How to be Ready for a Career Change

How to be Ready for a Career ChangeHow to be Ready for a Career ChangeIn an ideal world, a person graduates high school or college, spends some time applying for jobs, then lands a position. Over the years you develop new skills, get promoted or maybe lateral to another company, always moving forward on your career path. While this fairy tale equivalent of a journey along the career ladder seems idyllic, for some, the reality is a bit less like the road straight and narrow and more like that tale of two paths nonsense.A career change sees an employee doing an about-face, seeking or accepting a position in another field, as opposed to the more traditional job change where a candidate stays in their position but switches companies or gets a bump up in a title. People are ultimately creatures of habit and career changes in a new direction can cause a bit of stress, anxiety or fear of the unknown. Ultimately, however, candidates on the job market should look at these shifts in direction as opportunities. Need a little convincing? Weve got a few pointers that you can think of as your warm, fuzzy and reassuring employment blanket to help you navigate the career change waters. Do What You LoveYou know that old saying about love and work and not working? While the syrupy sweetness may be eye-roll inducing if youre unhappy in your current line of work, a career change into a field that offers personal and professional fulfillment may be just what the employment doctor ordered.You dont wear the same hairstyle, outdated clothes, or most likely even drive the same car as you had in high school. It only makes sense, then, that your aptitude for a given career would make a shift over time, as well. Life experience, physicality and plain old preferences in the way you interact with people can all shape where your park your briefcase for the day. Take stock of the big picture items that make you happy both in and out of the workplace. Use these benchmarks to help set your goal s on a new career field and youll find yourself being more productive as you actually enjoy going into the office.Set Some GoalsOnce youve set out on the career change path, it can seem a bit daunting stepping into the void with those first few, uninformed steps. To help ward off anxiety or nervousness over uncertainty, those looking to switch careers should take some time beforehand to develop a solid set of goals. Listing out your career goals takes the focus off the immediate concerns and worries inherent with change. Instead, job-seekers are able to look at the big picture end game of a switch in professions. This can often help with immediate term planning and can make next steps more clear when faced with uncertainty. Try to stay away from micromanaging your actions prior to setting up a long haul list in order to help with short-haul planning.Overhaul that ResumeIf youre making a fresh start along the career path, why not put your best foot forward with a shiny, new resume to match. Sprucing your resume up in anticipation of a career switch is not only a confidence-boosting endeavor, it also makes good business sense. While you should list your complete work history, you may want to rewrite your resume with an eye towards the skills and knowledge that will be most applicable to your new career. Even in completely different fields, many jobs will require common characteristics or strengths. Read sample resumes or job descriptions from your new area and pick out those universal qualities you already have to give your candidacy a boost.The First Steps Towards Your New CareerOnce youve laid the foundation for a career switch, its time to put your plan into action. In case youre in need of a little guidance, weve put together a few handy and helpful steps to serve as a map on your job switch adventures.Research Prospective Careers Just as when you selected that first job or career path, choosing a new route may not be an altogether intuitive process. Spend some time researching, speaking with friends and perusing open positions. Let the process happen naturally and dont force yourself into an awkward position of rushing a poor fit of a career. A career change should be a positive experience that builds and allows you to move forward into a new and better direction.Gather your References As with any job search, accumulating your references for the inevitable interview or call back will be invaluable and one less item to cross off your list if you address at the outset of your switch. Be koranvers to pick colleagues that have a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise. You want to paint your picture as a well-rounded, qualified candidate that would have no problem transitioning into a new role.Refresh Your Profile Whether looking for a career in your current or new field, spending some time refreshing your social media and professional networking profiles will be a worthy endeavor to help smooth the transition between careers. Its pr obably been some time since you were last on the job market so general information will likely need refreshing. In addition, review your profile in light of strong personal and professional characteristics that could be applied across a variety of fields. Seek OUtside Help Sure, as an experienced professional you may feel the need to go it alone in your hund for a new and improved position. Dont be afraid, however, to take advantage of the advice and experience of those who have been in your shoes previously. Individuals such as career coaches can often provide insightful and concise advice, having helped others wade the career swap waters before you. Recruiters and career coaches are often a candidates most valuable ally in any job hunt and can be especially useful when navigating the uncharted territory of a brand new profession.Are you a professional who has successfully navigated a career switch? Drop us a comment or bit of handy advice and help your fellow readers build off yo ur previous successes.Once youve created an action plan, its time to put it in place. There are several things you can do to get moving in the right direction.Research careers online. Find out what education and qualifications are needed to get a job in your chosen career. If you need more education, begin researching and applying to programs. Look at your local community college if you need to earn a certificate such colleges often offer certificate programs at reduced prices to local students.Get references. If youve done any work in your new area of interest, gather references. For example, if you want to be a chef and have cooked for your friends dinner party, get a reference from her. References can demonstrate that you have the skills you need for your chosen career.Create job seeker profiles. Put your new resume online on job seeking sites such as Simply Hired. You should also create a LinkedIn profile. Ideally, thats the first thing recruiters see when they Google your name. Consider a career coach. Career coaches specialize in helping people gain the skills they need to successfully switch careers. Hiring a coach who is familiar with your target career can enable you to accelerate your progress. Your career coach can also provide encouragement and help you stick to your plan.If youre ready for a new career, think deeply about what you want. Consider what you have to offer. Then make a plan, and stick to it. Youll be thankful you did.

