Writing a Strong Cover Letter With Personality

Writing a Strong Cover Letter With Personality There are mountains of advice articles on how to write really good cover letters. But if you follow every detail of these articles, at some point, your cover letter will look like a typical “best cover letter for job applications.” Writing a strong cover letter with personality is what gets you remembered for that next job. Here is how to give your cover letter personality.The Best Cover Letter May Feel Like a RiskIt may feel like a risk to start writing a strong cover letter with some personality, but in today’s world of online job applications, a cover letter personality that is strong has become necessary. The classic way to write really good cover letters never let the hiring manager know the following:Who you are What you know Why you are valuable How great you are to work withReally good cover letters show some personality to communicate through the device they are reading. This way companies know exactly the type of person they will be interviewing. To start writing a st rong cover letter, you almost have to listen to advice and then make it all your own. Here is how to do it.Use Anecdotes and Powerful Stories About AccomplishmentsA great way for hiring managers to get to know you better is by telling passionate stories or anecdotes about past work experiences in which you made great accomplishments.This gives your cover letter personality and offers the hiring manager a sense of what you care about most and how well you respond to pressure situations. They may also get an idea of your work ethic and integrity.When telling such stories, it is important to leave out information that is irrelevant to the job. It is VERY important to explain what skills were involved in your story, especially when the skills are related to the job description. In the process, you are also showing the hiring manager your ability to write and communicate.Avoid Making Assumptions and Being RudeThis is a problem that has been around since the dawn of communicating through digital means. When all a person has are words on a screen to paint a picture of “You”, it is important these words do not derail your chances of getting an interview.This happens when people write out assumptions of what they believe the complete stranger on the other screen must be thinking. For example:Making jokes. Always attempts at humor. Making statements about popular news or political topics Comments such as, “You must hate having to read this cover letter” Making assumptions such as, “You must be busy”The single reason for avoiding this negative cover letter personality above is that you simply do not know who is reading your cover letter. You do not know what they look like, how they feel, or what they think. Being too familiar is just plain awkward. For more on cover letters, check out the5 cover letter mistakes to avoid.

5 Reasons You Should Research Your Job Prospects CareerMetis.com

5 Reasons You Should Research Your Job Prospects â€" CareerMetis.com Photo Credit â€" Research Job prospectsWith the new year in full fruition, you may be looking for a better job that allows you to grow and mature as an individual. However, although you may feel like you are the one in the spotlight during an interview, there are plenty of benefits to doing your own research about the company you plan on interviewing with ahead of time.By looking into some of the aspects that make this company what it is, you can rest assured that the company is a quality fit for you or prevent yourself from wasting time on a company you know will not help you to improve or won’t respect you in the long run.There are hundreds of things to take into account but some of the most crucial elements to a good company include their culture, their self-reflection, their customer appreciation, their opportunities for advancement, and their wages depending on the job at hand and the market they fall in.1) Do They Have A Quality Company Culture?evalCompany culture may seem li ke something that isn’t all too important when looking for a new job opportunity, however, this can actually show you whether or not they care about their community, their health, the wellbeing of their staff, and the retention of these employees.A company that cares about their community often cares about the people they hire more than a company that chooses to opt-out of community involvement.On top of this, by volunteering with nonprofit organizations or local charities, you can grow as a company and learn to respect your fellow co-workers on a more personal level which creates stronger bonds between co-workers and their bosses alike.In fact, some companies have even made an immense impact in their community and helped countless individuals in the process. For instance, a company in Miami called MV Construction built a Habitat for Humanity home as a group and were able to give it to a local family in need.These kinds of volunteer opportunities can create lasting memories and al low you, as the employee, to feel like you are making a difference both in and out of the office.2) Are They Still Finding Ways To Improve?If the company you are thinking of working for think they already have everything figured out and don’t need to improve in any way, this is probably a good sign that this company is not the kind of place you want to work for. Often, businesses that believe they have it all figured out actually don’t but are completely and totally against listening to changes or improvements.When working for one of these companies, you may find yourself begging them to make improvements that you think would significantly enhance their productivity and getting very little in return.evalCompanies that understand the room for success in their industry typically are easy to spot as these kinds of companies are aware of the fact that metrics drive maintenance and operational success in the workplace.Companies that understand there is always room for improvement pay attention to their performance and track it so they can find ways to increase their productivity, put in place successful maintenance strategies, and turn their weaknesses into strengths one step at a time.When you speak to a company such as this about ways they can improve, they will typically welcome the suggestions and, through this, you and the company will grow together.3) Do They Care About Their Consumers?A key factor in a company’s success is the way they treat the people that buy their products or services. Companies that don’t care about their customers will not take the extra time to improve their products or services and ensure they are giving their consumers the best of the best.evalThe major problem with this is that companies that do not take this time often create angry customers that you and the other employees wind up dealing with on a day-to-day basis and can sometimes even wind up dealing with messy court cases regarding money reimbursement or even injuries sustained from using the products.It’s not easy to admit when you are wrong or when a product you create is not up to par, but the companies that do take the time to ensure product satisfaction or recall products that aren’t safe are the ones that understand the benefits of caring about your customers. In the end, their support can turn even the worst recall or big mistake into a minor setback and a thing of the past.4) Does The Job Help You Move Forward?Finding a new job isn’t always about how great the position you are applying for is. Sometimes, looking into the advancement opportunities of a company can be a wonderful way of ensuring that you are actually growing as a person and being given the chance to move forward in the company towards bigger and better things.The best way to find out if this company has quality advancement opportunities is by looking online to see reviews from past employees and also to check their page for any employee information they may give. Thes e tools can allow you to discern whether applying and working hard for such a company is worth it or not and save you the time and energy that training for a job you actually don’t want takes.5) Does The Job Pay You What You’re Worth?Lastly, knowing your worth is a very important aspect of finding a new job. If the company is looking for a particular job title you’ve never had before, looking up that job’s average wage can help you to determine whether or not the company understands the market and respects its employees enough to pay them what they are actually worth.If a company is underpaying, it may be smart to address the fact you would want a higher wage from the start to reduce your chances of wasting time and energy on a company that is not open to wage negotiation yet underpaying its staff. Knowing this information can help you stay ahead of the game and also appear well-informed even if you aren’t.Finding a job that fits you can seem like a complete and total flip of a coin with so many choices to pick from but, by using these simples “job filters,” you can stop wasting your time with cheapskate businesses and know-it-all bosses alike.After all, the new year is here so why not have a career that embraces the best aspects of you and helps you to enter 2017 as a more successful and more mature individual overall?

