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Great Online Job Search Resources

June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are many great resources on the internet today and you are at a real advantage over those applying for jobs even just 20 years ago. From writing your resume, applying for jobs, or even deciding what career to go into, look to the internet for help.  Here are just a sampling of great resources available – best of all, completely free!

Introduction to Resumes

Purdue University is well known for their online resources, which are available to the general public.  Their introduction to resumes is a great general resource for those first writing their resumes or those that haven’t updated their resume in a number of years.

Cover Letter Tips

Another great resource that Purdue offers is information on cover letters.  This can be a tough one, especially in today’s world of emailing resumes. Many think cover letters aren’t necessary, but including one in your email is critical.  Some hiring managers won’t even look at a resume if it doesn’t come with a cover letter.

Upload Resume to Monster

Once you have your resume completed you can upload it to Monster.  Potential employers filter through the resumes and if they find you to be a match, they will be contacting you regarding an open position.  Recruiters often sort through these resumes to find candidates for their clients.  It never hurts to have someone out there helping you in your job search.

Salary & Wages

When applying for a job, it’s not uncommon to be asked your salary requirements.  Many don’t know how to answer this question – of course you want as much money as possible, but in order to have a professional response to this request, check out the salary and wages page of Monster’s site.  This can also be a great resource when you are ready to ask for a raise.

Salary Comparison

Another great resource for investigating salaries is to use a comparison calculator.  Find out what other professionals in your area are making. This can help you negotiate your salary when first starting a position.  Compare their offering salary with what other local companies are paying.

Follow Up Thank You Letters

After interviewing it’s always a good idea to send a follow up thank you note.  Remember, they are interviewing multiple candidates.  Sending a nice  email later that day, or the following day is a great way to get them to reflect on you and your interview.  Find great tips for these follow up letters.

Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Federal Employment Statistics
National Compensation Data
Employment Projections

The government has several site with a wealth of information.  You hear about unemployment rates on the news all the time, but you can check your local unemployment statistics to see where your community ranks with the national unemployment data.  The Bureau of Labor also compiles data and information on compensation and employment projections that is interesting to explore.

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Top Three Cover Letter Myths

August 9, 2010 By 2 Comments

cover letterYour cover letter is an important piece to the job finding puzzle and if not written properly you can really cost yourself an amazing employment opportunity or two. There are many myths floating around about cover letters and while some are of less importance than others, there are three in particular that should be looked at carefully and also be avoided.

Here are the top three cover letter myths exposed:

1.    No Cover Letter Needed: There seems to be a misconception by many people that sending in a resume without a cover letter is okay. This is not only a bad idea, but a resume without a cover letter will likely see nothing more than the bottom of a trash can.
2.    Keep the Cover Letter Really Short: While there is no true measure of how long your cover letter should be you do want to keep it to around one page when it is accompanying your resume. However, many people seem to think that one paragraph is all a cover letter entails. You should keep your cover letter short and sweet, but not too short and sweet.
3.    A Hand Written Cover Letter is Best: If you wish to appear as though you still live in the stone ages then by all means hand write your cover letter. Just don’t expect any results from the process. Besides being unprofessional, a hand written cover letter may be tough to read for some potential employers. If your future boss wants to see your penmanship, they will ask you for a writing sample. Always type out your cover letter and save the handwriting for the very bottom, where you will sign your name in blue ink.

With all the fierce competition for jobs these days you need every advantage you can muster up. This starts with your resume being top notch, but this also means that your cover letter has to be top notch as well. If your cover letter doesn’t inspire the potential employer to actually read your resume, then really it doesn’t matter how good your resume is.

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Cover Letters: Follow the Posting

April 28, 2010 By 1 Comment

cover letterEveryone dreads the cover letter to some extent. This is mainly because a new one has to be written each time a job application is filled out or a resume submitted. Having a template to work with can ease the stress and reduce the work when customizing a cover letter for a position that you’re applying for. And when customizing your cover letter, there are things that should not be overlooked. Use the job posting as your guideline.

The purpose of a cover letter is to summarize your skills and indicate your interest in a position. If done well, a cover letter will make a prospective employer want to learn more about you and will get them to move on and read your resume. The first thing they will look for is if your skills meet the requirements of the position. Do not disregard the job posting when including this information. In fact, the job posting should be your primary reference for your cover letter. When you highlight your strengths, don’t randomly include what you think they are looking for. Include what you know they are looking for by including the job requirements listed in the posting. Don’t stretch the truth, only list the requirements you have that are your real strengths and in which you actually have experience. This will illustrate to the employer that you were paying attention to their needs. And their needs are what are most important to them.