5 tips for falling asleep in only 5 minutes that will work

5 tips for falling asleep in only 5 minutes that will work5 tips for falling asleep in only 5 minutes that will workGetting enough sleep is a crucial part of our wellbeing and mental health. Sleeping allows our minds to collaborate themselves and to process emotions. If you arent getting enough rest this can lead to a weakened immune ordnungsprinzip and make you more prone to depression and anxiety.Racing thoughts can stop us being able to drift off quickly and naturally. If you arent falling asleep after 5-15 minutes of being in bed, then Harley Streets own hypnotherapistFiona Lambis here to help with her five simple methods to fall asleep in five minutes.1. Tension body scan- releasing any tension prepares your body for sleep. This relaxation technique involves doing a full body scan by squeezing and relaxing each muscle. Start at your toes and move up your body, being aware of each part of your body in turn.2. Focus on your breathing- if you breathe quickly when you get into bed i t will be much harder to relax and be calm - and so fall asleep. By slowing down your inhaling and exhaling you regulate your nervous system. Focus on slow, soft breaths.3. Roll your eyes backwards-you can simulate the saatkorn eye movement you experience in sleep by rolling your eyes upwards and back. If you do this three times you will automatically feel yourself going into a deeper relaxation.4. Hum to yourself- studies have shown that the vibrations of humming can relax you. It can also act as a distraction from anything unwanted that pops into your mind. Be sure to choose a song that isnt too fast or reminds you of anything emotional5. Visualize- use the power of your mind to focus on calming and restful images. Imagine going back to a time you felt deeply relaxed and content. This works best when you use at least three senses so think about what you saw, felt and tasted.This article was originally posted on YourCoffeeBreak.co.uk.

