Is your Cover Letter flawed?
“A great cover letter is the golden key to any job search. Yet despite a glut of advice books and Web sites, an estimated 85 percent of cover letters are so flawed that senders never land an interview.”
Joann Lublin – Wall Street Journal
Statistics say that writing a cover letter is even harder than writing a resume. Your cover letter has to say all the right things, and it has to say them quickly. Even more, it needs to persuade the reader to want to get to know you better. If it fails to do this, you’ll have no chance of having your resume reviewed, let alone of getting an interview
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Don’t forget about your cover letter!
Unless you are being recruited by a family member, friend, or close acquaintance, every single hiring manager will want to look at your resume before they call you in for an interview.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a cover letter accompany your resume EVERY SINGLE TIME you send it in and to make sure that it’s tailored specifically to the job you’re applying for.
Think about it from a hiring manager’s point of view. They can receive hundreds of applications for a single job position that they need to fill in just a short amount of time. On top of their regular job duties, they need to sift through all of the applications and find the top 5% to call in for an interview. It’s just not possible for them to look at every single person’s application. So what do they do? They narrow down the field by using the easiest and fastest tool they have – first impressions.
Let’s relate this to a different topic – sports. You’re a coach and need to “recruit” the best players possible for your team…
You’re coaching a soccer team and need to pick 15 members for your squad out of a potential 100 and you only have 2 hours to do so. It’s impossible to take a good look at every single player’s skills in only 2 hours, so you need to quickly narrow your search before you can study the players further. In order to do so, and without knowing anything about the players, you’re going to rely on your first impressions to make the first cut.
Take a look at the players standing before you – are they all wearing proper soccer attire and equipment? Do they look excited and enthusiastic about being here? Think about it – if there’s someone dressed in a soccer uniform and cleats and another one wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sandals, one of them definitely appears to be more interested in joining your team than the other. Building on that, and only considering first impressions, one looks a lot more capable than the other. While there may be a hundred explanations for this difference, it really doesn’t matter when you have a limited amount of time – the ones who don’t look interested are not going to make the first cut.
Consider the above situation and think about it from a hiring manager’s point of view. You have 50 applications before you and you need to call 5 people in for an interview. You have a limited amount of time to decide, so you need to eliminate some applications quickly. What can we see without even reading the details of each application? Some have cover letters along with the resume and some do not. The applications without cover letters are a little bit like the people showing up to soccer tryouts with jeans and no equipment. They make a terrible first impression – they don’t appear as interested as the other ones, so why should anyone bother with them?
Applications without cover letters are always the first ones discarded. The presence of a cover letter shows a genuine interest in a job position because you actually took the time to write it. The current economic climate is not exactly one that is overflowing with jobs; it’s not like companies are hiring for the sake of it. Make sure you show a hiring manager that you have taken the time to merely write a letter to show your interest in their job position. If you don’t bother showing an interest in them, the hiring manager will have no interest in you.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success.
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Instant Resume Killers
Want to cause a recruiter to toss your resume instantly? When an employer is faced with several – possibly hundreds – of applications, he or she will try to narrow this list down quickly. Making one of the following mistakes can get your resume tossed in just a matter of seconds.
1. No cover letter attached
This is not a good start to any job application. Failing to include a cover letter instantly means that you have failed to put in that extra 10 minutes of effort, and this is never a good thing. A lot of recruiters delete their first round of applicants simply because they have not included a cover letter.
2. Applying for the wrong job
It happens all the time – candidates get so caught up in applying to as many jobs as possible that they accidentally send their resume sand cover letters to the wrong people. When a recruiter sees that a cover letter has been accidentally addressed to the wrong company, it will get tossed immediately.
3. A bad picture on a resume (especially an inappropriate one)
It’s true that different resume standards apply to different countries. That being said, some countries are more accepting (and encouraging) of pictures on resumes than others, however please stick to professional-looking photos only – you are applying for a job after all. There is no need to include a picture of yourself posing in a tank top or drinking with friends. Better to stick to no picture at all.
4. Providing little to no details about your work experience
Employers want you to be as specific as possible with regards to your qualifications, and therefore you should provide an adequate amount of information. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people list their job titles ONLY under “work experience”, and that will just not cut it. Once an employer sees that you’ve provided little to no detail on your experience, they will immediately delete your resume.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
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Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals. http://www.bestresponseresume.com |
Job Interview Killers
When it comes to your job interview, you want to leave it with nothing but positive energy. You want to leave the interviewer thinking that you will most certainly be a positive addition to his or her company. The last thing you want to do is to kill your chances with a simple mistake or two. While there are a number of ways to prepare for a successful interview, there are also a number of ways to quickly end your chances of getting hired. Below are some simple things to avoid during an interview:
Showing up late: This is not only rude, but it also reflects poorly on your work ethic. Do you routinely show up late? Are you someone who can’t be counted on? Don’t disqualify yourself before even meeting the interviewer.
Forgetting to turn your cell phone off (or keeping it on silent): Having a cell phone ring during an interview is not only disruptive – it’s also disrespectful. While it may not be an automatic interview-killer, it certainly won’t improve your chances.