Do You Make These 3 Big Email Mistakes

Do You Make These 3 Big Email Mistakes How many emails do you receive in a week? And how many of those are notable for being particularly bad â€" or even cringe-worthy? Over my 24-year corporate career and now in the entrepreneurial world, I’ve received a fair number of emails. I’m afraid to count, but I’m guessing it’s over 1 million. And these have included a multitude of no-no’s, mistakes, and perhaps even sins. The thing is, every time you send an email, you’re communicating part of your personal brand. So, at a minimum, it pays to make sure your emails are not undermining you. Emails Errors Can Become Career Limiting Moves There are the obvious “Career Limiting Moves” that we all want to avoid. For example, I had to fire a junior analyst who breached the firm’s Code of Conduct by forwarding an email from a friend at another investment bank that contained confidential information. She did it without thinking, as the email also contained a joke, which was what she was seeking to share. Or writing an email that you expect to remain confidential but ends up on the front page of the newspaper (or its online equivalent), pressing “send” on that angry ranting email that you later regret, or getting into a heated debate over email and, worse yet, replying to all when you do. The Less Obvious Errors Can Undermine You Too But it’s those more subtle errors that can creep up on you and quietly limit your career. Often, it’s those things you do (or don’t do) on a daily basis, especially when it’s part of your daily routine, that you don’t realize are tripping you up. And email happens to be one of those things that we take for granted and do without thinking. I’m sharing this because these mistakes are extremely easy to commit yet can make you look bad. And I don’t want you to be blissfully unaware in scoring what’s called an “own goal” in soccer (a.k.a. football outside the US). Unfortunately, I’ve made these mistakes myself, and know just how easy it is to fall into these miss-able traps. Three Big Email Mistakes That Quietly Limit Your Career When it comes to emails, here are the three types of worst offenders in my book. The Rambler The easy thing is to write what comes to mind, without organizing your thoughts into a coherent storyline. That’s how some people write emails â€" in a stream of consciousness as it comes to them. Basically, it’s the lazy person’s approach. Or, worse yet, it gives the impression of a disorganized mind, and someone who isn’t a strategic thinker. And none of these are helpful to your career ambitions. Instead of making your reader untangle the various strands to make sense of it all, take a step back and figure out which items are most important, and lay out your case in a logical fashion. You’ll make a better impression, and increase the odds that your reader will “get” your point or request, and act on it. The Monolith Another mortal sin in emails is to say too much. These are information-packed emails that require lots of scrolling. And they’re often formatted as one big chunk of text â€" super long paragraphs, no extra rows in between, and no bullet points. They’re hard to look at and not at all inviting to read. For me, these kinds of emails tend to come out when I’m deep into the details and emotionally attached to the work. Surely, people need all the gory details to comprehend the situation? Wrong. Instead, when there’s much to convey, get in the habit of writing an executive summary of 3-5 lines, perhaps with bullet points. And make sure to have the “ask” clearly labeled. Then, leave the rest for a “background” or “context” section below your signature for those who want to know more. Be sure to break up the section into chunks, using sub-headings or bullets to make your points easy to grasp. That way, you show you’re a strategic communicator who’s also on top of the detail. The Unprofessional I’m always surprised when people neglect to communicate with the level of professionalism and seniority that they aspire to. For example, I’ve received emails from early and mid career people who want to earn promotion to bigger roles, yet their emails are strewn with text language (“how r u?”), emoticons, and spelling or grammatical errors. What am I supposed to think? If this is how they communicate with me, then what makes me think they will shape up when they connect with other senior people? I can tell you that I am not going to use up any personal capital introducing them to people I know. There’s just too much risk. So, take that extra few minutes to check things over (and no, spell check is not enough â€" it won’t catch mistakes in grammar and word usage). As you read your own email, ask yourself whether you would be happy to send it to the head of your organization or a potential client. You never know when one of your email recipients may be in a position to recommend you for that big opportunity. So put your best foot forward, even in those daily emails. Make it easy for the reader Email can play an important role when it comes to being an effective communicator and managing your personal brand. What’s tricky is that it has more downside than you think. So even though you’re busy, it’s well worth the effort to make sure your emails are supporting your brand, and not working against you. That means doing more of the work so your reader has to do less. And if you need to create more time to do this, try writing fewer emails, but make the ones you do write easy for people to look at, read, and absorb. The payoff comes when your professionalism leads people to conclude you’re worth supporting. I’d love to know what you think, so leave a comment below.

