How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter for Any Job

Most job seekers seem to take for granted the impact of a well-written cover letter, thinking they are better off copying templates from websites. But the fact of the matter remains that a cover letter is not a mere “blanket” document, and a well-crafted one makes a great deal of difference to the outcome of your job search.

The cover letter’s main purpose is to catch an employer’s interest and entice him to read through your resume and call you for an interview. In fact, some employers even decide to hire a person only because they liked the cover letter. Here are tried and tested tips on how you could write the perfect cover letter for any job:

1) Make the opening line memorable

The problem with most job seekers is that their opening sentences are cliché. Statements like–“Please accept my application to the job you posted” or “This is a reply to the position you advertised” are just common. They won’t catch the employer’s attention. The point is, your cover letter must stand out. It is your sales pitch sans the pushy or needy tone.

Take this for example: “With 6 years of goal-oriented experience in providing quality nursing care in a medical-surgical ward setting, I am offering…” The thing about this opening line is that it already addresses the need of the employer. It goes straight to the point and goes clear with its purpose: you are applying for the position.

2) Don’t make the letter a narrative of your resume

If you do, it would just become your resume in the form of prose. Since the information is already redundant, the employer would skip reading your letter and proceed with the resume, since it presents your credentials more clearly. A very long cover letter would be harder to read and time-wasting. What you should include in the letter is information that could provide additional insight on your application.

3) Express genuine interest

Aside from giving the employer an idea of who you are and the skills that you possess, the cover letter must also express your genuine interest in their business and the particular role you’re trying to take. Expressing your interest also helps in making you stand out among other candidates, thus you must have a clear understanding of the operations of the business of your employer, and how you could contribute to it. However, you should also not overdo how you express your interest. Avoid flowery phrases and too much superlatives; some employers get turned off by them.

4) State the skills that you have for the position

Although it’s not necessary to mention all of your credentials, you have to put forward the skills that make you the perfect fit for the job. State how your capabilities could meet the company’s needs and expectations. It would also help if you could describe how the skills made a difference to the previous companies you have worked with.

Here’s an example: “As current media buyer in this advertising agency, I was responsible for communicating with TV and radio networks in all 31 designated market areas and purchasing primetime TV and radio advertising inventory for our clients. Due to my expert handling of media buys, I was able to…” This example not only provides detail on how the applicant utilizes specific skills for the job, but it also shows the result of her tasks. Letting the employer know about some details of your previous job will give him enough insight and will interest him to look at your application more thoroughly.

5) Don’t use bullet points when you state your credentials

Bullets can shorten your resume, but a paragraph can help your employer gain insight on how you understand the job. Take a look at this nursing job application:

“Here are the skills that make me a perfect match to your job:

• Excellent and comprehensive assessment of client needs
• Setting SMART goals and objectives
• Evidence-based implementation of nursing care
• Evaluation of goal-based outcomes”

Instead of bulleting them, it could be expressed in a way that the skills are interconnected to a process:

“My key strength for the job is my expert application of the nursing process through excellent and comprehensive assessment of various needs of my clients. The data gathered allows me to formulate specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound goal outcomes and implement the nursing care plan through evidence-based practice. The set goal outcomes also serve as a basis for me to evaluate the care I rendered.”

6) State something positive about the company you’re applying to

You can express why you want to be part of their prestigious organization. You can state the company’s management philosophy, reputation, sales record, size, product, or any other factors that make the company impressive. This will let them know that you have high regard for them. A little flattery can work for you.

7) Keep it short and concise

A short cover letter works beautifully as long as the necessary elements are there. As previously mentioned, don’t make your letter a narrative of your resume. Keep in mind that the cover letter is not intended to explain everything about you; it just needs to attract the employer and let him take a close look at your application.

8) Close your letter in a professional manner

Although you express your interest in applying for the job, you don’t want the employer to get the impression that you’re desperate for the job. A great opening is required, but the right closing is equally important. In some cases, it’s the bad closing that defeats the applicant:

“Thank you very much for considering my application. I promise that you will only have the best from me once I get accepted for the job.”

