Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
At first glance, your resume should answer two important questions for a hiring manager:
1. Who You Are
2. How You Can Be Contacted
Who You Are
This includes your name and any professional designations you have obtained, such as an MBA, Ph.D., RN, MD, or any of a number of professional distinctions. By including these designations with your name in the header you are providing the hiring manager with immediate and valuable data regarding your candidacy and career level.
The manner in which you present your name is also important. Including familial designations such Joe Jones, III may very well be seen as pretentious by a hiring manager. Using a “Jr.” after your name may be applauded by your family, but it could give a hiring manager the wrong first impression – that you are young and inexperienced. Caution is always advised in these instances.
A word about nicknames:
Nicknames can work for you or against you given the circumstances.
If you were named “Kendrick,” but go by “Ken,” use of your nickname would be appropriate as Ken is more modern and sounds more youthful than Kendrick.
However, if you were christened “Barbara,” but are known as “Babs” – even at work – it would be best to err on the conservative side during your job search, especially if the targeted industry is a traditional one such as banking, accounting, or education. Once hired, you can then decide whether using your nickname is appropriate.
How You Can Be Contacted
This data should be instantly obvious to a hiring manager.
Your phone number and email address are your most important contact data. For easy access by hiring managers, phone numbers and emails should be bolded and in a larger type than the physical address, as hiring managers rarely, if ever, contact a successful candidate by “snail” mail.
A word about phone numbers:
Although you may be tempted to list numerous phone numbers, including fax numbers, don’t.
Work Numbers: Never include a work number even if your boss knows you’re searching for another position as this sends the wrong message to a potential employer. He or she will wonder about your loyalty and whether you’ll be using company time at your new job to speak to prospective employers.
Cell Phones: Never include these because you may just be contacted while you’re in traffic with its intrusive background noise, or where the phone signal is weak which could irritate a busy hiring manager when neither of you can hear each other speak above the static.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
· I have numerous professional designations – should I include all of them after my name at the beginning of the resume? What is too much?
The key here is to target your approach and to include only what’s germane to your current job search. If you have a Ph.D. in Biology and an MBA, you would only list your Ph.D. in the heading when applying for an academic position.
· I’m planning to relocate to Georgia from California and am currently seeking employment in the Atlanta area. Should I list my California address on my resume?
As previously stated, physical addresses aren’t as important to hiring managers as phone numbers and emails. In your case, your physical address should be removed from the resume and replaced with “Relocating to the Atlanta, Georgia area.” It would be well advised for you to provide a time frame for this move so that a hiring manager knows you’re serious.
· My name is foreign-sounding and it’s not immediately apparent to a U.S. hiring manager whether I’m a “Mr.” or a “Ms.” Should I just use an initial for my first name?
Use of an initial would do little to clarify the matter for a hiring manager. Many overseas clients use their given names. then add – in parentheses – the U.S. or European equivalent – i.e. Étienne (Stephen) Dore.
· Is there a negative connotation to using a P.O. Box rather than a street address in the heading of a resume?
Absolutely not, especially in these days of heightened security, and when responding to “blind” postings on Internet job sites.
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
Because a cover letter is your first chance to make a lasting impression with a hiring manager it must be professional. To accomplish this:
1. Always use the same heading for your cover letter that you have used in your resume.
2. Whenever possible, use the hiring manager’s name. This personalizes the document and shows attention to detail.
3. Include in your opening paragraph what job you’re interested in and a specific reason as to why you feel qualified for this position.
4. Include in the body of the letter specific experience, skills or accomplishments from your past that dovetail with the requirements of the new job. This data should be bulleted, rather than presented in a solid block of text. The human eye is drawn to bulleted areas, and they provide the data in an easy-to-read format so that the hiring manager can digest the information from one sentence before moving on to the others. Examples of bulleted areas follow:
As my enclosed résumé indicates, my background includes more than two decades of service at US Flight with significant experience in:
· Aircraft accident investigation as a member of the US Flight disaster team.
· Security checkpoints where I handled countless calls for assistance.
· Training the Ground Security team to protect and promote public safety.
In addition to the above skills, I can also offer your firm:
· More than 30 years of experience in the airline industry.
· Expertise in dealing with government agencies, including the FAA where I facilitated communications to reduce company fines.
· Reduced absenteeism and occupational injuries, standards I maintained at US Flight where I achieved the best employee safety record of all US Flight cities.
5. If the letter is being addressed to a specific hiring manager, close your letter proactively indicating that you will be contacting the hiring manager’s office within the next week to see if you might set up a time to meet.