Why Generational Differences Are a Workplace Myth

Why Generational Differences Are a Workplace MythWhy Generational Differences Are a Workplace MythBased on the headline, you may be thinking- great, another millennials in the workplace article. Since millennials are the largest share of the American workforce, it is no coincidence that they generate considerable attention. But the conversations around the topic of millennials often emphasize generational differences that do not exist. The truth is that what motivates your employees at work has nothing to do with their generation. Whats in a Generation? Before you dispute that argument, however, it is important to define what generations are. Generations refer to cohorts of people based on shared experiences at similar ages. The assumption is that shared experiences at similar ages createsimilarities among people in terms of personal attributes, attitudes, personalities, political orientations and other dispositions, such as work-related attitudes and behaviors. Millennials Ar e Lazy, Entitled Narcissists Look at millennials under this microscope. Millennials are generally categorized as people born between 1982-2000. Countless assumptions and assertions are made about millennial workers. Some of the most common assertions were made popular in a TIME Magazine cover story that stated that millennials are lazy, entitled narcissists. These stereotypes, which are fueled by pop psychology, have shaped the perceptions that this generation is upending the workplace, among many other areas. But are behauptung assumptions correct? In the case of workplace attitudes, academic research finds little support for meaningful generational differences. In a meta-analysis of generational differences in workplace attitudes, professor David Constanza and his colleagues concluded that meaningful differences among generations probably do not exist. In a mora recent review article published in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Constanza and Lisa Finkelstein concluded t hat, There is little solid empirical evidence supporting the existence of generationally based differences, almost no theory supporting any reason behind such differences, and plenty of viable alternate explanations for any differences that are observed. Qualtrics research, for example, suggests that the drivers of engagement are not very different across generations. Similar to the academic research that is referenced here, Qualtrics found that the differences that do (or appear to) exist between generations are more attributable to factors such as age, tenure, and the point at which an employee finds himself in his career or personal life. For example, you can attribute generational differences to factors such as childcare stages, more dual-career families, retirement preparation, and years of experience in the workplace, among others. Moreover, the workplace trends often attributed to generational differences (especially millennials) are often more ubiquitous trends that can impa ct employees across generations, ages, job levels, and so forth. For example, your employees expectations of what work should be, what they get personally from work are shifting. Employees have better access to information about other jobs and organizations. These trends have an impact on the entire workforce, not just members of some generations. Using Data to Debunk Stereotypes To provide greater context, its helpful to examine some examples of work-related attitudes and behaviors where millennials stray and tow the line, drawing from experts as well as The Millennial Study, a research initiative Qualtrics completed in partnership with Accel that surveyed over 6,000 millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers. Millennials Are More Likely to Jump Ship for a New JobQualtrics found that 82 percent of millennials say that their job is an important part of their life- a rate higher than that of older generations. But how do you reconcile that given that millennials switch jobs every 26 months? Generational differences arent necessarily the culprit often it is a case of tenure or other related variables. Costanza and Finkelstein confirm this in their article. Older employees may be more likely to show higher organizational commitment than younger employees may be, but this is not because they are boomers instead of millennials. Rather, any differences may be because older workers have more invested in their job, organization, and career than do individuals just starting out in the work world. This is also not to say that a particular younger person will not be committed to their organization simply because they are young. In other words, this professional nomad attitude among millennials is a product of entering the workforce- not a generational byproduct. Many Millennials View Work as a Place of AngstQualtricsresearch revealed that half of the millennials question their capacity for success, making them two times more worried about their skill set than older gene rations. Conventional wisdom would hone in on the stereotypes- millennials are the anxious generation. But a more nuanced analysis suggests that some of this anxiety about having the right skills to succeed may just be because millennials are under pressure to make a good first impression as the new person in the office. Additionally, technology and globalization are constantly changing the scene, giving every generation reason to be concerned about staying with the pack. When taken to its logical extreme, applying generational tags to employees is extremely dangerous. Generations are one of the broadest categories into which you can bucket employees. The notion of adjusting hiring, performance management, and pay practices, for example, to groups of people based on the year that they were born is fundamentally the saatkorn as doing so based on gender or race/ethnicity, which most (if not all) of us can agree is absurd and unethical. So, What Do They Want? Ultimately, there are many factors that are far more important (and well supported) in predicting workplace attitudes like engagement and workplace behaviors like performance and retention than the generational differences of the employees. Instead of relying on unsupported stereotypes and erroneously attributing workplace trends to a generation, you should focus on what matters to individual employees. Youll be much better off focusing on your employees as unique individuals rather than lumping them into large and meaningless meta-groups. Consultants, who work in the fields ofmanagement and HR, are frequently asked, What do millennials want at work? The best answer comes directly from the title of Bruce Pfaus Harvard Business Review article The same things the rest of us do.Benjamin Granger, Ph.D.

