But we don’t just keep that success to ourselves – we spend each day educating others on how embracing change can work for them, too.
Get To Know Us!
Does this sound like the kind of company YOU want to work for? Get to know us! Check out our CAREEREALISM Workplace Culture page. Also, be sure to check out our video below!
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Find out how.
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10 Tips For A Powerful Elevator Speech
An elevator speech (ES) is becoming an important item in the toolkit of most people. It doesn’t matter if you are a job seeker, business person, or gainfully employed professional, you need a powerful elevator speech (ES) to extend and support your personal brand.
Related: 4 Steps For Developing A Winning Elevator Pitch
What you say and how you say it are equal parts to delivering an ES that will either cause people to take notice of you or go to sleep.
How To Deliver A Powerful Elevator Speech
Here are ten tips for ensuring you have an ES that packs a punch:
1. You Have To “Get” What’s Unique About You
If you do nothing else, spend time truly getting what differentiates you, what causes you to stand out. This is what you want in your elevator speech.
2. It Has To Roll Off Your Tongue
You need to write it down and practice it so it becomes second nature to you. This will support a confident appearance when you say it.
3. One Sentence Is Usually Enough
Think short and sweet. Powerful is not lengthy or full of too many words. When you force yourself into one sentence, it causes you to think about each word more carefully so that each one tends to convey more.
4. Your Second Word Should Be A Verb
What do you do? For others? This also forces you into thinking about your results and accomplishments. Get a list of powerful verbs, look them up.
5. You Have To Believe It
If you develop an ES that embarrasses you or causes you to cringe, you either need to beef up your confidence or change what you’re saying about yourself.
6. Give It Attitude
If your ES doesn’t have energy or enthusiasm, then expect it to be received the same way. We like people with confidence and a bit of attitude about their abilities. You’re not bragging, but proud.
7. Smile
It’s hard not to love people who smile. It communicates warmth and confidence. You come across as engaging and someone people would like to know more about.
8. Shut Up
Once you’ve delivered your ES, stop yourself from saying anything else. I know this is a tough one, but people often blather on, which deflates the impact of your ES. When you stop talking, it will also prompt the person you are introducing yourself to to ask about you or introduce themselves. Both results are great.
9. Leave Them Wanting More
A great test of a powerful ES is if they ask you about what you’ve just said. Go have fun with this. Next time you attend a professional meeting, say your ES, shut up and see what happens.
10. Have A Few ES’s In Your Toolkit
ES’s are not one size fits all. You will discover that your audience will be a determining factor in what specific message you want to convey. Once you have your primary ES, think through the various groups of people you are likely to use it with. This will help you decide what needs to get tweaked to make it just right for that group of people.
Your elevator speech is among the first things you do that will form an impression with others. You want it to be just like you – professional and well delivered.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
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