Tips For Writing an Objective For a Resume

Tips For Writing an Objective For a ResumeWriting an objective for a resume can be difficult if you have no experience, no experience in your field and are new to writing resumes. However, with some tips and resources, you can easily do so and create a resume that is all your own.Your resume has to convince the reader of you are capable of doing the job and in most cases, this could be difficult. This is why hiring managers will not hire someone with a resume that is less than perfect. The reality is that even the best resume will never make the company take you seriously unless you have the experience, knowledge and expertise needed to do the job.Some resume writers will put the facts on the page and leave it at that. It is not so, but if you are honest with yourself you can admit that you could do better and show why you should be hired over the others in the stack. The key is to offer specifics and reasons for you to believe they are the best for the position. A resume is only as good as the information given on it, so before you begin writing make sure you know exactly what you are writing about.The format you use for your resume is very important. Although it does not have to be academic or essay format but most hiring managers prefer it this way because of how convincing it is. Writing a resume has to show that you have relevant skills that are needed for the job. In this case, you need to focus on the job you are applying for and what skills would allow you to do it well. Focus on what you have done or studied in your work and add on those that apply to the position.While you are writing your resume, do not overlook the role of networking. These days, people can get their resumes in front of the right person quickly. They can also network and find others who are knowledgeable about the company. You can write your resume in such a way that you provide that information to them, allowing them to market to a variety of sources. This will ensure your resume g ets seen and remembered by the right person.After you finish the resume, give it to someone who will take it and read it carefully to make sure it is correct. Make sure it is brief and that you include all the information you want to. The purpose of writing the resume is to impress upon the reader that you are a professional and would do the job well.Writing a resume is not hard, if you follow these simple tips, you can have the resume that everyone will want to see. There are plenty of resources out there to help you write a better resume and you can learn from them.

Writing Resume Formats

Writing Resume FormatsThere are many different resume formats that you can use when creating your resume. Each format is very different, and so they each are useful in their own ways.The first one to think about is the full length resume. These should be one page long and contain all of the information needed to demonstrate a person's current or desired career, education, training, and experience. They should include all of the information in the format that most people will find familiar, as well as a section for references.Resumes should be short and simple. No matter what format they are in, if you put too much information on them, people will get confused and will be less likely to read the resume, and therefore get through it faster.Another one of the basic resume format is called the email resume. This one is most often used by hiring managers who are looking for a quick response and can use it as an electronic version of their email.If you were using this format, your resume w ould contain no specific dates, names, or contact information. Instead, it would include only those things that you'd put on an actual letter of application.When you choose these resume formats, there are several other options that you might consider. The format known as the 'e-zine' is the most widely used and could be used in any number of places. It uses a format more similar to an online magazine.Writing resume formats is very easy, and each of these formats have been created to help the hiring manager to find what they need quickly. Make sure you choose the format that suits you best. Some even offer sample resumes with the format, to give you an idea of how it might look on paper.

