What is a cover letter

What is a cover letter by Michael Cheary Not sure how to sell your application? We’ve got you covered… When it comes to finding a new job, cover letters are possibly the most underrated part of the whole application process. Mainly due to the fact that most of us aren’t even 100% sure what they’re actually for.But a well written cover letter is the perfect way to set yourself apart and help sell your application, not to mention convince a recruiter you’re the right person for the role.To make sure you stop underestimating yours, here are a few things you should know about cover letters: Free Cover Letter Template Email address: Please enter a valid email addressmessage here By clicking Submit, you accept our Terms & Conditions and consent to receive emails and career related topics. See our Privacy policy for details. Continue without submitting Download Free Cover Letter TemplateWhat is a cover letter?A cover letter is a document you send with your CV (traditionally as the front cover).However, it differs from a CV in that instead of being a written overview of your skills and experience, it’s specifically written with the job you’re applying for in mind â€" allowing you to highlight certain areas you think would make you right for the role.What should a cover letter include?Although cover letters are a lot less rigid than CVs, there are still some things you should always aim to include.Here a few essential things you should aim to cover in your cover letter:Your personal details (e.g. name, address, phone number)The hiring manager’s name (if you have it)Where you found the vacancyWhy you’re suitable for the jobWhat you can do for the companyClosing statements (including thanking the r ecruiter for their time)Free cover letter templateHow to write a cover letterWhy is a cover letter important?To put it simply, your cover letter is the easiest and most effective way to stand out from the crowd.It brings a something extra to the table when you apply for a job â€" the employer will learn more about you, your personality, what you actually want from the job and gain insight as to why you’re applying.And, as your CV is supposed to be short and sweet, your cover letter is the perfect way to elaborate on your achievements.How should a cover letter be formatted?Much like a CV, there is no one-size-fits-all format when it comes to writing a cover letter.However, the layout will say a lot about your approach, and your overall attention to detail. For that reason, it definitely isn’t something that should be underestimated.To make sure what you write is logical, to the point and easy to read, here are some key rules to follow for your cover letter:Be clear and conciseKee p paragraphs short and directBack up any statements you make with facts figuresChoose a professional fontCheck spelling and grammarUse a templateFive things you need to stop doing on your cover letterHow long should a cover letter be?Around half a page of A4 (one page maximum).It should be a little more in-depth than your CV, but keep it punchy and to the point. Recruiters don’t want your life story.Do I have to have a cover letter?You should always submit a cover letter with your CV. No exceptions.*Not only does it show you’re serious about the job you’re applying for, it also gives you a chance to tailor your application to the role.Do I need to include research in my cover letter?Researching the company will definitely help your cause.Of course, it’s important not to go over the top and end up giving them a full history of their business, but don’t be scared to throw in facts that are relevant.They’ll be impressed when they see that you’ve actually put a bit of tim e to one side so that you can learn about the company that you could potentially be working for.Can I use a cover letter template?Yes. Yes you can.Luckily, we know where there are some pretty good ones…Cover letter templates*You know, unless you’re specifically told not to. Then you’re officially off the hook.Still searching for your perfect position? Try our free cover letter template, or view all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the Cover Letters