Chewing gum: This looks/sounds unprofessional and tacky. No employer appreciates someone talking to them with a mouthful of gum. It’s even worse if you’re someone who chews loudly without even realizing.
Using “I don’t know” as a response to questions: The purpose of an interview is to provide the interviewer with more information about you. The more you give them, the better.
Using slang or profanity: This is never a positive in the workplace. Speak professionally.
Bringing up personal problems: An interview is about the job in question and about your specific qualifications, not about your personal life. While you will almost always be asked to talk a little bit about yourself, try to keep the personal talk to a minimum. Certainly don’t bring up any “issues” that will raise red flags.
These “killers” may seem a little obvious, but they happen all the time. Avoid these mistakes and you’re already ahead of a large part of the competition.
Good Luck!
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Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume. The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success. http://www.bestresponseresume.com/ Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume |
Hot Resume Tip…
Times have changed, after all, as Grant Cooper, president of Strategic Resumes Strategic, notes in the Resume Critique Writer software that he authored. “Brief resumes are simply no longer effective in today’s increasingly competitive job market,” he said. “The advice that ‘They only want to see one-page resumes,’ is perhaps the single most outdated and incorrect statement job-seekers hear today.”
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success. http://www.bestresponseresume.com/
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
Ask The Expert!
Dean Bernard is a 10 year veteran in the recruitment world. Highly regarded as one of the best in the 
business, Dean sat down with RedStarResume to answer the big questions!
(RedStarResume) How is the state of the economy?
Too often I hear people tell me how bad things are. If I got a dollar for every time I heard “There are no jobs available” I would be worth millions. Its true that finding a job is tougher then what it was 5 years ago however due to the internet and new social networking sites (LinkedIN, facebook etc) there are now more opportunities for people to network and spread their resume to the right people. Social networking sites have opened up a whole new way for candidates to sell themselves online
(RedStarResume) Advice for people wanting to make a career change
PLAN!!!! Changing your career is not an overnight move. It can take 6-12 months to plan out your change and execute your plan into action. You are going to encounter hurdles and obstacles along the way but as long as you stick to your plan anyone can make a career change.
(RedStarResume) What is the single most important thing a candidate can do when going for an interview?
First impressions! – Dress correctly, shine your shoes, tuck in your shirt, don’t chew gum etc. All the small things are so important. It is amazing how many candidates fail the job interview because their first impressions were bad
(RedStarResume) What is your #1 Resume Tip?
Include your achievements!!!!! Your resume is your selling tool. Until you can meet the interviewer in person your resume is your selling tool. The hiring manager wants to know about your achievements and how you have excelled in your previous positions. When a hiring manager is reading through 100 resumes the skills of each candidate are going to be fairly similar. You need to make yourself stand out from the competition by emphasizing your achievements and how you have contributed to the success of your previous employment
(RedStarResume) What is your view on using a professional resume service?
I have always been a big advocate of using an expert in all aspects of life. When you’re buying a house you use a professional agent, if your toilet is leaking – you call an expert plumber. It is the same when deciding to go for a job. The more help you can get the greater your chances of succeeding. A professional resume writer can help you ensure that your resume is formatted correctly, targeted towards the job you are applying and adequately highlights your skills and achievements. Most importantly they will help you stay ahead of your competition. The job search can be one of the most difficult and stressful tasks so the more help you can get the better!
(RedStarResume) Any Secret Tips a candidate can do during the interview
The secret tip is what the candidate can do before the interview. Preparation is the key. When the interviewer asks you if you have any questions , make sure you have questions ready to go. My tip to candidates is to be positive and under no circumstance NEVER NEVER bad mouth your previous employer,
Final Question:
(RedStarResume) Is there such a thing as a perfect job?
Yes of course! You need to work out what you are passionate about and follow your dreams. Sometimes in life your path takes you in a different direction but as long as you’re focused and determined you can find yourself your own perfect job. Good luck!
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success. http://www.bestresponseresume.com/
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
RedStarResume…You’ll thank us later
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
RedStarResume: #1 resume writing service for college students & graduates
Education Vs Work Experience on a Resume – What Comes First?
A lot of people find themselves in a dilemma when it comes to formatting the content on their resumes. Is it better to list your education first or your professional experience? Like most answers, the answer to this question depends entirely on you.
People who list education first on their resumes typically have little to no work experience or are recent graduates, and this is usually the proper way to formulate your resume. Education will never hurt you on a resume, so if you’re applying for a job and have little to no work experience, it’s probably best that you include your education first. You can further boost your resume by including any educational awards you’ve received and you can also list courses you’ve completed that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
On the flip side, if your work experience far outweighs your education, it’s probably best to include this first, but it’s entirely up to you to decide. It’s important to keep the job you’re applying for in mind when deciding how to construct your resume. Are you applying for a position as a marketing director, for example, and you have 15 years of experience in a similar position? If so, this should be one of the first things a hiring manager sees on your resume.
The most important thing to remember, however, is that both education and professional experience are equally valuable in their own right. If you’re concerned about which to list first on your resume, you can include both of them in your objective statement to make sure that they are both noticed straight away.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
| Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals.http://www.bestresponseresume.com |
