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Writing A Compelling Cover Letter

The importance of a cover letter in a recruiter’s hiring decision is quickly dwindling. Do I really need to use a cover letter? It’s a question I hear from job-seekers every day. The role a cover letter plays in a hiring decision pales in comparison to job experience and culture fit.  However, when you throw out the “traditional” cover letter that so many recruiters are used to and instead, use a brief pointed e-note that touches on both experience and culture fit. it’s a winning combination.

However, let’s start by clarifying that the “traditional cover letter” as you may know it, has gone.  Here are five key cover letter writing strategies you need to know now—before you sit down to pen your next cover letter.

IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE…… GIVE UP THE OLD.

The cover letter as you’re probably visualizing it in your head is gone. Long-winded, life-storytelling, boring cover letters are doing your job search NO FAVORS.  Keep it really short and simple.  In fact, you need to aim for 150 words or less.  Recruiters are short on time and attention—and the chances are VERY high that they’re going to be reading those introductory words on their mobile devices.  It can be a challenge to write so lean, clean, and concise, but start writing and then as many times as you need to until you’ve cut it down to 150 words.

DITCH THE WORN-OUT OPENING LINE.

Get rid of “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Hiring Manager”. Guess what? If technology has advanced enough that I can look someone up on the Internet and find their home address and telephone number, you can spend a couple of minutes finding out the name of the person in charge of hiring, interviewing, or making the decisions about the position that you want to pursue.

LOOK FOR FIT

Make the connection on your cover letter between what you do (your personal brand) and how that fits into the organization, culture, and the position you want.  Research the company’s culture, the department you would like to work in, the company’s mission and more—to make sure it’s a good fit for you.

BE THE SOLUTION

What is its biggest need or pain point right now? Then tie their problem into how you are the solution.  Find out about a problem the company has or is trying to solve.  YOU are the solution.  Provide proof of how you’ve solved problems—and do so with quantifiable statements.

CLOSE WITH A COMPELLING CALL TO ACTION

End with a compelling call to action. Customize your call to action in any way you want. Get them to take action—whether that action is to call you, e-mail, view your LinkedIn profile, or visit your online resume. Don’t let them stop after reading your e-note; you want them to be compelled to contact you. Mine might say:

 

Ready for results like these? Let’s chat!

Or:

Want to learn more? Visit my website http://www.lohiconsulting.com

Or:

Interested? Let’s talk! Call me on 01-632210.

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Ready For That Interview?

Earlier, we discussed important tips that is necessary for an interview to turn into a successful employment; whilst demonstrating your true interest in the position as a candidate. This concluding part highlights what is required for that next interview.

You were not ready to talk about yourself

You weren’t prepared to tell them why you want to work at this company at this time in this position. Many interviewers will ask you to tell them something about yourself, but you don’t know what to say. It is a sign that you are not ready for the interview.

How to Fix It

This is your opportunity to explain why you are a great match and what you have to offer. Without bragging, be prepared to answer questions about yourself in advance and tell them about your previous experience, what it has taught you, and how it can help you in the role for which you are applying. Discuss how you are best suited to the organization’s corporate culture, use real examples of relevant challenges you’ve faced, how you addressed them, and the results. This tells employers you know what you’re talking about and that you can do the job.

You did not prepare any questions.

At the end of the interview, when the hiring manager asks if you have any questions, you say NO. It implies that you have no interest in the organization you are hoping to work for. A candidate should always prepare questions in advance that demonstrate an interest in the job.

How to Fix It

Excitement about the position is a major factor in the hiring decision. Express enthusiasm during the interview and have several questions prepared in advance! Prepare thoughtful questions to ask at the end of your interview. By asking questions about the company, its mission, or why employees love working there, you’re showing a genuine interest in learning about the company that you want to work for. Stay away from asking questions that can be found on the website or that shows ignorance, such as “what does the company do?”

Quick Note

Make sure, during the interview, that you address cultural fit. According to a 2016 Recruiter National survey, 60% of recruiters reported that culture fit was a key part of their hiring decision.interview

Get Ready! Get Set!! Go Get The Job!!!

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Are You Ready For That Interview?

So you think that you are ready for that job interview?
interviewCongratulations on getting your foot in the door with a new organization! Securing a coveted interview with a potential employer means you have passed the first test.  Yes, being asked to interview is an achievement in itself.

