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!

Get Certified, It's Worth It!

Do you want to advance in a healthcare career? Dental assistants, nurses aides, medical assistants, patient care technicians, pharmacy technicians and others all can benefit from earning certifications.

Here are four great reasons to get certified:

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

The Cover Letter – Your Chance to Impress

Resumes and online applications forms can only say so much, writing a cover letter allows gives you an opportunity to explain why you believe you are qualified for the job, to make a positive impression and to explain reasons for employment gaps or career changes.


Keep reading for our cover letter writing tips.

Follow directions. Before sending your cover letter, read the job posting carefully. Employers often list specific instructions to follow when applying, such as including examples of work, explaining your prior work experience or submitting your cover letter in a certain file format.

Personalize. Address the letter to the hiring manager by name. If you don’t know the contact’s name, call the company and ask. Also, don’t just write one cover letter and assume you can use it over and over. Write a new letter for each job you apply for and make sure the letter shows that you have researched the company.


Keep it short. Limit your cover letter to two or three brief paragraphs. Avoid sharing personal details that don’t relate to the position.

Proofread! Have someone else read your cover letter and try reading it aloud to make sure you find any mistakes.

Finding part-time work that fits you!

Guest post by Danielle Cook, Career Quest Learning Centers in Lansing

Part-time jobs are just that, part-time, they are the jobs you work at to get you through school and pay the bills. If you’ve ever been back to Career Services and asked us about employment, chances are you’ve heard us say “Are you just looking for a job to get you through school or are you looking for a career opportunity?”

Even though it may be just a part-time job we want to enjoy going to work. Here are some tricks to finding a part-time job that fits you:

Do a Smarter Job Hunt

Here are some smart ways to cut through company walls to find someone inside who can help you. Don't go in circles - do a smarter job search. Just be sure to start with the basics - know what you're looking for!

HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER

Five easy steps to help you create an excellent cover letter!
Check them out here.

WORDS TO AVOID ON YOUR RESUME

When you're done with your resume, be sure you avoid the the things employers don't like to see. Have someone double-check spelling and grammar, too. Spell-check is good, but it can't tell you the word has the right meaning.

Get more advice here.

BE FIRST IN LINE

A survey by StartWire says the earlier you apply, the better your chance for getting the job. 
Read more on why it pays to watch when new jobs are posted to get a jump on the competition here.