Cover Letter Tips : Making Yourself Irresistible Part I

By interviewmastermind .com

Most employers could go their whole lives without reading another resume  if it was up to them, so that’s when truly helpful cover letter tips come in handy.  If they are not in a hurry to hire, the last thing they want to do with their time is pick through anonymous resumes.  A cover letter gives you a quick chance to tell them why they should take a closer look at you.

Here are cover letter tips to keep your resume from ending up in the trash can:

>> If you’ve got connections, use them.cover letter tips

Name-dropping works.  For one, an employer feels a subconscious obligation to give you a solid chance if you have a mutual contact.  In fact, they will probably have to find a good reason not to hire you if it might affect their social life or business.  Also, human beings are ethnocentric creatures — which means they’re hesitant to let anyone into their world that they don’t know.  This is one of the oldest cover letter tips ever used, but it still works.   Establish a connection and they’re more likely to take a chance.

>> Never address “To Whom it May Concern.”

This is one of the cover letter tips you need to keep at the forefront of your mind.  Even if they know you don’t know them, saying their name gets their attention, as if the letter is truly to them.  It makes it more personal.  Besides, if you don’t have the brains to research a name, they don’t want you.  It shows you care about the position and are willing to do some homework.  Otherwise you’re like that shameless spammer on Facebook who is always promoting his band that no one likes—“Be my friend!  Be my friend!”  No one likes that guy, so don’t act like him.
 

>> Keep it Conversational.

Keeping the cover letter conversational is one of the best cover letter tips out there.  Show some personality and the reader is less likely to crumple it up and shoot a basket.  This type of language makes people feel like you have rapport even if you’ve never met.

>> Brag about yourself.

While your dedication to telling the world how awesome you are hasn’t scored you many friends in the past, here is your chance to put it out there without everyone leaving the room talking about what a douche bag your are.  Finally.  Tell them why you’re the man or woman for the job.  Having the confidence to state it straight up sends the signal that you really are qualified.

The more specific, tangible, and measurable the better because it tells them you’re not just winging it.

>> Always talk about your achievements.

They don’t just want another employee—they want the best, and achievements mark you as a high-value individual.  Use bullet points to cover more space, creating the illusion there is more information than there actually is.  Most cover letter tips will tell you not to list your accomplishments, but this is where you want to brag away.

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Job Fair Tips > Career Fair Success Strategies

by Maureen Crawford Hentz

 

Career Fairs can occasionally be intimidating. As a job-seeker, you must distinguish yourself from hundreds or even thousands of other job applicants. The following are a few simple strategies to help you stand out from the crowd.

• Find a Fair. Many career fairs are free, but some require a registration and/or fee. The first place to look for a career fair is your alma mater. Colleges and universities routinely hold career fairs for students and alumni. Call your college's career service office and find out if you need to register and what the general format of the fair will be.

Professional organizations also often sponsor large career fairs at their national and regional conferences. Many organizations require membership for admission to the conference and career fair, but some sell day-long "placement-only" admission. Unsure about which professional associations would be best for you and which career fairs will have what you want? Query the Internet for professional associations in your field (for example, Interior + Design + Association) and see if the resulting Web sites indicate career-fair participants.

Finally, look in the Help-Wanted section of your local newspaper. Many career fairs are listed in their own column. Also look for employers with large ads to see if any indicate "We will be at the ElectroMechanical Job Expo next week!"