What You Should Know About Best Format of Resume Writing and Why

What You Should Know About Best Format of Resume Writing and Why How to compose resumes in the ideal way for you will ride on your private experience, circumstances and objectives. Just make sure, whichever format you decide on, which you're targeting it for the job that you're applying to. To make an effective resume you want to look into the business and business you are targeting and include information that demonstrates your understanding and appeals to their distinct needs. Finally, employing the ideal USA resume format will help to better your chances of landing that critical interview that causes a job in the usa. Moreover, an excellent professional looking resume is the secret to a successful interview. The procedure for searching for employment is grueling. The best resumes leave no doubt concerning the work seeker's career objective. Resume writing or trying to find a correct resume format is supposed to be among the most important responsibilities that you encount er once your school year ends. What You Must Know About Best Format of Resume Writing Functional Sample whenever you're referring the online resume samples, you will require a functional sample when you have employment gaps in your past. Let's begin by viewing the 3 key forms of resumes and which would be ideal for you. Utilizing a student resume template can help save you time and effort along with offer you ideas on which sections to include and the way to complete them to be able to draw the ideal employers. You may also download absolutely free templates from our Resume Library to get going on your best resume. The Hidden Treasure of Best Format of Resume Writing The same as the resume formats, there are different kinds of resume samples. If you're interested in an infographic format, here are a few infographic samples to check out. When it has to do with deciding on the ideal format of Resume, there are a lot of points to think about. Prior to taking reference from the internet sample resumes, think on what sort of resume sample format will fit your requirements. When you format your resume you need to ensure your leave enough margin space to permit for printing. Then think about a few basic questions to allow you to clarify which format would be ideal for you. Not all file formats are made equal. How to Choose Best Format of Resume Writing Creative While it's important to get a professional resume, sometimes just a little creativity and innovation is acceptable. If you need assistance getting clarity on the following career move, you may be interested career path clarity coaching. Learn about the three kinds of skills you're able to highlight and the way it is possible to incorporate them into your resume. Things like skills on the best way to use certain systems and devices or deep understanding of a given subject matter are extremely common examples.

Power Up Your Personal Brand To Land Your Dream Job - Work It Daily

Power Up Your Personal Brand To Land Your Dream Job - Work It Daily What do Sir Richard Branson and Lady Gaga have in common? The power of an instantly recognizable personal brand. And whether you are aware of it or not, you already have a personal brand. Your personal brand is both what you are known for and the experience people have of you. You might be known for your integrity. People might experience and talk about your outstanding customer service, all of this forms your personal brand. Related: What’s A Personal Brand And Why Do You Need One? Your challenge is knowing what your brand is and bringing ‘brand you’ alive in your next job interview. The good news is, unlike Sir Richard Branson and Lady Gaga, you do not need a marketing juggernaut to do this. The simplest, yet most powerful way to articulate your personal brand is through storytelling. Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate your personal brand because stories paint a picture, capture the imagination, and tap into appropriate emotion. Stories help your audience connect with you and your message and can influence action, in this instance landing your dream job. The stories you share that show you are a team player, have initiative, will both help you stand out from the competition and nail that next interview. What is an example of a great personal brand story? Even after his passing, Steve Jobs continues to inspire and engage us through the stories around his personal brand. In Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography about Steve Jobs, there is a story that Jobs used to explain his perfectionist streak: As a young boy, Jobs had helped his father build a fence around their backyard, and he was told they had to use just as much care on the back of the fence as on the front. “Nobody will ever know,” young Steve said. His father replied, “But you will know.” A true craftsman uses a good piece of wood even for the back of a cabinet against the wall, his father explained, and they should do the same for the back of the fence. It was the mark of an artist to have such a passion for perfection. Isaacson explains that Jobs applied this lesson to each and every computer machine, much to the frustration of Apple engineers who were asked to make the chips line up neatly inside a tightly sealed box. “Nobody is going to see the PC board,” one of them protested. Jobs reacted as his father had: “I want it to be as beautiful as possible, even if it’s inside the box. A great carpenter isn’t going to use lousy wood for the back of a cabinet, even though nobody’s going to see it.” Brand Steve Jobs stands for perfectionism in all our minds. So, where do you start when finding stories that capture your brand? These tips will help you get started. The first is being purposeful with your personal brand stories. Share the stories that meet the criteria the job requires. There is no point sharing a story on how you bent the rules to deliver great outcome if the job requires a stickler for rules. Pan through all your experiences both work and non-work related to find the stories that meet your purpose. The second is use stories to support your hard data. If you have a figure like ‘I improved delivery times by 15%’, then support this with a story that shows how it impacted an individual customer. Always use both hard data and stories. The two together create a compelling case for employing you over your competitors. And third all your stories must be authentically true. This is a “VIP,” a very important point. In your personal life and in traditional storytelling it might be OK to make up or embellish stories but in business we cannot stress enough that your stories must be authentic. It is simply not worth the backlash on your reputation or credibility in making up or spinning stories. Finding and sharing purposeful authentic stories, in your next interview that articulate your personal brand, will help you instantly connect with the interviewer and be memorable for all the right reasons. Power up your personal brand using storytelling in your next job interview and you could land the job of your dreams. This post was originally published at an earlier date. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!