Grow your Business by Being More Generous

Grow yur Business by Being More GenerousGrow your Business by Being More GenerousGrow your Business by Being More Generous Rosen, author of Grounded How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World (Jossey-Bass, 2013)and Tony RutiglianoPerhaps the veracity of no old adage has benefitted more from scientific research than that of this favorite of mothers, teachers, and preachers It is better to give than to receive.An ever-growing body of hard evidence supports the notion that generosity enhances our physical and emotional well-being and has tremendous benefits for the social structures we inhabit, including our workplaces. Whats more, generosity begets gratitude, another positive emotion with tremendous power for generating good feelings and great outcomes.Hard-Wired for KindnessBelying the evidence of TV news, menschengerecht beings are hard-wired for kindness. Evidence suggests that our genetic ancestors with a higher capacity for giving increased had a greater likelihood for survival . Two studies by the University of Michigan bear this out.One pointed to greater mental and physical health tied to generosity. Another which tracked 2,700 people over a 10-year span, showed that men who performed volunteer work regularly had mortality rates that were two-and-one-half times lower than men who were not generous with their time.Study after study shows that practicing generosity reduces stress and contributes to stronger immunity to illness.Having examined 500 scientific studies on the power of unselfishness, Case Western Reserve University bio ethicist Stephen Post noted, Its abundantly clear from a number of studies that people who live generous lives also live happier lives.On the other hand, parsimony seems to do little to help us lead better, healthier lives. Canadian social psychologist Liz Dunn in her vast research discovered a link between stinginess and the shame people have in being stingy and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.As reported in Scie ntific American, Dunn examined cortisol levels in subjects who responded in experiments with the choice of giving money away or keeping it for themselves. She found that the more money people chose to keep in the experiment, the greater shame they felt and the higher their cortisol levels were.Whats Your Purpose?One reason that generosity makes us feel good is because it gives us a greater sense of purpose in our lives. ur minds and bodies are built for more than mere survival. They have the capacity for social and emotional drives that give us greater meaning. For a variety of reasons, many people have never asked themselves, What is my purpose here? Am I meant to do more with my life than take care of myself?Finding an answer begins with accepting that this is not like coming up with another New Years resolution. It is not a formula like a weight-loss program. It is a journey of discovery as you look for ways to use your unique gifts while helping others.Discovering this higher p urpose changes you. You will think about yourself and others differently. It is a little like reinventing yourself. You will have a new persona or self- definition that is more closely aligned with what you value and are passionate about.And, by being more generous and other-directed, you, at long last, can take some of the focus off yourself. Certainly, self-awareness is critically important to our emotional intelligence and success. However, many achievement-driven individuals look at themselves through a fault-finding filter, concentrating on what we did wrong or could have done better.So often, our internal talk track is self-critical, and induces stress, doubt, uncertainty and obsession. These do little to build our confidence or contribute to our successes.Generosity distracts us from that all too critical inner voice, and helps us build a strong argument against its critique of our personalities and our efforts. In other words, it is hard to be convinced that we are a sad col lection of faults when we see others benefit from our good works and actions.Happiness at WorkOne of the most admired business executives of the 21st Century, Tescos retired CEO Terry Leahy clearly saw that generosity was the key to success. When I joined Tesco, somebody said to me, Theyll eat you alive, because it was known as a bit of a hard-charging place, he told the New York Times.That sort of brought out the street kid in me, and made me a little bit hard and combative. I had to learn later that theres another way to get the best out of people, which is to really motivate them and make them feel good about themselves. So I changed. If I had to sum it upbe generous at work rather than selfish.Leahy thinks it essential that people follow the golden rule treat others in the workplace the way you wish to be treated in order to be successful. But, he says, not everybody can adopt that mindset.Sometimes the brightest find it the hardest to make that transition because theyve alway s been better than the people around them. However, if you consciously build people up so that they say, I matter here and people respect me and they think I can contribute and they trust me to contribute, that really gets the best out of people.And it will benefit you as well. According to research out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, being altruistic not only improves well-being at work, but also makes people feel more committed and makes employees stay.Our findings make a simple but profound point about altruism Helping others makes us happier, said UW researcher Donald Moynihan.Altruism is not a form of martyrdom, but operates for many as part of a healthy psychological reward system.So, obey that urge toward generosity that is hard-wired into us human beings. The investment, it seems, will pay off.Author Bio Bob Rosen is a trusted CEO advisor, organizational psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author of six books including his latest book, Grounded How Leaders S tay Rooted in an Uncertain World (Jossey-Bass, 2013.) His firm, Healthy Companies International, has worked with Johnson Johnson, Brinks, Northrop Grumman, Citigroup, PepsiCo, ING, PricewaterhouseCoopers and other major organizations. He has written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.