 

The time to prepare to wow the interviewer(s) with your knowledge, relevant experience, and ability to meld with the company’s corporate culture is now!

Let’s check some signs that you are not prepared for the big job interview with tips on how to get ready to rock it instead.

Sign 1: You don’t know about the company

It will be obvious to your interviewer if you didn’t do your research ahead of time—and it will hurt your chances of being asked back. You do not know what type of work the company does, the company culture, or any details of the position you have applied for. You really are not prepared if you know nothing about the company.

Fix it

Visit the company’s website to learn about the company’s services or products, the clients they serve and what it does best. Likewise, you could even reach out to a couple of the company’s current employees to find out what they love most about working for the organization. Also visit the company’s LinkedIn and Facebook pages to get a better understanding of the company, any bleeding needs they have, and, most importantly, the company’s culture. Do your homework ahead of time by researching the company

Sign 2: You forgot important documents

When you get the call for an interview, be sure to ask how many people will be interviewing you so you know how many copies to take along.  It also never hurts to have a couple of extra copies at hand.  Yes, you should have several copies of these printed items with you on crisp, professional paper.  Note that, if you did not bring your resume, cover letter and credentials, you are not prepared for the interview and it will show.

Fix it

The impressive thing to do is to visit the company website and social media after you receive an invitation to interview.  Review the requirements of the position for which you are interviewing and adjust your cover letter and resume accordingly to demonstrate how well you will fit in and what you bring to the table.  Print several copies at least two days before the interview on professional resume paper, this way, don’t have to panic about printing these the morning of the interview if you have taken care of this in advance.

Sign 3: You didn’t to dress to impress

The old adage “Dress to impress” still holds true.  Dressing is a big problem.  Recruiters report that candidates not dressing appropriately for the position are a major factor in their hiring decision. The excuse that you didn’t have proper interview attire, so you’re not dressed appropriately doesn’t hold water.

Fix it

You can invest in at least one great interview outfit, dress for the job you want. Keep your look conservative and professional. Try on your entire ensemble when you get home after buying, to make sure everything fits well and is comfortable far before the interview. This gives you time to make any necessary alterations and allows you to feel primed when the big day arrives.

The signs are quite enormous, so watch-out for the concluding part!

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Personal Branding!

HOW PERSONAL BRANDING CAN ENHANCE YOUR CAREER

We think of personal branding mostly from a professional or career standpoint, but it spans across your career and personal life. It is an ongoing process where you establish a professional image, leaving an impression on others about who you are, what you can do, and why they should want to work with you.

Personal branding can have long-term effects on your career path as well as your earning potential.  Personal branding is a vital part of a successful job search.  Before you can build your own personal brand, you must understand what it is and how to wield it to your benefit in today’s career market.  It cannot be emphasized enough the importance of positive personal branding in your career pursuit.

Personal Branding, What’s that??

Personal branding is about what people know you for professionally, how people view you, and the value you bring to others. It is the practice of people marketing themselves, their talents, and their careers as a Brand.

Personal Branding, How??

It is recommended to start off by sitting down and mapping out what you believe you’re best known for and what you feel like your best brand attributes are, also think about why you absolutely love doing what you do.  Your personal brand is in the minds of those who know you best and they can help you uncover what does and does not resonate with those around you so you can make appropriate adjustments to your own personal branding. So, you can send out to your network/colleagues/friends/family to gather insights into your own brand image.

Avoid the following;

Keep the following in mind when building your personal brand.

  • Don’t stagnate. Keep learning, growing, and getting better at what you do.
  • Keep it positive. Negativity will hurt you more than a lack of experience.
  • Culture fit is king. People report higher levels of career satisfaction when there is a culture fit.
  • People want to hire employees with a great attitude and terrific character. Prove you have those two qualities plus the experience and you have a golden ticket to success.personal branding

Figure out your personal brand now if you haven’t already.

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Work Etiquette

business-1869266_640Work/Business Etiquette You Need To Know.

Admittedly, we all slip up occasionally. After all, Etiquette is just a code of conduct that allows us to live and work together with relative ease, foster good relationships, and reduces the social frictions that impede our happiness and even our professional success but “Poor manners hurt your career because the little things matter”.  Very often, reputations are built on the basis of a first impression that takes someone approximately 3 seconds to formulate,” says Alexandra Levit, a career expert. Truly, office etiquette can be tricky in these days of in-house exercising, informal digital communication and open-plan workspaces. Here are some work/etiquettes you should know.