5 Bad Habits and Why to Kick them NOW!

5 Bad Habits and Why to Kick them NOW! We all want to improve ourselves. At times our own bad habits get in the way of the life we truly know we deserve. Scientists have come up with many reasons why we stick to bad habits. Some may be harmless yet annoying while others could be self-sabotaging. Why do we persist? More importantly how can we stop? Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a Manhattan based neuropsychologist, addresses some of the most common habits and why to kick them now!  Overspending your way into debt. Money worries can have serious health consequences. In a Rutgers University telephone survey, responders said financial stress contributed to high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, headaches, digestion troubles, aches and pains, ulcers, excessive smoking and drinking, and gaining or losing weight. As Dr. Hafeez points out, “Getting yourself out of debt is a lot like losing weight. It takes time, can be hard on your ego and your lifestyle, you have to be constantly vigilant, and its easy to revert back to old habits. But for those who succeed, and many people do, the results are stunning. Youll feel more in control of your life with less stress and fewer worries. They key here is recognizing the problem and not trying to tackle it alone.” Overusing painkillers and sedatives. When not taken properly, long-term habitual use of pain medications can cause more problems than it solves. Using drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin for arthritis or muscle pain can over time increase your risk for ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. Since these drugs ease pain you may want to keep on taking them, which can lead to addiction. According to Dr. Hafeez, “New pain-relief strategies can ease muscle, joint, and head pain with fewer pills and side effects. Kicking the sedative and prescription pain pill habit is possible with commitment and support, and once the pill taking has ceased, your body will quickly rebound from their effects. Youll spend less money on medications. You may cut your risk for heart and high blood pressure problems as well as gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. Youll also be more alert and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that youve beaten a drug dependency.” Nail biting (onychophagia)   Nail biting can happen when stressed or excited, or in times of boredom or inactivity. It can lead to bleeding and even possibly infection. You might be involved in another activity, such as reading, watching television, or talking on the phone, and bite your nails without thinking about it. Dr. Hafeez says that, “Unfortunately, nail biting is as much a habit as it is a response to anxiety. So there are two parts to stopping it. The first part is breaking the habit. The second part is making sure you control your anxiety.” Stress-Eating There are many reasons people turn to food when they experience negative emotions, such as stress, sadness, or boredom. Food can serve as a distraction from life’s realities. Research has also suggested that foods that are high in fat and sugar may actually (temporarily) quiet parts of the brain that create and process negative emotions. “When a person turns to food as a coping tool, they run the risk of high blood pressure, obesity, hypertension, joint pain and other debilitating health conditions,” explains Dr. Hafeez. She adds, “the ability to draw upon other coping mechanisms such as exercise, deep breathing, counting when stressed or daily meditation can help ease off the need to soothe with food.” Cell Phone Social Media Addiction Countless hours are wasted on devices meant to make us more productive and connected. Look around a restaurant, a city street, a shopping mall, and people are texting, snapping selfies and posting to social media. “Many people feel anxiety when they notice their cell phone battery running out. Many get physically uneasy at the thought of going hours without checking their cell phone,” says Dr. Hafeez. “This anxiousness is a sign of addiction. I advise gradually challenging yourself to see how you can enjoy a meal, a TV show, or a walk without the need to look at your phone. Start with 30 minutes, then 60 minutes. Then decide to unplug one day per week!” Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed neuropsychologist and a teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and clinical director of the Comprehend the Mind Institutes in Manhattan and Queens. She was a long time child school psychologist and specializes in  providing neuropsychological, educational and developmental evaluations to both adults and children in her practice.   She works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, autism, attention and memory problems, trauma and brain injury, abuse, childhood development and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…) In addition, Dr. Hafeez serves as a medical expert for various  news  outlets and programs, and as an expert witness providing full evaluations and witness testimony to law firms and courts. Connect with her via twitter  @comprehendMind  or at  www.comprehendthemind.com Image credits: Main.  Pills.  Donuts.

