Cover Letters and More.docx

1、Cover Letters and MoreCover Letters and MoreCover It in Your ResumeDoes your cover letter make a great first impression? What if its never read? Make your resume stand on its own.Your Reference ListDont let this important part of your resume just be an add-on. Work your reference list to get more of

2、fers.Cover Letters That SellIf everything were equal between two job candidates, the one who puts extra effort into a cover letter has the best shot at getting an interview. Not sure what to say? We walk you through the anatomy of a great cover letter.Be My ReferenceTake a proactive approach with re

3、ferences by heeding these five golden rules. You, and your references, will be happy you made the effort.Cover Letter DontsDont miss your chance to grab the hiring managers attention. Let this list of 10 common missteps guide you.Declining an OfferShort on time and long on stress, youre about to ver

4、bally decline a job offer. Do yourself a favor and express your regrets in writing. Well show you how.Sample Cover LetterYour cover letter can introduce your accomplishments to a potential employer with specific examples of past success. Learn from Monsters Resume Expert.Cold Cover LettersDid you kn

5、ow that more than 80 percent of job openings are not advertised? Try using a cold cover letter and get a jump on the competition.Networking LettersJobs are often filled without being advertised. Networking letters may help you uncover these hidden opportunities.Monster Cover LettersNow that your res

6、ume is on Monster, you need to create an attention-grabbing cover letter to go with it.Follow-Up LetterWhat do you do after youve had a successful networking or introductory call? A good letter cant hurt. Heres an example.Sample LettersGot cover letter writers block? Unsure of how to approach an emp

7、loyer through the written word or craft a post-interview thank-you note? Check out these examples for some ideas.One for All?If your pen is no mightier than a boiled lasagna noodle, you might be looking to grind out one cover letter and trying to chisel it down to fit every employer. Not a good idea

8、 - heres why.Writing RecommendationsAt some point in your career, someone will likely ask you to write them a letter of recommendation. How do you compose it to help them land a job or keep them from getting one?Job Reference FAQWho is a good or bad reference? What are these people asked? What if th

9、e employer cant reach them? These types of questions and more, answered within.What If They Read Your Resume First?by Kim IsaacsMonster Resume ExpertYour cover letter is a perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to hiring managers, dazzle them with your credentials and persuade them to read your r

10、esume, right?Sure - unless hiring managers never read it.While its important that your resume is accompanied by a hard-hitting cover letter, busy hiring managers often review your resume before deciding whether or not to take the time to read your cover letter, which means they may never get to it.K

11、nowing this potential fate for your cover letter, the best strategy is to craft your resume with the assumption that your letter might not get read. If your resume omits important details found in your cover letter, revise the resume to incorporate any information you think would entice a hiring man

12、ager to call you for an interview.Ask yourself these questions to determine if your resume needs to be modified:Is Your Resume Up to Date?If you havent updated your resume recently and are using the cover letter to explain your recent employment, educational credentials, etc., take the time now to u

13、pdate your resume.Whats Your Objective?Are you using a one-size-fits-all-jobs resume and relying on your cover letter to clarify your career goal? If your resume does not clearly spell out your objective, you could be overlooked. Job seekers with more than one career goal achieve better results when

14、 they set up multiple resume versions, each one targeting a different objective. You can easily add your goal to your resumes Objective or Qualifications Summary section.Have You Elaborated on Your Work Experience and Accomplishments?When scanning through piles of resumes, hiring managers will revie

15、w your last couple of positions to see if your experience matches their needs. Dont skimp on your employment section. For your most recent (and most related) positions, write a paragraph that describes your primary job tasks so hiring managers understand the scope of your duties. Then show that your

16、e a top performer by adding a Key Contributions section for each position held. Write about challenges you faced in each of your positions, the results of your work and the ways your employers benefited from your performance. Dont just rely on your cover letter for this in case it doesnt get read.Ar

17、e Your Skills Clearly Listed?Hiring managers are usually looking for candidates with a specific skill set. Create a bulleted section called Areas of Expertise that includes the keywords for your related skills and proficiency areas. Use the Skills section in your Monster resume to highlight job-rela

18、ted skills.Are You Willing to Relocate?While this may feel like it belongs in your letter, if you are available to relocate or have definite plans to move, include this information in your resumes heading along with your current address. For example, put: 揜elocating to Dallas, Texas in April 2003?or

19、 揂vailable to Relocate Internationally.?On your Monster resume, include your geographic preferences under Target Location.Are You Reachable?If your cover letter states the best way to reach you (e.g., by cell phone), be sure this information is also included on your resume. You want to make it as ea

20、sy as possible for interested hiring managers to contact you.Important: Dont forget that hiring managers use different methods to select candidates. Some will read the cover letter first and carefully consider its content, so its best to always include a compelling cover letter.Talk about this artic

21、le and get expert advice on the Resume Tips message board.Tell us what you think about this article. Your Reference List Is a Marketing Toolby Kim IsaacsMonster Resume ExpertJulia Jobseeker knows the value of professional references.After she interviewed for a sales manager position, the employer as

22、ked her for the names of three references. Julia knew she was among the top candidates and the reference check could seal the deal.She carefully selected her references, and then spoke with each of them to ensure they fully understood her skills and accomplishments, and could effectively sell her to

23、 hiring managers. Her diligence made the difference.You, too, can transform a simple reference list into a powerful marketing tool. Follow these steps:General Reference Tips Choose references who know the value of your work and will speak positively about you. Dont include references who have impres

24、sive job titles but dont really know much about you. Your references should also have good communication skills so they can convince hiring managers you would be a valued employee. You dont need to confine your references to current or former supervisors. When selecting your references, consider the

25、 message youre trying to convey. For example, if youre a sales manager trying to prove your leadership and account management skills, you might select your supervisor, a contact from a key account and one of your employees. Other possibilities include vendors, customers, instructors, professors, adv

26、isors, community leaders, colleagues, mentors and other business acquaintances. Avoid family members and friends - unless you worked with them in a business capacity. Everyone knows Aunt Betty will only have wonderful things to say about you. Ask your references for permission to supply their contac

27、t information to potential employers. Provide an updated copy of your resume to all of your references to help them sell you. If youve been asked for a set number of references, its a good idea to provide a couple more than requested. This way, if the employer isnt able to reach one or two of your c

28、ontacts, he may continue trying to reach other contacts on your list. Availability of references might speed up your job offer. The number of references you should provide depends on your profession. Most job seekers should have three to five references, but in some fields (such as medicine and acad

29、emia), a longer list is typical.Set Up Your ListCreate a new document for your references with a header like Professional Reference List, and follow with your references names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. You might also provide a short synopsis of your relationship with the referen

30、ce and the number of years youve been acquainted. Keep the design consistent with your resume and cover letter, using the same heading, fonts and general layout.Sample Reference ListCover Letters That Sellby Kim IsaacsMonster Resume ExpertJohn and Linda applied for the same job. They are equally qua

31、lified and each submitted an excellent resume that emphasizes accomplishments, training, positive work ethic and dedication.John included a general cover letter that outlined his career history and aspirations. To save time, he used the same letter to apply for every job opening he looked at. Linda

32、put more effort into her letter. She found out the hiring managers name and addressed him directly. She researched the company, and learned about its mission, past performance, goals and corporate culture. She also studied the job description and clearly spelled out how she is an excellent match for that particular opening. Linda backed up her claims by highli