    1. Stand: You should lean forward to indicate that you would stand, if you could, if you are caught off guard and cannot rise. Always stand when you’re being introduced to someone. Standing helps establish your presence so you make it easy for others to ignore you if you don’t stand.
    2. Handshake:  in today’s workplace, handshake is the business greeting. You want to be taken seriously? Then you must shake hands, especially in a correct way. Regardless of gender, the lower-ranking person should extend his or her hand without missing more than a beat if the higher rank person fails to do so either way, handshake must be exchanged.
    3. Full Name: Meeting someone for the first time, you must say your full name. If you are the one doing the introduction, always introduce people the way they want they want to be introduced.  If your name is too long or difficult to pronounce, then give your business card to others or company a short name.
    4. Don’t Cross Your Legs: Remember the health implication “crossing your legs is bad for your circulation because it increases the pressure on your veins”.  In today’s workplace, especially in a business meeting, crossing your legs is distracting and even too sexy for a professional setting. Sit with your back straight.
    5. Dress Appropriately: You want to send a professional message through your clothing choices, clothing enhances a person’s professional reputation or detract from his or her credibility.  Always find out what the dress code is at the event meeting you’re going to and ensure that your clothing is within the dress code.  Save the see-through dresses, sandals with socks, Lycra bike shorts, muscle shirts, and plunging necklines for other occasions.
    6. Ubiquity of Smartphones: this is a major change in the 21st century work place, wearing an earpiece in a work environment puts a “Do not disturb” sign on you. It sends a message to colleagues that you want to be left alone, an unfriendly gesture at best. Also, take care to respect someone’s space while receiving a phone call, don’t be loud.  Listening to your voice message via speakerphone is improper in a work environment.
    7. Be Polite: Interrupting when someone is speaking and texting during a meeting are all signs that you’re not giving someone your full time and attention, and that’s off-putting. It is casual rudeness.  Also, remember “knock, knock” when entering someone’s cubicle or office space.
    8. Thank you: Within a conversation, only say thank you once or twice else, there will be a possibility that you will appear helpless or needy.

Conclusively, if you’re not using proper office/business etiquette, chances increase that you’re likely to pull a bone-headed move outside the office that also can hurt your career.  Be wise!

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Why Bother With A Resume Update???

Why bother with a resume update?

The truth of the matter is, most people shelve their CVs once they’re comfortably employed, letting them gather dust. If this is you, it’s safe to say you need an updated resume in order to be a top contender in your quest for a sweet new job. You have to use every possible advantage to compete in today’s job market. You should update your resume every six to 12 months to add new skills and experiences,” says career expert Vicki Salemi.

You don’t want to delay applying for the job because you need time to update your materials when the next awesome job opportunity will arise, you probably have some stuff on there that dates you or makes you look stale, and you want to be ready for it since recruiters spend about six seconds viewing a resume, you can’t afford to be anything less than sparkling plus you have the best chance of being considered for a job if you apply within the first 24 hours.

Check out the following tips

1.Erase that Objective: A 25-word wow statement highlighting who you are and what you have done is all you need. Sweep away that Objective and replace it with a new and improved summary. So, for starters, get rid of the “objective” field. That’s yesterday’s news and a potential red flag to hiring managers that you’re not on top of current standards and practices in the workplace.

2. Spray away boring Verbs: Employers want to recruit talent that is passionate about what they do and enthusiastic about their company. Use keywords that are key in your field. Cross-check job ads to ascertain the expected keywords. Replace sterile and overused verbs with action verbs such as launched, improved, influenced, developed and so on. Nothing kills mojo quicker than lifeless verbs floundering on your resume.

3.Replace obscure fonts: Playful, unprofessional fonts are an eyesore. For example, font like Comic sans with common easily-read font like Verdana, Calibri, Times new roman and so on. but in case you are not sure, take a look at some current sample resumes to see what is and is not in fashion.

4. Toss out outdated skills: Terminology changes from year to year, so be sure your resume reflects current trends. Old software programs or other examples of terminology from yesteryear that may make you seem out of the loop should be tossed out of your resume.

5. Boost Your Social profile: A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 84% of employers recruit via social media, and 43% of employers screen job candidates through social networks and search engines. An active online presence speaks volumes to your potential employers. Just make sure that people who are searching for you online will like what they find. You can add non-abrasive social network and embedded links.