Blog entries August 2010
08/30/2010Cover Letters - Yes you need one!
1.
It formally introduces you, and can personalize the presentation of your résumé . 2.
It highlights specific information from your résumé and from your background that applies to a specific field or position. Can also give reader insight to items not addressed in a résumé.
3.
It helps to initiate a meeting between you and the employer. It should never be more than 1 page.
Cover letter allows you to personalize your resume when it is mailed to prospective employers in response to advertisements or to inquire about possible interviews. The cover letter's main purpose is to advertise your strengths and assets in a way that would interest employers in interviewing you. It is also useful in that it can save valuable time by enabling you to visit only the most promising prospects or helping you avoid places where there is no interest in you as a prospective employee.
The first paragraph should arouse the reader's INTEREST. This can be done by stating some particular knowledge you have of the reader's business, by a comment on some "timely" issue relating to the company's operation or by an impersonal statement of some outstanding fact relating to your ability that would probably appeal to the employer.
The body of the cover letter should make the employer DESIRE to interview you by explaining what you can do for his/her company. Put yourself in the employer's position as you write and present facts that will both be interesting and accurately describe your assets and qualifications. Your prospective employer will be interested in your ability to make and/or save money, to conserve time, to effectively assume and discharge responsibility and to produce results more rapidly and economically than anyone else. Do not discuss the terms of your exiting previous employers.
The last paragraph should request ACTION. Ask directly for an interview at their convenience. In all circumstances be courteous but use a direct approach.
The letter should end with the formal salutation, "Very truly yours" or "Sincerely yours."
Janice Worthington
08/16/2010Rewinding Your Perspective…Fast Forwarding Your Hire!
My clients are in the trenches. They send out their résumés, interview their hearts out, follow-up faithfully and play the waiting game. My clients are an interesting group. They are on their home turfs passing judgment in positions of authority on Monday and sitting in my office in positions of vulnerability by Friday.
I am the coach and they are the players. I teach job search to clients and they teach me lessons learned from their career lives. Sometimes my clients are too close to their lessons to receive critical messages but that’s where I come in. If they could do it over again here’s what some of my most prominent folks would do differently:
I Wish Would Have Taken That Lateral Offer: I would have had the opportunity to gain the experience, perhaps temporarily sacrificing income, that would have taken me from the specialized director I am today to the executive vice president of CEO level that I may never see. Today, because of the financial demands of older children, I can no longer afford the growth hiatus that I would now be able to leverage in the pinnacle of my career. Where did I learn that sideways was a wrong direction?
I Wish I Had Secured A Simple Letter of Reference: I have been downsized and the company is gone but I am still a candidate out of a job, sometimes feeling that employers can’t help but question the nature of my job performance. If I had negotiated a written letter of reference from my direct supervisor showcasing my stellar contributions I could have avoid employer skepticism in advance. I wish I had gone to my colleagues and offered to reciprocate, doing the same for them.
I Wish I Would Have Kept Better Records of My Achievements: I was always taught that on résumés qualifications meant everything. I just figured that my degree, years of experience, positions held and functions performed would qualify me for the job. It should have occurred to me that others were also qualified but I used to see classified ads that seemed to have my name of them. They would require 5-10 years in the plastics industry, and R& D background and an MBA. But repeatedly I never got a call.
I Wish I Would Have Gone on That Interview: I didn’t because it was only Director –level with probably less than my current compensation as I had reached the Vice President level. I later read in Business First that one of my AMA pals, another EVP, was able to impress to the point that they re-classified the job to meet her requirements. If nothing else, my meeting could have been used for networking opportunities. But I pre-judged and didn’t want to waste my time. Sadder but wiser I would never repeat that behavior.
I Wish I Wouldn’t Have Told The Bossman to Take His Job & Shove It: I wish I hadn’t aired my grievances about Mr. Jones to my colleagues. My old employer is now in partnership with my current employer and it has put me in a potentially embarrassing position. I felt hurt and taken advantage of and maybe I was but I should have been more discreet. There’s an old song that says once spent, time, bad words or bullets you can’t take any of them back. Amen
Janice Worthington
08/06/2010When Interviews Don't Produce Job Offers
Question: I get to the second or third interview in the hiring process but can't get a job offer. What could I be doing wrong? And how can I "close the sale?"
Answer: The fact that you're getting interviews is a good sign. It means that your letters and resume are working and that you're making a good first impression. There are at least eight reasons you could be failing:
You don't look the part. Your clothing is out of style. Make sure your clothing, including eyewear and briefcase, is current. Make sure your wardrobe fits. Get fashion help if you need a second opinion.
You lack focus. You come across as too much of a generalist, as someone who can "do it all"--jack of all trades and master of none. You haven't defined what you want or where you fit, and companies pick that up as lack of direction. Without sharp focus you appear scattered and may come across as a "loose cannon." To combat this, develop strong preferences and be clear about what you want and what you don't want.
You're overselling. In an attempt to "make the sale" you're pushing too hard, or coming across as desperate. You may appear too eager or overanxious. Create a high-impact, accomplishment-oriented resume and let it do most of the selling. In general, listen 75% and talk 25% of the time.
Your references are shooting you down. Who are you using to support your candidacy? Have you asked them what they'll say? Have you prepared guidelines for them? Do they have your resume? Do you brief them before they're called? Be sure to give employers references they can relate to. Engineers like to talk to other engineers, and attorneys prefer other attorneys. Last point: don't overuse your references.
You want too much money. Don't gauge your present worth on your last salary. The market may have changed; people with your skills could be in oversupply. Do a quick salary survey to determine realistically what you should be earning. Ask what the company plans to pay for the position. Then be flexible. You can lose out by seeming to care more about salary and benefits than about making a big contribution.
You appear difficult. In multiple interviews companies have time to uncover weaknesses, character flaws, and problem behaviors, such as being arrogant or losing patience. You must appear co-operative, collaborative, and easy to work with.
Someone on the team doesn't like you. Many companies hire by consensus. That means nearly everyone has to like you. Technical people often feel their track record "speaks for itself," but that's seldom true. In today's team-oriented environment, you need to make a strong effort to be liked by everyone you meet, from entry-level workers to the CEO.
You're not the best qualified. There may be others who really do fit the job better.
Interviewing is a selling opportunity. It's a relatively short time frame and you're in the spotlight. Even in so-called casual interviews, you're watched and evaluated very closely. You're compared to others and graded. Everything you do, everything you wear, and everything you say is magnified, and either helps or hurts you. You can sell yourself into a job by using closing comments. This is one way to “close the sale!”
Janice Worthington