What You Need to Know About Resume Objective Examples 2017

What You Need to Know About Resume Objective Examples 2017 Resume objectives can be somewhat controversial. You need to have five objective statements. Be certain to be thoughtful once you use action verbs. Its fine to leave in a couple of the previous verbs. So rather than focusing on their prior employment you are able to highlight their qualifications. Employers will focus their attention on the individuals professional qualifications and after that have a chance to review their work history and any educational achievements they might list, or any training they have received over recent years. They see dozens of resumes with generic objectives such as seeking a challenging and rewarding position or to obtain a meaningful job in a stable and rewarding work environment. Thirdly, everyone can copy a format. You just need to opt for the one which you should use and then use your resume example in order to make the ideal letter for your resume. This example will demonstrat e ways to manage the dates you have spent in jail. There are lots of examples of resumes, but you need to remain certain to create your resume and cover letter with your very own personal touch. Rumors, Lies and Resume Objective Examples 2017 An effective menu whets the appetite and provides customers a taste of what they are able to expect before theyve even ordered. Developing a great resume is the very best way its possible to make that first impression. A reference page is a vital parte of writing for your resume. Whenever you do a resume example search, you will likewise find cover letter examples too. You need to not just catch the hiring managers eyeyou must make certain that they study your statement and say Whew Rather than mentioning the way you can help your business succeed, state directly that you are able to help XYZ Company to succeed. Finding the businesss mission statement on its website is also a fantastic idea. Resume is not merely a document. however, it defines you and is the very first important key that ensures your prospective employer takes interest in you. Lets take a quick glance at the five key areas of the typical resume. Dont forget, your target is to catch the hiring managers eye and stick out from the remainder of the paper in that pile. If you give them a sophisticated comic book that produces a strong stage, youll win. The absolute most important issue to keep in mind about your career objective statement is that by placing it at the very top of your resume, its the first thing which the reader will see and if its not done properly its inclined to be the last. schrift of Resume Objective Examples 2017 A reference page was shown to be far more powerful than listing references on your resume. Writing resume with the assistance of resume templates readily available on the world wide web has become the most efficient method of writing resumes that ensure that youre using the suitable format and correct informatio n thats appropriate for the job youre applying for. Make sure you receive the information youre looking for. Sometimes more information isnt better. There are various resume examples that may be downloaded on the internet. The web is similar to a huge carnival. Take a look at free resume examples on the net and youre going to observe that headings ought to be the exact same all throughout. If you dont own a lot of patents, publications or similar, your resume should most likely be a couple of pages. The Characteristics of Resume Objective Examples 2017 Menus are created from what your kitchen can deal with. Hiring managers hire someone since they have a problem they need solved. Most hiring professionals wish to see your latest experience at the very top. If you dont have teaching experience, then emphasize any training that you could have done. Hiring managers are busy people and youve got a limited time to draw their focus to your candidacy. Resume are simple to craf t and can be readily copied and adapted to your specific circumstance. Entrepreneurs are a few of the hardest working people on Earth. Alternately, you can check the acceptable illustration of CV for comprehensive comprehension of curriculum vitae. On your CV you would like to communicate how good youre as fast as you can. Your CV is a tool which you use to sell your abilities and abilities to prospective employers, your CV should be the best it can because you just have one shot to produce an impression. Your CV is the anfangsbuchstabe point of contact with you have to your possible employer. Resume Profile Resumes are the situations that you must prepare before you submit an application for any work application which you will see in anywhere. They are created to highlight the best side of a person. They have changed over the years.