Expressing your interest in the position and the duties of the job will lead the hiring manager to want to learn more about you. If you properly show how your skills and experience are a great fit, they may even continue on to your resume! A good cover letter can open the door to an interview and possibly a job offer, so make sure you let the job posting guide you and help you match your skills to their needs.

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Custom Fit Your Cover Letters

January 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

When you’re job hunting you know that giving a good first impression is very important. One way to do this is by custom fitting your cover letters for each job you’re applying for. It’s a great use of your time and a great way to show your prospective employer that you were paying attention to the details of the job.

Your cover letter is going to give the employer the most instant information when they’re scanning for qualified applicants. Most employers are not going to go through your resume until they know you’re one of their candidates, so make sure your cover letter gives them the most important facts about you and your skills. Start with basic information for your cover letter. Introduce yourself and explain how your expertise fits the employer’s needs.  Then introduce specifics that fit what they’re looking for including your proficiencies, years of experience, and technical knowledge. If you have a job posting, refer to it and include bullet points that match the traits they’re looking for. Then sell yourself! Tell them why they should hire you and why your qualifications make you the perfect candidate.

Cover letters are extremely important, but keep them simple and keep them specific. They are the first impression an employer will have of you. Make sure they’re accurate and custom fit for each job you apply for.

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Cover Letters Are As Important As Resumes

December 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Most people believe that a good resume is their key to interviews and job candidacy and often put less emphasis on their cover letter. This is a big mistake! Your cover letter is as important as your resume, and sometimes even more important.

Your resume is a very long, very detailed breakdown of your work history and your skills and experience. Many employers never even look at your resume until they think you’re a potential candidate for the position. Your cover letter is often what gets them to turn the page and look at that resume. Don’t throw your cover letters together at the last minute. Spend some time and make a few versions for different types of jobs that can then be custom fit for each and every job you apply for. This is your chance to sell yourself and to help you get in the door for an interview. Keep them simple but include specific skills and experience that pertain directly to each job. Make sure you are assertive about your qualifications without being over-confident. Let them know that you are a perfect candidate for the position and tell them why. And above all else, let them know how you fit their needs. Make your letter about how you can best help them, not the other way around.

Great cover letter writing will give you an extra edge in what is currently a highly competitive job market. Make sure yours reflects your knowledge and interest in the position. It’s as important as your resume!

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If You Write It, Make Sure It’s Right

August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Every single thing that you write in your job search will become an important and tangible document that will be used by potential employers for everything from a first impression to whether or not to hire you. Often interviews depend solely on the resume and cover letter or other type of application. The final decision between you and another candidate may come down whichever was the one who took the time to write a thank-you note to the interviewer. Everything you write carries importance and you need to remember that, so you can act accordingly.

For that reason it is critical for you to make sure that every written work the potential employer sees from you is professional, neat, grammatically correct and without typos and spelling errors. You must carefully proof read absolutely everything from your resume and cover letter to emails and thank you notes. In addition to proof reading your own writing, it is also recommended that you ask another person to read it for clarity and errors. This will ensure that you make the very best impression you can with your written word.

Your written word is often the first impression a company has of you and the last thing they receive from you prior to deciding whether or not to hire you. By putting in the required effort you can be sure that the company is seeing your best work and the personification of many of your work-related traits.

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How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

August 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Your cover letter is the first thing a prospective employer sees, so it’s crucial that it grab his or her attention and never let go.

There are two schools of thought on a cover letter’s opening remark: one being that you should ask a rhetorical question or make a funny remark as an attention grabber. This isn’t a good idea for most people, however, because it can come off wrong. Only consider this approach if you’re applying for a very creative position. Otherwise, stick with the obvious. Describe what job you’re applying for and where you saw it advertised, if applicable. That way, there’s no guessing game for the person reading your letter.

In the next couple of paragraphs, highlight the points that make you perfect for this job. That could be your job history, your degrees or certifications, your skills, or a combination of those things. But if you’re applying for a teaching position, for example, the cover letter isn’t the place to note that you’re a certified welder—unless you’ll be teaching welding.

Your closing should make it clear that you are very interested in talking with the prospective employee further about how you can help his or her company. One mistake many job seekers make is forgetting the purpose of a cover letter and resume. It isn’t to secure the job; rather, its purpose is to secure an interview. So be sure to ask for an interview!

Other tips that will rev up your cover letter:

Address it to a specific person. If possible, research who is reviewing the resumes and making the hiring decision for the job you want. Sometimes that information will be in the ad, but if not, don’t be afraid to do a little detective work. It’s often as easy as calling the company and simply asking!
Don’t print off a one-size-fits-all cover letter. You must personalize your letter completely for the company and the job you’re seeking.