Sending Your Cover Letter by “Snail” Mail
With today’s technology, most resumes and cover letters are sent as attachments via email. However, if you have reason to send your cover letter and resume by “snail” mail, the documents should be printed on good bond paper (20 lbs) with a watermark. Choose a color that evokes professionalism – the best choices are white or cream, though a light gray can also be considered.
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
There are generally three cover letter types for the jobseeker:
1. Those sent to a specified person (eg: the hiring authority)
2. Those sent in response to a “blind” advertisement (eg: only PO Box or Job Reference # is provided)
3. Those sent to recruiters
Cover Letters Sent to a Specific Person
When you have the hiring manager’s name, always use it in the salutation, no exception. This personalizes the letter and shows attention to detail on your part. In the opening paragraph, state the job for which you’re applying as the hiring manager may have posted for numerous company openings that week. In the body of your cover letter detail what qualifications and skills you have that relate to this new job opening.
Cover Letters Sent in Response to a “Blind” Posting
Often, a job seeker will reply to newspaper ads requesting that a resume and cover letter be sent to a PO Box # with no indication as to the company’s name or the hiring manager’s identity. Online, jobseekers will find Job Reference #’s as the only identification provided. In each of these cases, the cover letter content remains the same – showcase experience and qualifications as it relates to the new position. However, rather than using the outdated “Dear Sir or Madam,” or worse “To Whom It May Concern,” as a salutation, instead drop the salutation altogether and write:
Re: Job Reference # (then include the number in the job posting)
- or –
Re: Assistant Store Manager’s Position
After that reference, drop down one line, then begin the cover letter’s first paragraph.
Cover Letters Sent to Recruiters
Recruiters represent clients in terms of finding the appropriate employee (you) for a company (their client). Because of this, you must be clear in your cover letter as to what your preferred industry and position may be, where you’re willing to work (and travel or relocate, if necessary), and salary considerations (if negotiable, include this information). The remainder of your cover letter will contain the same data as that going to a specified hiring manager or a “blind” posting – that is, you will include your skills and qualifications as they relate to your preferred industry and position. In other words, you will be selling yourself to a recruiter, rather than to a hiring manager.
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007
by David Jensen, ResumeEdge.com Editor, CPRW, CEIP
You might wonder if a cover letter is necessary when you submit a résumé. Unless otherwise instructed, a cover letter should accompany every résumé. A cover letter compels your reader to review your résumé.
Your résumé presents factual information about your qualifications, experience, and educational credentials. You use the résumé to present yourself as a good match for a position based on the content in a job posting. It is common for job seekers to use one résumé for several employment contacts. While this is a customary practice, a cover letter lets you personalize your résumé package for a specific job opportunity.
You no doubt have value-added skills that are above and beyond those listed as the fundamental job requirements. These skills can distinguish you from other candidates. A cover letter lets you present this information and add value to your marketability.
In creating your résumé package, your cover letter is an informative and even fun way to demonstrate that you can communicate in a clear and concise fashion. You do this with the words you use, the tone of the letter, and the visual presentation of the letter.
Although there are no set rules to creating cover letters, the following are some guidelines for introducing yourself in a letter:
Be brief – Cover letters are not essays. Use just one page to communicate who you are, what you can do for your potential employer, and why you are the best candidate for the position.
Be professional, yet personal – Avoid using the same tone and language you use in your résumé. Address your reader as if you were speaking to him or her in person. Your cover letter should compliment your résumé, not repeat it.
Tell who you are – Open the letter with a clear statement of who you are and what you do. Don’t make your reader search for that information in the body of the letter or worse have to figure it out from the content of the letter.
Maintain consistency – Use the same heading format on all documents within your résumé package (résumé, cover letter, references, follow-up letters, thank-you letters).
Highlight your value added skills – Spotlight your skills that do not appear in your résumé such as your work ethics, teamwork ability, and skills that are not listed as requirements for the job but are useful to the organization.
Explain why you want to work for the company – Do you like their product or service, their financial standing, their position in the industry, or their direction for the future? Companies like to know what captures your attention.
Proof, Proof, Proof – Make sure that your letter is clear, concise, and error free. Make a checklist that addresses grammar, punctuation, and words that are spelled correctly but out of context (form instead of from, you instead of your, etc.). Use this checklist for your own proof reading and have someone else read it if possible.
A cover letter can make the difference between getting an interview and getting passed over. Use a cover letter to help boost your chances of getting the job offer.
David Jensen holds a Master’s degree in Professional Communication. He is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW) and a Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP). He has successfully prepared résumés for various professions, with specialties in résumés and cover letters for graduate school admission, Information Technology, Advertising, Public Relations, and entry level positions.Request David for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying in his last name only, no caps (jensen) in the ‘request your editor’ field of the ResumeEdge.com online form.
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