“Thank you very much for considering me for the job. This application is very important to me, and it will definitely contribute to my personal development.”

Here’s an example of a good closing:

“I have attached my resume for your review. Thank you very much and I hope this merits your favorable response.”

9) Make your letter readable

Make sure you use readable fonts (fancy fonts such as freestyle won’t do you any good). Use clean, white, A4 sized paper. Leave adequate space around the edges of the page and between each section and paragraph. Don’t submit photocopied or marked letters– always keep it neat. Remember– even the physical appearance of the letter speaks for you.

While there’s no single template that can give a perfect cover letter, practicing would definitely help you in creating a cover letter that works perfectly for you. Make rough drafts first, so that you can have your thoughts organized. Have another person read your letter, and take note of comments. Finally, keep copies of all the cover letters you sent; they can be used as basis for improving your next cover letter.

reference:Ziprecruiter 

How To Prepare Yourself For The Offbeat Interview Questions

Doing well in an interview is the result of many things, ranging from the first impressions you make with your physical appearance (body language) to how well you communicate and respond to the interview questions. There are the predictable questions, such as “What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?” and then there are the offbeat questions that may make your nerves rattle and leave you dazed as to how to respond diplomatically and professionally. The fact is, there isn’t going to be a correct answer to offbeat questions, only a correct response. Such questions are usually asked to help the employer understand how well you handle tough situations and how you think through solutions.

 Are you one to get rattled and break down in communication when stumped with an odd question, or do you stay calm, cool and collected, maintaining confidence and a positive attitude? There’s no real way to prepare for the oddball questions because they are “offbeat,” but what you can do is ensure your communication and responses to such questions leave a positive message that helps the employer develop the best possible impression of you.

Here are a few tips to help you maintain positive communication and composure during job interviews regardless of what questions are asked:

Think Positive And Keep Your Tone And Responses Positive Your mission is to make yourself desirable to the employer based on your experience, talent and skills. If you focus on what you have to offer and express confidence and a positive tone, the employer will develop a much better impression in your favor than if you touch on negative points that may make you less favorable of a candidate. Even when questions are asked about your weaknesses, your mission is to address the question directly and immediately turn it to a more positive note such as how you would work through the problem and address it.

Don’t Restate The Negative Just because an employer positions a question a specific way that may connote the negative, do not follow that lead in your response. For instance, avoid stating “My greatest weakness is… ” Instead, respond by jumping right into what you have done to address the issue and how it has helped you succeed. This approach helps you avoid jumping around the question but puts the focus of the key message on an area that is an advantage for you.

Turn To Your Creative Side And Humor Not all questions in an interview require a serious response. Offbeat questions are often times asked by employers to test your creativity and humor. Demonstrate your ability to think on your feet. Also, find ways in which you can relate it back to the job. The important thing is to not let these types of questions stump you, and the best way to do that is to take in the question with a bit of humor and respond in the same manner. Never Say, “I Don’t Know.” Such a response implies to an employer that you are unprepared and give up easily to challenges, which isn’t the ideal impression you want to make. Take a moment to process the question and analyze how you can respond back in a way to further express your character while possibly tying it back to your capabilities for the job. In such situations, it may also help to think out loud. Such an approach helps you walk the employer through your thinking process rather than have dead silence in the air for too long. The key to doing well in a job interview as it relates to communication and your response to questions is to remain poised and self-assured. While the question may appear to be an approach by the employer to knock you off of your feet, remain positive and calm in your response.