You should lead from the middle

You should lead from the middle People talk about leadership like its a business crisis, and the exit of the baby boomers leaves a huge gap, and there are no aspiring leaders in the younger workforce. But what we have is actually a semantic problem rather than a leadership problem. The issue is that in the age of the Internet, what it means to be a leader is changing. And we need a new way to talk about leadership so we can talk about identifying leaders. The old view of leadership is doing it from the top. To baby boomers, leadership is a game where you try to get to the top and then everyone will follow you. Baby boomers have had to compete forever, for everything, because there were so many of them trying to get on the same path for success. Tammy Ericksons book, Whats Next Gen X, has lots of fun tidbits about generational conflict. To Gen X she says, Your expectation to be treated individually to be allowed to play the game by our own rules contrasts with boomers willingness to play by established rules in competition for individual rewards. Baby boomers competed for a big salary which they translated to a visual trophy: a McMansion. This gives us a visual for the lack of interest Gen X has in Baby Boomer style managment: McMansions for sale with no buyers. Leadership style is generational. Other generations do not compete with near the gusto of baby boomers. And we have, in our midst, a generation primed for leadership, faced down by a generation that does not understand that leadership is changing. People lead in the way they would like to follow. This is why Gen X is notoriously hands-off in the leadership space; Gen X doesnt actually care who is in charge as long as the work gets done. Like Gen X, Gen Y is uncomfortable with ranking and hierarchy, but for different reasons. Gen Y understands teamwork better than Baby Boomers or Gen Xers. Gen Y spent years being on a soccer team where everyone wins, and in study groups where people actually help each other. Leadership according to Gen Y: everyone is working together, in a non-competitive way. Beware of BS books about women leaders. Heres one that just came through my email: The Next Generation of Women Leaders. The book features the baby boomer generation of women leaders. There are women who climbed the corporate ladder like its 1970. There are women who did not have kids. There are women who got MBAs it their late twenties when it has been shown that this is a good career move for men, but not for women who want to have children. In general, I think you should stay away from most business stuff targeted at women. And this is no exception: Look for the next generation of women leaders among people who are leading collaboratively, in a non-linear way. Because while men and women can both lead this way, no woman ever got to the top of anything, with kids, without a innovative plan that relied on lots of people to help. (Cathy Benkos book on Mass Career Customization a great starting point for non-linear career advice.) The way to be a good leader is to lead from the middle. The Internet has changed the idea of authority. The old ways of gaining authority, by jumping through corporate or academic hoops have been superceeded by the democratized and ubiquitous access to information. Changes in authority necessarily lead to changes in leadership. I recently heard the term leading from the middle (thanks, Grady). Theres a lot written about it. Heres one book: 360 Degree Leader: Developing your influence from anywhere in the organization. And, lest you think trade magazines are dumping ground sub-par writing, check out Furniture World. Dan Caughlin writes about leading from the middle: To be a leader, take a stand on a given issue, decide what you believe in, and work to influence how other people think in the way you believe to be most effective. I like this thinking that leaders are giving ideas rather than giving orders. The idea that new leadership is about influencing rather than dominating makes sense because the generation that grew up on the Internet Gen Y is better than everyone else at expressing ideas as an influencer. And I also like this because at Brazen Careerist we give people the opportunity to build a profile page that aims to make you known for your ideas, and not just your resume which gives more meaning to your career and allows people to hire you for your real potential to contribute. Get a tribe. Seth Godin reshapes the idea of leadership with his book, Tribes: We You to Lead Us. At a recent TED conference, Seth talked about Tribes. He explains that the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Tribes come together based on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. While I would never be called early adopter of technology (I didnt try twitter til it was in Time magazine) I like experimenting with tools for building tribes. My top three tools are this blog, my twitter feed, and my group on Brazen Careerist. All three allow me to shape a conversation, but also learn from the conversation, which is what leading from the middle is all about. A lot of times I write about how if you are not learning something new when you write a blog post, then you are not writing anything that other people will learn from. I think this is true with leading, as well. If you are not inspired in a fresh way from the middle, then no one else in the middle will be inspired. Thats why collaborative leadership is exciting to me. As a Gen X-er its hard for me to want to be part of a group. But as an intellectual, isolation scares me, and I love the idea of collaborative learning, which is what good leadership involves.