Professional Summary Resume Fundamentals Explained

Professional Summary Resume Fundamentals Explained A Professional Summary is a short statement highlighting all the best things about you in connection with the form of job you are looking for. While the fundamental format and appearance of a guitar shop resume are very similar to other resumes, its important to remember the type of position for which youre applying and what type of experience is relevant. Resumes also provide you with the chance to generate a positive first impression and convince prospective employers that youre the proper candidate for the job. They are crucial to the job search. They are vital tools in any job search because they represent the first thing an employer sees regarding a potential employee. Professional Summary Resume for Dummies Dont neglect to incorporate any exceptional training youve completed or appropriate coursework. The absolute most productive summaries target one career objective. If youre tailoring your resume to a specific job , your very first section could be titled Objective and highlight your particular job objective. All About Professional Summary Resume Only an expert professional might have to use a multipage format. No matter the format you decide on, you should include an expert summary at the very top. Resume templates are an excellent start for beginners, but the layout ought to be customized to appear original. The way by which you include waitressing in your resume depends upon the resume format youre using. Both resumes and web sites are made to showcase an individual or company in the very best light possible. Its very likely to also start looking for templates utilizing the keywords to search about the website. When youre prepared to create your resume, have a look at our assistant manager resume templates for more info. The Downside Risk of Professional Summary Resume Remember that the summary is probably going to be the very first thing a recruiter reads on your resume, so re volve around making an excellent first impression. After youre at work, showing you have integrity and that you value a strong work ethic is something that you can demonstrate through conducting yourself as a skilled and addressing others in an honest and straightforward way. No matter what kind of resume format you select, youre leid obligated to incorporate all your work experience if its not directly about the job youre applying for. Your prior work experience can greatly help you as a resume qualification when you have any experience thats in any way very similar to the job which you are applying for. Add any achievements which you feel can allow you to get the job. Before you begin applying for new jobs, take care to update your resume. It isnt necessary to list every job youve held previously, especially if its not pertinent to the present position or industry youre targeting. If youre applying for work in a very ethnic area and youre bilingual, you presently have a sk ill that is helpful to the job and ought to make that clear on your resume.

Why You Should Own That Youre a Hard Worker - The Muse

Why You Should Own That Youre a Hard Worker - The MuseWhy You Should Own That Youre a Hard Worker It welches 130 in the morning, and I was exhausted and bleary-eyed in front of my laptop trying to crank out a presentation to pitch a new idea to the marketing team. I was presenting an initiative I was incredibly passionate about. And, my supervisor had let me know that- if I could put together a solid spiel explaining my reasoning- hed actually consider implementing it. It was my baby. So, needless to say, I spent countless hours and seemingly endless late nights obsessing over every last little detail. This particular night, I was on my fourth cup of coffee- and, to illustrate how dire those circumstances really were, Ill let you in on the little secret that I dont even like coffee. But, my presentation was the next day, and I wanted to make sure I had everything in order.The following afternoon, I had everything set up in the conference room and was ready to share my ideas with my t eam. But, before launching into those slides I had worked tirelessly on for the past week, I started by saying, Just so you know, this is a little bit of a mess because I whipped this together pretty fast. Wait, what? I hadnt just thrown that presentation together- and I had the empty coffee cups (yuck) in my trash to prove it. But, for whatever reason, I felt the need to discount my own effort and make it seem like I had hardly tried.If youre nodding along with this scenario while thinking, Whoa, this is totally me you arent alone. Its a trap we all fall into from time to time. As this article written by Rose Eveleth so eloquently explains, thats called the myth of no effort- a term coined by musician and writer John Roderick. When you boil it down, saying things like this is really just an exercise in self-preservation. If we can make it seem like we have just thrown things together without much thought or effort, well supposedly cushion our ego against potential bruises. Any hars h criticisms or blatant rejections will be less embarrassing if you can keep up those appearances that youre aware this wasnt your best work.But, heres the thing The myth of no effort is a dangerous one. Why? Well to put it simply, youre shooting down your own work before you even get started. Think about it this way If you attended a dinner party at someones house and- as she was setting the entre on the table- the host said, I think this lasagna is really undercooked and I also mightve lost a few strands of hair in there, but enjoy would you be really pumped up and ready to enjoy that Italian feast? Probably not.While youre likely not dishing out pasta at work, that saatkorn concept still holds some water Criticizing yourself and your supposed lack of effort (ahem, now we all know better) will put preconceived notions and a bad taste in your audiences mouth right from the get-go. And, thats not exactly the tone you want to set. Believe me, I understand the urge to put down your ow n work- it doesnt always seem impressive to admit that you put your all into something that was important to you, particularly if youre worried it wont be well-received. It seems way cooler to be effortlessly amazing at what you do. But, remember that they call it work for a reason. So, as much as you might fantasize about being that employee who breezes into a room armed with a flawless presentation she whipped together during her morning commute, thats simply not reality for the most of us. You put hard work into the projects you complete, and you shouldnt be afraid to own that. Because in the end, theres really no shame in being a hard worker whos willing to put in the necessary hours and elbow grease in order to churn out awesome, high-quality work. In fact, I think thats even more admirable. Photo of modest person courtesy of Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.