Also, always give a response that ties back to how you are the most fit for the job. 
Reference: http://www.careerealism.com/interview-question-offbeat/#chitika_close_button

Text Message Your Next Employer: The Newest Way to Find a Job

When I read the article below, I was blown away by the potential of  JobTap, check it out and I encourage you to share your experience.
If you’re looking for a new job, your search will likely begin on an online job board or search engine. And you’ll probably hit an immediate dead-end. That’s because for every job listing that’s posted online, an average of 118 people apply. Worse yet, recruiters spend only six seconds looking at a resume—if they read it at all. So while you toil away for hours to complete cover letters and job applications, employers are simply tossing your paperwork aside in order to burn through their stack of candidates. Fortunately for job seekers, the creators of JobTap were paying attention to this trend. That’s why they launched a website that’s sure to simplify and transform the way people find work and get hired. An Overview of JobTap For some people, applying for work can feel like running through a revolving door of rejections. You might fill out a hundred applications, only to be ignored by each and every employer. Now there’s a solution. JobTap eliminates mucking about with applications and cover letters. There’s only one form, they match you directly to interested employers in your area, and you can do everything from your mobile device. Best of all, it’s 100 percent free. A Short, One-Time Application Rather than applying to dozens of job listings every day, JobTap streamlines the process into a single application. You provide some basic information—your location, target job, work experience, availability, etc.—and your application is complete. Employer Matching JobTap matches you to employers based off of the criteria in your application. So if you want to work as a waiter in New York City, and you’ve served tables for two years, JobTap will match you to a restaurant in the city that needs a waiter with two years of experience. JobTap handles all of the matching and it connects you directly to interested employers. All you need to do is complete the short application and keep it up to date. Plus, it’s perfect for workers across all industries, whether you’re a fast food chef, registered nurse, or retail salesperson. Get Hired on the Go JobTap’s goal is to speed up your job search, and part of that means leveraging the latest technology. With a phone- and tablet-friendly interface, signing up is both fast and convenient. Even better, if an employer is interested in hiring you, they can text you directly through JobTap. This feature makes it possible to sign up, have an employer reach out to you, and schedule an interview in a matter of minutes—all from your phone. Revolutionize Your Job Search Looking back on the 1990s, it seems laughable that companies recruited with newspaper ads, and that job seekers applied for work with hand-written cover letters. Thanks to websites like JobTap, soon we’ll giggle at the idea of applying to online jobs one-by-one, spending hour after hour filling out individual applications. Sign up at JobTap.com, and enjoy the fastest hiring tool on the web. By Rocco Brown-Morris  July 09, 2013

How BeKnown Will Make Facebook Work for You

Monster has just launched a new professional networking app for Facebook users: BeKnown. BeKnown lets you identify and connect with friends and professional contacts from multiple sources to grow your professional network, enhance your online professional identity and discover new jobs.    

BeKnown allows users to build a professional network on Facebook -- the world's largest and most active social network-- while keeping personal and work-related contacts and content completely separated. BeKnown brings together the 700 million Facebook users and the 97 percent of Fortune 500 companies that use Monster to find candidates.

If you're on Facebook, you can now use BeKnown to:

• Create professional networks within a professional environment created by Monster -- without ever leaving Facebook. (No more need to switch back and forth between sites.)
   
• Easily invite contacts from other social networks to expand your BeKnown network beyond your existing Facebook friends. You can add contacts to BeKnown without having to become their Facebook friends.
   
• Keep social activity with friends and family separate from work-related activity with professional contacts.
   
• See Monster's millions of job postings -- and see who among your professional contacts on BeKnown is connected to the companies you're interested in.
   
• Connect professional networking to Monster’s job search and browse tools and import your Monster or LinkedIn profile to BeKnown from within the app.

BeKnown Invites

Joining BeKnown is easy -- the app guides you through a quick set-up process. You can opt to use your Facebook profile information and/or pull information from other networking sites and your Monster profile.

To invite contacts to join you on BeKnown, click on the Network tab and then on the Invite Friends button. You'll see there that you can invite contacts from your Twitter account, Gmail address book and Yahoo! Mail address book -- just click one of the icons and follow the instructions to grant BeKnown access to those accounts. (No one will be contacted without your permission -- you choose the contacts you want to invite.)