Is Recruiting Your Competitors Sales Employees Profitable - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Is Recruiting Your Competitors Sales Employees Profitable - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career With relative frequency, our recruiters come across organizations that believe it to be an advantageous strategy to recruit from their competition. This is understandable. On the surface, the strategy appears to carry merit. Employers assume that those who have experience in a field will need less ramp-up time, less handholding from management and will have a greater likelihood of staying with the organization. Unfortunately, closer analysis of the seemingly advantageous recruiting approach will prove it all but illogical. Via using our common sense, we can illuminate the risks and disadvantages involved for organizations seeking to hire sales professionals directly from their competitors. Analyzing a Sales Representative’s Reason for Leaving When we analyze the reason for a competing business development representative wanting to leave their current organization, we run into several red lights that beg further analysis and questioning. Eventually, they will all but disprove the theory that recruiting sales reps from direct competitors has advantages. If a sales representative is doing well at a competitor, in the overwhelming majority of cases, there is no advantage for that individual to leave for a parallel position. Conversely, for those who are struggling, there are a multitude of advantages to consider direct competitors. Many sales representatives know that competitors are an easy way to get a bump in salary (whether it be from their new employer or via using a competing offer as leverage against their current hiring manager). Until a hiring manager can really dig at these issues during an interview process, there is little reason to believe that that new employee will prove to be an all-star. Experience has shown our executive recruiting team the direct opposite. Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen little correlation between a sales employee’s ability to succeed and direct pertinent experience in a field. There are poor vendors in every industry just as there are a multitude of subpar sales representatives. If a sales representative provides significant reasoning for their departure, there are more variables that need to be addressed. The next logical question is regarding whether the new prospective employee has a non-compete clause. Often, sales representatives who are effective are required to agree to a legal formality that prevents them from operating against their employer in the near future. Employers who understand HR law know that they are able to circumvent the non-competes because they are rarely enforceable against employees. While there may not be an ability for a past employer to take action, there still are ethical questions that need to be raised. Common sense will tell an employer that if a sales representative is willing to break an agreement with a past employer and attempt to convert clients, it is more than likely that the employee will repeat their actions. This behavior does not exist in a vacuum. If the employee does not plan on approaching old clients, this: 1. Immediately limits the amount of prospects they can approach. 2. Begs the question as to whether the individual has the resiliency and energy to start their book of business from scratch. Clients Rarely Follow Sales Representatives Unfortunately, the defiance of logic in this recruiting approach goes even further. Let’s say that a sales representative claims they have a large following of clients that they can bring over to their new company. That would, again beg the question as to why are they leaving? Regardless, an overwhelming majority of companies are hesitant to switch solutions based upon a sales representative moving companies. Even though the sales representative may claim that there are a multitude of unhappy clients at their current company (and their claims may be true) chances are those clients would have gone somewhere else if they weren’t locked into some form of contract. Moreover, people try to avoid making the same mistake twice. That means that unsatisfied clients are much less likely to consider or trust the sales representative a second time pending things didn’t go as planned during the initial run of doing business. If these clients were unhappy and were not locked into a contract, there are 15 other firms vying for their business. They would be long gone or in the process or moving on (again, with a negative viewpoint of the company and, more likely than not the sales rep). Pending they do still trust the sales rep., time is another factor working against that new business development employee. Odds are high that the former clients have already actively approached alternative solutions (most of the time, they are well into the sales process with other firms providing another significant hurdle). While there are exceptions to the rule, there are not enough to warrant substantial revenue generation via a new sales employee’s old book of business.