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Follow Us on Facebook and TwitterFollow Us on Facebook and TwitterFollow Us on Facebook and TwitterPongo continues to claim space in the social networking sphere. We are now active on two of the most popular social networking sites on the webSee those little gray icons at the bottom right of this page?brings you to our Twitter home page. Log in and follow us to get timely updates with career-

Why Is a Cover Letter Important

Why Is a Cover Letter ImportantWhy Is a Cover Letter ImportantIn todays day and age of job searching on social media, video interviewing, and applying through LinkedIn, you may be wondering whether a cover letter is really needed or if its outdated? At ResumeSpice, we can tell you that a cover letter still has plenty of value, if you take the right approach.That means you cant regurgitate whats on your resume, or copy and paste a boilerplate letter from the Internet. However, if you put the following tips into action, you can create a cover letter that gets notlageiced and gets results.Tip 1 Tell a story.One of the best ways to make an impression on a hiring manager is to tell a story in your cover letter. For instance, have you been a groupie of the company for a while, or always wanted to work there? If thats the case, talk about what attracts you to the organization and what value you can add to it. Stories are unique and compelling ways to bring your experience to life and stan d out to a hiring manager.Tip 2 Talk about the contributions you can make.Hiring managers want to know whats in it for them if they hire you. So dont talk about what a great opportunity the job would be for your career. Instead, talk about the challenges or opportunities you see at the company and how you can make a positive difference if hired.Tip 3 Focus on a key accomplishment.Think about a career accomplishment that youre 1) proud of and 2) thats relevant to the company and job opportunity. Write about what you learned, how you went out about solving the problem or producing positive results, and how you can do the same for the hiring company. Whenever possible, use facts and figures to underscore your claims.Tip 4 Dont talk about what you dont have.If theres a skill the job posting lists that you dont have, dont focus on it. Instead, discuss the skills and experience that you do have that are most relevant to the opportunity. If the skill gap is important to the hiring manager , theyll ask you about it during the interview.Tip 5 Follow the right format.When you send a cover letter in, hiring managers are expecting a business letter not a quick email with a couple of sentences followed by a smiley face emoji. So make sure you follow standard guidelines, including keeping it to one page, including your name and contact information, using a professional-looking font and type size, and proofreading it carefully to catch any errors and typos.Do you need more tips and advice on cover letter writing? Youve come to the right place. At ResumeSpice, were not only resume experts, but cover letter specialists too. We can help you craft a letter that puts your skills and experience in the best possible light and helps you get that coveted interview call. Contact us today at 832.930.7378 to learn more.