How To Write A Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter might be the hardest part when it comes to applying for a new job. Here are tips to help you create a standout cover letter!

1. Begin your letter with which position you are applying for and the company’s name. Also, if you have a mutual contact or were referred by someone, include that person’s name in the first sentence.

2. If you can, try to tell a short story of how this position relates to your life. Summarize your career and your work experience in a couple sentences.

3. List your work-related achievements starting with your biggest accomplishments. Give examples of how your previous experience will help the company you are applying to.

4. End your cover letter by saying when and how you will get in touch.

5. One last tip—try to keep your cover letter to one page or less or about four short paragraphs!

How To Stay Motivated

Everyone can fall into a mental rut from time to time, especially in during the winter months. Here are some tips on how to stay on task and accomplish your goals!

Stay positive – have an optimistic mindset and surround yourself with others who keep you on-task.

Have a goal – write down a goal and plan steps to how you will achieve that goal. Track your progress so you can see your hard work paying off!

Reward yourself – when you reach a big goal, treat yourself to something you enjoy! Be careful not to make rewards a habit though, otherwise it will hurt your self-motivation.

Focus – in order to accomplish anything, you need to get rid of distractions. Focus on your tasks to get them done faster. This will help motivate you to move on to the next goal!

How to Respond to “Tell me about yourself”

Often times, the most puzzling part of an interview is the broad icebreaker: “Tell me about yourself.” When employers say “tell me about yourself”, they really mean what can you do for this business. Prepare yourself before an interview using these helpful tips as guidance.

1. Make a list of your top qualities that apply to the position you are being interviewed for. Practice a dialogue in the mirror of what you will say about yourself during the interview.

2. Be confident. Don’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments and traits that you are proud of. The interviewer wants to know why you make a better fit to the position than other candidates.

3. Begin with your most impressive accomplishments and try to relate them to how these experiences will help you in your future career.

Practice, practice, practice! And don’t forget to make eye contact!

How to Follow Up On a Job Interview

Here are some tips on how to properly communicate with a future employer to increase your chances of getting hired.

After submitting your application:

Once you send in your application, the next step is to wait to hear back from the employer. You do not want to pester the hiring manager with phone calls or emails because you never know how many hundreds of applications they have to sift through before beginning the interview process.

Post interview:

After your interview, be sure to send a “thank you” note to express gratitude for the interview and your continued interest in the position.

After a week:

Review your notes from the interview and send a thoughtful email or short phone call reflecting on points from the interview. State something memorable from the interview or try to show your value to the company.

How To Prepare For A Phone Interview

The main point of a phone interview is to decide which applicants should come in for an in-person interview. Your goals for a phone interview are to sell yourself and build a connection with the interviewer.

You should prepare for a phone interview similar to an in-person interview.

-Research the company

-Be prepared to talk about why you are interested in the position

-Discuss what skills make you a good fit for the company

-Have questions ready to ask

Remember to speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Try to avoid ums, and ahs. Lastly, smile while you’re speaking. It will project a positive change in the tone of your voice and the interviewer will notice!

Managing your reputation...online

In the age of the Internet, it’s important to understand how social media can affect the outcome of future job opportunities. Here’s some advice on how to build a brand for yourself and manage your online reputation.

1. You don’t control your own reputation – others do based on their values and the signals you send them.

2. Perception = reality. What others perceive is your reputation, whether you like it or not.

3. Trust is everything – the perceptions you create open some doors and close others. Make sure they’re the ones you intend.

4. Social media is forever – 79% of employers check applicants’ online/social networks and 70% say they rejected candidates based on what they found.

5. Nothing is private – information that is online can be viewed by anyone. Check your digital footprint by Googling yourself and see what you find.

6. Build your digital footprint – use social networks to build content that will cast you in a positive light.

Be More Productive

Whether in your job or school, it’s important to get things done! Follow these simple steps to increase your personal productivity and job performance.

Why Your Resume Got Tossed

The average recruiter sees 5,000 resumes a year. Here are some of the top reasons why a resume gets thrown out:

Formality Takes a Vacation

Don’t succumb to the informality of email. “If you send a cover letter by email that starts with ‘Hi,’ it and your resume will probably end up in the trash.

Things Get Too Personal


“If you mention your age, we have to trash your resume,” says one HR professional with a venture capital firm. Since it’s illegal for a company to solicit a candidate’s age, race, or marital status during the hiring process, firms have adopted a “don’t tell” policy to avoid potential bias suits.

Google Results

Unless you’ve adjusted your privacy settings, what you say and do on social networks is out there for all to see, including potential employers. Basically, you have two options when it comes to keeping your online identity spic and span: Remove all incriminating photos and censor your status updates and Tweets, or completely privatize your profiles.

Read more at: http://www.wetfeet.com/advice-tools/resume-cover-letter/why-your-resume-got-tossed

Be Irreplaceable

In today's competitive job market, its more important than ever to prove your worth. Here are some tips for being an irreplaceable employee.

Making Your New Year’s Resolution Stick

Are you making a New Year’s Resolution to go back to school or find a new career? While most have good intentions, it can be difficult to stick to your resolutions. Here are a few tips on taking your resolutions to the next level, whatever they may be.