Try Before You Buy Job Search - Career Pivot

Try Before You Buy Job Search - Career Pivot Try Before You Buy? Have you thought of using the “try before you buy” method for finding your next job? “Try before you buy” is when you offer to serve as a contractor or a consultant (at a competitive rate) to see if you want to work for the employer…AND the employer gets to try you out before they hire you. I had success in getting a number of older candidates hired by using this method. They offered to do a fixed amount of work for a fixed amount of time. This allowed the potential employer to have clear boundaries regarding budget. This mitigates the risk the employer is taking in hiring you. If you work out, they know they have an excellent candidate. If you do not work out, they have greatly limited the risk of a bad hire. CEO/COO â€" Try Before You Buy I am working with many former C-level executives on their job search. When you are a displaced CEO or COO and over 55, the odds of finding another CEO or COO position are very small. There are very few available positions..and lots of competition. This is where “try before you buy” method works very well. The plan is to create a consulting business that will allow prospective employers to try you on before they hire you. Heck, you may find that you like the freedom of consulting! Creating a Consulting Business Think of yourself as a consultant. In previous jobs, what are the problems you solved that make you the proudest? Pick 2-3 business problems that you can create service offerings around. Get some help to come up with a name for the business, purchase the internet domain, and create the LLC to make the business legal. Putting the LLC at the end of the name will give your business an air credibility, among other benefits. Hire a credible web designer to create the website. I use Melinda Taylor of Weborization for my website, and I have referred many clients and friends to her. Just find someone who will give your website a professional feel. This is one example of when going to a family member is probably not your best choice. Build your business plan. If you are a CEO, COO, or another C-level executive, you probably can write a business plan. However, if you need help, search online for “SBDC” (which stands for Small Business Development Center) along with your state name. For example, SBDC Texas or SBDC New Jersey. The results will include some local centers as well as the state SBDC website. Listen to the most recent episode Small Business Development Centers are funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and are a free resource. After Glow Effect Using this process, most of my clients find is that their job search becomes much more effective. They have a reason to talk to prospective clients. Their overall mental attitude improves. I have one client who, as soon as he started to work on his consulting business, found a couple of different opportunities. One was with a start-up where there was a definite possibility of his being hired as a contractor in a temp-to-hire position. Whether you are a displaced C-level executive or just an experienced professional who is over the age of 55, you need to seriously consider a “try before you buy” job search strategy. I am currently talking with an experienced former CEO to create a workshop and support group to work with older, displaced C-Level executives. If this is of interest, please reach out to me via my contact me page. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Check out my article for Fast Companys Co.Exist website - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Check out my article for Fast Companys Co.Exist website - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog My article for Fast Co.Exist has just been published. In it I list the 5 major differences between Danish and US workplaces that explain why Danish workers are the happiest in the world and US workers tend to be miserable. Check it out and let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Is it Worth It to Use a Resume Writing Service?

Is it Worth It to Use a Resume Writing Service?With the staggering number of job offers that people receive every day, is it worth it to use a resume writing service? If you are receiving job offers from people you know, why not try sending out a sample and see what happens. Perhaps you will get a call or an email from someone offering to do a quick turnaround job on your resume.No one is saying that it's not worth it to use a service. It is just that sometimes the only results that are available are from well-known companies who are seeking to advertise their presence in a public forum. They are not using them to their advantage and will probably not tell you why they are using them.However, I am willing to say that a job offering can give you a feeling of success which is completely unnecessary if the person offering you the job is not reputable or your friends can offer you a much better deal. It can also be a learning experience and a turning point for your life if you do well.It is important to understand that a service is free, but it doesn't mean that the person who you hire to do it for you is worth it. One has to be careful that it isn't being offered as some kind of free service. You have to decide if you will pay a fee for a reliable resume writing service or not. Do some research about the resume writing service you intend to use.You also have to determine if you will use a freelance or outsourced service and whether or not you will get a guarantee. A good service will offer a guarantee and charge a bit more for their services.If you are getting a job offer and you want to turn it down because you don't want to pay a fee or because you don't trust the offer then I suggest that you choose free services because they are generally better than paying one. If you are not able to get a copy of your resume from the employer and want to check it out then try to check it with a private investigator who will be able to run a background check and let you know if it is a real offer or not. This will ensure that you are getting a real offer and not a fake.You may also want to check with the prospective employer if there is any work experience they need to know about you. Do you have any specific work experience that you would like to add in? It is very important that you make sure that you don't hide anything, so make sure that you clarify all of the points that they have to know.When considering a resume writing service, don't just focus on the price. Check to see if they offer a guarantee and the kind of guarantee you should have.