To invite contacts from a platform or program that doesn’t allow access to contacts, export those contacts as a CSV file. Here are the steps:

1. Export Your Connections As a CSV File: In LinkedIn, for example, go to the address-book export page, choose Microsoft Outlook (CSV file) from the Export drop-down menu, enter the security code and click on Export. This creates a new CSV file containing all your contacts’ information.
   
   Similarly, Microsoft Outlook and other programs let you export contacts to a CSV file.
   
   If you receive an error message during upload, you may need to reformat your CSV file. Learn more about CSV files here.
    
2. Import Those Connections into Your Gmail or Yahoo! Mail Account: In Gmail, click on Contacts, choose Import from the More Actions drop-down menu, click on Browse or Choose File, and then choose the CSV file you created in the first step. Finish by clicking on Import.
   
   In Yahoo! Mail, click on Contacts, click on the Import Contacts button and choose Others from the Source menu. Then select "A desktop email program" -- this will allow you to choose your CSV file.
   
   If you don't have a Yahoo or Gmail account, you can create one for free.
    
3. Access the Contacts from BeKnown: Now that you've added contacts to Gmail or Yahoo! mail, follow the instructions in BeKnown for inviting those contacts to joun your BeKnown network.

Reference:  Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor

How to Keep Your Spirits Up During a Job Search

If you're having a difficult time finding a job, and it seems like it's taking forever, don't despair. Here are some suggestions for keeping your spirit positive:

Think Up
The mind is a powerful vessel. How we think and what we think can control our spirits. We literally can think ourselves up or down. To keep out the negative thoughts and self-doubt:

• Wake up thinking or saying positive statements.
• Avoid negative media, news, emails, and downer movies and television.
• End the day thinking or saying positive statements.
• Think about the positives a new job brings: new skills, new relationships, and a new chance to show your skills and talents.

Positive Reminders
Surround yourself with quotes or statements of hope and encouragement. Write your favorites on sticky notes on the refrigerator or computer -- somewhere you can easily see them. Two of my favorites are from Winston Churchill:

• "The pessimist sees problems in every opportunity...whereas the optimist sees opportunity in every problem."
• "Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up..."

Take Steps
Literally. Move. Being a couch potato shows. Leave the house at least once a day. Exercise, jogging or walking will:

• Reenergize you.
• Help to clear the mental cobwebs.
• Prepare you to look your best for interviews.

Pamper Yourself with Kind Acts
How you treat yourself can impact your spirit.

• Play your favorite music softly in the background while you "work."
• Eat healthy without hugging the refrigerator. Now is not the time to bulk up.
• Sing -- regardless of quality. Singing happy songs will actually will help to stretch and relax your vocal chords while refreshing your spirit.
• Avoid being sloppy. Dress and groom yourself with respect -- for you.
• Treat yourself with affordable goodies such as a favorite food or beverage, an afternoon movie with popcorn, doing something touristy, or a mindless novel.

See Spirited People
Make sure you spend some time, preferably in person, with positive and supportive people every day.

• Surround yourself with yea-sayers and avoid the naysayers.
• Work your network.
• Call people rather than email or texting them -- it's more personal and supportive.
• If you're single and live alone, go to the library or a coffee shop to be around others.
• Help others in need. Get out of yourself from time to time.
• Spend quality time with your family and friends.

Keep at the Top of Your Game
Keeping your spirit up has a lot to do with how you feel about yourself. Don't let your skill set and knowledge slide.

• Keep up on industry news.
• Read trade journals and business magazines and newspapers.
• If possible, practice to improve your career skill set.

Now's the Time
Enjoy the positives of your job search, like having spare time. Remember all those times you said, "If I only had time, I'd..."

• Read those books.
• Clean that closet.
• Take that class.
• Get in better shape.

Do Your Best Work to Find Work
Knowing you're taking all the right steps to find a job will help improve your spirits.

• Write a perfect resume and cover letter for each job.
• Send X amount of resumes out each workday without fail.
• Keep up-to-date records of results.
• Keep accurate contact information on companies, executives and hiring agents.
• Have your interview clothes clean and ready to wear.
• Work at finding work every day.