• Choose the Right Fair. You probably don't want to waste your time at a medical-technology fair if you are looking for a position in education. Do your research. If possible, get the names of companies that will be recruiting at the fair. Hosting agencies often post an abridged list to attract job-seekers like you.
• Arrive Early. As a career-fair recruiting veteran, I can confidently attest that my ability to remember names, faces, and details of candidates waned as the day went on. Rolling my materials into each career fair, I set up my table in eager anticipation of the fabulous candidates I would find. As the fair picked up, while my eagerness never diminished, my ability to remember candidate details did. Go early to ensure quality time with the recruiters.
• Do a Reconnaissance Circuit First. When you get to the fair, don't go into a frenzy of resume dropping-off. Sit down with the program and decide on the order in which you will talk to recruiters. Many career fair veterans agree that beginning in the back of the room and working your way to the front is the way to go – you are seeing recruiters fresh, while people who started in the front may be starting to lose energy. While you are getting the lay of the land, pick up information from the tables. Information, as well as freebies such as pens, magnets, and stress balls, are there for the taking. Gather information on companies of particular interest and sit down in the candidate lounge. Information may include company annual reports, brochures, and a list of open positions. Review the materials so that you have a starting point for conversation with each recruiter.
• Have a Booth Speech. Too many times I would see candidates going down a row of tables asking the dreaded question "Can you tell me a little bit about your company?" As a recruiter, no matter how much you like to talk to people, this question becomes old quickly. Better to have a booth speech that you give to the recruiter. "Hello Aurora, I wanted to introduce myself to you. My name is Janet Ridge. I am an Asian-studies trainer with six years of experience, and I wanted to talk to you about the Training Specialist vacancy at XYZ Company." [Editor's note: See our article, The Elevator Speech is the Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools.]
• Hone In. As you begin talking, the recruiter then may ask you questions about yourself or tell you about the position. Ensure that you make eye contact and listen carefully for tidbits that are not mentioned in the written materials. If you are interested in the company or a position therein, ask for the recruiter's business card and leave a resume.

In addition, go back to the candidate lounge and write a short note to the employer. Attach it to your resume and redeposit into the employer's resume box. Your note should be brief and professional and reference your conversation. "Dear Aurora, thank you for spending time with me today at the AsiaAlive! Recruiting Fair. I appreciate your making time to explain the detailed requirements of the Training Specialist position, as well as the history of the position. Please do feel free to contact me directly if you need additional information." This note can be handwritten but should be stapled directly to your resume. At the end of the fair (or sometimes during it), recruiters go through the resumes making notes on impressive candidates. Attaching a note to the resume is a way to distinguish yourself from other candidates who don't bother with this step.

• Don't be a Booth Buffoon. Recruiters are there to find many good candidates – not just one. Don't monopolize a recruiter by taking all his/her time. If a line develops behind you, be sensitive to that. Say something like "Thank you so much for speaking with me. I see you have quite a line, and I don't want to monopolize your time." Then, get out of the way. If you are particularly interested in making another contact, it is fine to come back again when the line has died down.

If a recruiter is speaking generally to another candidate, it is perfectly acceptable to join the conversation, make eye contact, and ask questions. It is not necessary to wait in a line for individual one-on-one attention, particularly if you plan to ask a similar question.

• After the Fair. Follow-up is extremely important. Recruiters will collect hundreds or thousands of resumes at a large career fair. If you are interested in applying for a specific position, go to the company Web site and apply directly using the company's preferred format. Open your cover letter by indicating that you discovered the position at theAsiaAlive! Career Fair and in speaking with recruiter Aurora Crawford, you became convinced that this was the position for you. You may also want to follow up with an email to the recruiter directly, if that information is on the business card.

In the future, if other positions are advertised for that company, use your inside connection with the recruiter. Apply using the company's preferred process and then send an email along with your resume to the recruiter you met at the career fair. That recruiter may or may not be working with the new position but could be provide the foot in the door that you need. Your email would say something like "Dear Ms. Crawford, I met you last March at the AsiaAlive! Recruiting Fair. At that time we discussed XYZ Company and the Training Specialist position. I see you now have a Country Specialist position available in the Tokyo office, and I wanted to contact you directly to express my interest. My resume and cover letter are attached. Of course, I have also applied through your company Web site."

Final Thoughts
Career Fairs don't have to be intimidating. Remember that the recruiters are there to find you. Recruiters' success is determined by sourcing appropriate candidates and funneling them toward the company. Remember that you are what they are looking for. Employing these success strategies is sure to make a difference in the kind, quantity and quality of your career-fair interactions.

Source : www .quintcareers. com

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