Focus on them. It’s tempting to describe in your cover letter what you want out of the job or the company: to advance your career, to enhance your skill set, or to secure a better title. But companies want to know what you can do for them. Structure your letter so that it lists the talents and experience that you bring to the table. There will be time later to talk about what you’ll be getting out of the deal.

Let them know you’ve done your homework. Weave in at least one fact about the company somewhere in your letter. For example: “Though Company X had an impressive $5 million in sales during the last quarter, I believe my marketing skills could help Company X achieve even better results in the next quarter.”

Limit your words. Very few cover letters should run more than one page. Prospective employers are just like everybody else: they’re more likely to read a concise four-paragraph letter than a daunting eight-paragraph letter.
Don’t rehash the contents of your resume. Assuming your cover letter is put together well, the potential employer or hiring manager will get to your resume. At most, highlight the two or three most impressive aspects of your resume to give the employer a taste of what’s to come.

Aesthetics are important. Print off your cover letter on high-quality paper in white or off-white (make sure it matches your resume), and don’t staple or fold it.

Proof and proof again. Nothing turns off a potential employer or hiring manager like a cover letter with spelling or grammatical errors. You might think you’re in the clear if you use your computer’s spell check, but that doesn’t save you from mistakes such as confusing “affect” and “effect,” for example. After you’ve proofed your letter twice, ask a grammar geek friend to look it over too.

Don’t make them guess. At the bottom of your letter, include the number(s) where you can be reached if they need more information—or if they want to (hopefully!) schedule an interview. You’ll undoubtedly include your phone number on your resume, but you want to make it as easy as possible for the company to reach you.

See more cover letter writing tips.

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Writing a Great Cover Letter

July 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The cover letter you submit with your resume may be the only chance you have to be considered for a position. So, you need to know how to write a cover letter that can make you a winner in the employment race. To understand how to write a cover letter that can help you get to the next step in the employment process, the interview, it helps to consider how your cover letter is used by human resources or the hiring supervisor.

Depending on the job market, a company may receive several to several hundred resumes for a position. That’s a lot of paper to review. The easier you make it for a reviewer to quickly believe that you can do the job, want to do the job and will do the job, the better off you are against your competition. How well you write your cover letter is the secret to getting favorable attention. Remember that the reviewer may only have time to skim your cover letter, so make your positive points stand out by using bullets or selected bold type. If the reviewer does not find what they are looking for in your cover letter in less than a minute, he or she may never even read your entire resume.

Get their attention. If you are applying for an advertised position, the first sentence of your cover letter should state the position title and your interest in being considered for that opening. If your cover letter is a general inquiry about possible openings, again state that clearly in the first sentence. Follow the identification of the position for which you are applying with one or two sentences that add reasons you should be seriously considered. For example, if you are applying for a position as an accounts payable clerk, mention that you have college credits in accounting and two years experience in a similar position. Unless you have been referred by someone that matters to the reviewer, such as a current manager or employee at the company, do not waste space telling the reviewer how you found out about the position.

Sell yourself - how to write the body text of your cover letter. Paragraph two should answer the reviewer’s questions about you. Offer compelling evidence that you can do the job. Before writing this paragraph, find out as much information as you can about the position and tasks. If the employer provided a job description, that’s great. Use those words paired with your experience to overcome their initial skepticism about your ability to do the job. If you have only a job title to work with, use job search tools to gather typical tasks for that type of position. USAJobs offers descriptions of typical tasking for all levels of proficiency in various job categories.

Tell them you want the job. The reviewer’s second question requires demonstrating that you want to do the job. How you write your cover letter in paragraph three meets this need. You should use this paragraph to show that you have researched the organization and want to support its mission and objectives. It is important to be specific here not just offer broad generalizations. Do your homework by reading press releases, blogs, and company posted materials. Reference that information in paragraph three.

Finalize. Finally, complete paragraph four – closing the cover letter – with a statement reminding the reviewer of the position you are applying for, your interest and qualifications, and your desire to move to the next step – the interview.

Do’s and Don’ts in writing your cover letter:

  • Place contact information in the header above the salutation
  • Keep the length to one, single-spaced page
  • Keep the words formal and professional; avoid jargon or colloquial phrases
  • Use active rather than passive voice
  • List accomplishments not tasks
  • Refer to your resume; do not repeat it
  • Thank the reviewer for their time and consideration
  • Close with “Sincerely” or “Regards”
  • Check spelling, punctuation and grammar
  • Print on high quality paper unless you are submitting an on-line application

Read more cover letter writing tips.

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