Reference:

Article by  Pat Mayfield

Practice Makes Perfect: How to Rehearse for Your Next Job Interview

By Caroline M.L. Potter
There are a lot of steps that usually happen before you get to the interview portion of your job search: writing a resume, networking, compiling your references. Most folks are able to put a lot of effort into getting the interview, but many fall apart during the actual interview. Why? Poor planning and a lack of practice.
Instead of winging it, or relying solely on your professional skill set, you should stage a rehearsal for your next job interview.
Not sure how to go about doing so? Start by enlisting a family member, friend or partner to play the role of interviewer, and ask that she stay in character from start to finish. Set up a space, such as a desk or table, where you can create a suitable setting. Then use these 10 tips to from corporate trainer Marlene Caroselli to make your interviews -- both mock and real -- successful.
Do Your Homework
"Learn all you can about the organization in advance," advises Caroselli. Share this information with your mock interviewer, perhaps in the form of crib notes. She can use this to grill you.
Tune In
"Watch people being interviewed on television and make note of what works," she advises. Look for traits that make people likable and competent.
State the Unobvious
"Create one really intriguing statement about yourself," she says. "For example, a woman I know, expecting to be told, 'Tell us a bit about yourself [the most popular interview question],' replied, 'I think I should tell you I'm a nonconforming conformist.' She explained what she meant and wound up getting the job."
Think Outside the Box
A little visualization can go a long way, according to Caroselli, author of Principled Persuasion. "Think about a visual that really represents what you can do," she says. "It can be a photo taken at an event you organized, for example. If you have nothing that symbolizes your capabilities, then look for a pattern not readily apparent in your resume and be prepared to talk about that particular interest or talent, apart from your official work history."
Know Your Lines
Actors do it, and you should, too. "Memorize a few short quotes and have them ready," Caroselli says. "They'll help you respond articulately to virtually any question."
Sum It Up
The very first request an interviewer may make is, "Tell me about yourself." In order to answer this interview question quickly and succinctly, she urges interviewees, "Have an elevator speech ready in case they want a brief overview of your career."
Be Tough on Yourself
Research tough interview questions and provide them to your helper. Also, point out gaps in your skills or holes in your resume and instruct her to grill you on those points. "By comparison, your own, actual interview will seem like a walk in the park, and that prospect will encourage you," Caroselli says.
Capture It on Camera
"If possible, have someone video you doing an interview rehearsal," she says. "Then study your body language to see if it reveals confidence, poise and enthusiasm."
Listen Up
Close your eyes and listen back to the recording of your replies to interview questions. "Play the tape back and analyze your responses," she says. "Ask yourself, 'Would you hire you?'"
Stay Calm
Work on being relaxed before your big meeting. "When you get to the interview site and are waiting to be called in to the interview room, work on a brainteaser," Caroselli advises candidates. "Research shows it calms the nerves and takes your mind off the challenge ahead."

10 Job Interview Myths

According to veteran career coach David Couper

Here is his list of the top 10 job interview myths, and how to deal with them:

Myth #10: The interviewer is prepared.
"The person you're meeting with is probably overworked and stressed about having to hire someone," Couper says. "So make it easy for him or her. Answer that catchall request, 'Tell me about yourself", by talking about why you're a great fit for this job. If it's obvious they haven't read your resume, recap it briefly, and then tie it to the job you want." Tell them what they really need to know, so they don't have to come up with more questions.

Myth #9: Most interviewers have been trained to conduct thorough job interviews.
While human resources professionals do get extensive training in job interviewing techniques, the average line manager is winging it. "To make up for vague questions, be specific even if they don't ask," Couper suggests. "Be ready with two or three examples of particular skills and experiences that highlight why they should hire you."

Myth #8: It's only polite to accept an interviewer's offer of refreshment.
"They usually try to be courteous and offer you a drink, but they don't really want to bother with it," says Couper. "Unless the beverage in question is right there and won't take more than a second to get, just say, no, thank you."
Couper once interviewed a job candidate who said she would love a cup of tea, which, he recalls, "meant I spent half the allotted interview time looking for a tea bag, heating water, and so on. It was irritating."
Another good reason, Couper says, to decline caffeine is that "if the interview is a lengthy one, you don't want to need a restroom halfway through the conversation."

Myth #7: Interviewers expect you to hand over references' contact information right away.
Hold off until you're specifically asked, Couper advises, and even then, you can delay a bit by offering to send the information in an email in a day or two. There are at least two good reasons for not rushing it, Couper says. First, "you sometimes don't know until the end of the interview who would be the best references for this particular job," he notes. "If you get a sense that the interviewer cares most about, for instance, teamwork, you want to choose someone who can attest to your skills in that area. A reference who can only talk about some other aspect of your work is not going to help."
Second, and no less important, "you want a little time to prep your references, by gently coaching them on what you'd like them to say, before the employer calls them."

Myth #6: There's a right answer to every question an interviewer asks.
"Sometimes how you approach your answer is far more important than the answer itself," Couper says. If you're presented with a hypothetical problem and asked how you would resolve it, try to think of a comparable situation from the past and tell what you did about it.
Talkback: Has anything surprised you during a job interview?

Myth #5: You should always keep your answers short.
Here's where doing lots of research before an interview really pays off. "The more you've learned about the company and the job beforehand, the better able you are to tell why you are the right hire," Couper says.
Don't be afraid to talk at length about it, partly because it will spare the interviewer having to come up with another question for you (see Myth #1 above) and partly because "in a good interview, you should be talking about two-thirds of the time."

Myth #4: If you've got great qualifications, your appearance doesn't matter.
Reams of research on this topic have proven that physical attractiveness plays a big part in hiring decisions. "Anyone who says otherwise is lying," Couper says. "People care about your looks, so make the absolute most of what you've got." Even if you're not drop-dead gorgeous, it's impossible to overestimate the importance of looking "healthy, energetic, and confident."

Myth #3: When asked where you see yourself in five years, you should show tremendous ambition.
The five-year question is a common one, and it's uncommonly tricky. "Interviewers want you to be a go-getter, but they also worry that you'll get restless if you don't move up fast enough. So you want to say something that covers all bases, like, 'I'd be happy to stay in this job as long as I'm still learning things and making a valuable contribution,'" says Couper.
You might also consider turning the question around and asking, "Where do you see me in five years?" Says Couper, "Sometimes the answer to that -- like, 'Well, we'd expect you to keep doing the same thing we hired you to do' -- is a good way to spot a dead-end job."

Myth #2: If the company invites you to an interview, that means the job is still open.
Alas, no. In fact, the job may never have existed in the first place: "Some companies use 'interviews' to do market research on the cheap. They ask you about your current or recent duties, your pay scale, and so on, to get information for comparison purposes." Another possibility, Couper says, is that "they may already have a strong internal candidate in mind for the job but just want to see if they come across someone better."
If you get an interview through a networking contact, he adds, "an employer may interview you simply as a courtesy to the person who referred you, if that is someone they don't want to disappoint."
Even if the job opening is phony, it's still worth going, he says: "Sometimes they discover you're a good fit for a different opening that really does exist. You never know where an interview might lead."

And the #1 myth about job interviewing: The most qualified person gets the job.
In at least one crucial respect, a job interview is like a date: Chemistry counts.
"A candidate who is less qualified, but has the right personality for the organization and hits it off with the interviewer, will almost always get hired over a candidate who merely looks good on paper," Couper says.
What can you do if you suspect you're not knocking an interviewer's socks off?
"At the end of the discussion, you'll probably be asked if you have any questions," Couper says. "If you sense the person has reservations about your style, ask what the ideal candidate for this job would be like." Then think fast. Can you talk a bit about how you fit that profile? "Addressing any concerns the interviewer might have, beyond your formal qualifications, is your chance to seal the deal," Couper says.

Talkback: Has anything surprised you during a job interview? If you're an interviewer, what do you look for in candidates? Tell us on Facebook, below.