Writing an Effective Cover Letter

Competition in the job search market today could easily be described as highly competitive, to say the least. If you’ve applied to a job, you can assume a hundred others have as well. Some will have resumes with equivalent experience to you or maybe even more. That’s why in addition to a superb resume you need to have a well-crafted cover letter if you really want to land the position.

You may detest writing them, but hiring managers still like to read them.

 “91 percent of executives [in a recent survey] said cover letters are still important” Diane Domeyer, executive director of a staffing firm told Business News Daily.

Much like your resume, there are key points to keep in mine when tackling this project.

What to write:

The best strategy to find a job is to make your cover letter stand out from the crowd– after creating a good resume of course. Just like our resume tip form the other day, using keywords are key! Thoroughly read the job description posted and research the company. It is necessary for your cover letter to be responsive to the position you’re applying for. Use keywords from the ad or the company’s website in your letter. State specifically why you want to work for that company. Your letter should reflect that you put in effort to learn more about this position than merely glancing at the job posting.

Do not duplicate your resume in more complicated sentences. The hiring manager has read your resume. (for probably ten seconds) Your cover letter is your opportunity to say what didn’t fit on your resume.  This is your opportunity to show your personality. It’s also your opportunity to explain any less-than-impressive aspects of your resume such as a gap in employment history.

If you have the opportunity to name drop – take it. If you know someone working at the company or have been referred by a connection, ask their permission to be mentioned in your cover letter.

The end of your cover letter should be brief and include a reference to a future interview. Simply state that you would like a time to interview with the company or that you are available to interview at the company’s earliest convenience. Or, you can even play a little mind game and end it by simply stating: “Looking forward to having our interview.” Some managers appreciate the boldness and direct ambition. Don’t forget to add your email and phone number right there. Make it easy for the manager to contact you.

The Final Touches

Again, I am saying it, proofread your cover letter. After you put in the effort to research a company and create a tailored letter, don’t skimp out at the end. You may write an amazing letter but one misspelled word could cost you the job. If you read our blog on resume writing, this should sound familiar.

Where to send it?

If possible, find out the exact name to whom you’re sending your information. Again, it will show your effort in creating the letter and it sounds more professional than a generic greeting of “to whom it may concern.” At all costs, avoid “to whom it may concern.”

Snail Mail or Email?

“You should always apply the way the employer asks. But after that, you could potentially score a lot of points by taking the time to mail an easy-on-the-eyes backup copy of your documents. With all the lightning-fast technology we use to communicate today, taking the time to send something in the mail can convey that you’re very interested in the job and the company.” says Julie O’Malley, a professional resume writer.

As long as you are taking that extra step, be classy with a nice quality, impressive resume paper!

Esquire Recruiting is here to help you with your job search.  Use us!  You can easily contact us through our website.  Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and “Like” us on Facebook and this blog, to stay updated on the latest info. tips and job listings!

The Phone Interview – Tips for your Job Search

The Phone Interview

Finding a job is a challenging task with multiple hurdles. A phone interview is the second hurdle and the second chance you’ll get to impress the hiring manager at a company. The first was your amazing resume and cover letter. Acing your phone interview is important because it’s the only way to get yourself in the office for a face-to-face meeting with the hiring manager. If you’re new to the job market or out of practice, a phone interview can be intimidating.

Here are a few strategies to make the call less daunting and to impress the person on the other end:

Before the call

In general, phone interviews will be scheduled.  Rarely will an employer call you and expect an interview to take place at that moment. You’re given time to prepare like you would for a face-to-face meeting. Don’t slack off and think that because you don’t need to dry clean your suit you can ignore the call until an hour beforehand. Use the time you’re given wisely.

Have a quiet place to go. You could give all the perfect answers but if there’s a noisy TV in the background, the interviewer won’t be impressed. If your home is generally loud due to roommates or kids, find somewhere without a lot of background noise. Don’t count on a child’s nap time – you don’t want to deal with unexpected interruptions during the call. Ask a friend or family member if you can come over and use a spare room, or check out if the local library has study rooms available where it would be proper to have a private conversation on the phone.

During the call

You may be waiting for the call or have been directed to call into a conference line. If it is your responsibility to call, be a few minutes early. If you’re expected at 2 p.m., call at 1:55 p.m. If you’re waiting for the call, have your phone with you fully charged and the volume up. Keep your charger handy as well. If you have any concerns about the quality of your cellphone reception use a landline.

Be as prepared for the phone interview as you would an in-house meeting. Research the company, the position, and whomever you know will be interviewing you. Know every part of your resume and expect them to ask you about each one. Focus on positive descriptions on what you did at each position and why you moved from one job to the next.

How you give an answer is just as important as the content of the response. Use a conversational tone. If you tend to have a monotone voice, practice your inflection. Your goal is to sound upbeat to the interviewer.

Phone interviews can be quick or drawn out. Just in case, have a glass of water near you. If you need to take a sip, do so quietly while the interviewer is speaking.  Try not to sip when it’s your time to speak – you don’t want to create an awkward pause.  Also, don’t chug the water, there no bathroom breaks on a phone interview.

After the call

Don’t forget to send a thank you. You can email your interviewer or send a personal note. Yes, there’s a chance you may have a face to face interview before your letter gets there. That’s OK. They’ll receive the note and value the effort you put in to sending it.

We are here to help!  Website  Facebook  LinkedIn  Hint:  you must log on to Facebook and LinkedIn to view our page  Like us and Follow us for the latest and greatest from Esquire Recruiting.

Resume Tips and More – Tips for your Job Search

After many of you have asked about the daunting task of writing a resume, we are taking a step back and breaking it down into very easy, understandable advice for writing an effective resume!

This past week on our Facebook Page, we posted daily resume writing tasks, and other general info. This blog posts sums up the past week of posts.  If you didn’t see them, then you haven’t “Liked” our page!  Please do so, to keep yourself updated on the latest advice for landing your perfect job.  (we can help you!)

“Motivation Monday” Start your week off by checking off one item from your “To Do List” It will give you the boost you need to have a productive week! If any of the items on your “To Do List” are stressing you out or tripping you up, contact us! We here to help!

Resume writing 101

A grueling statistic we learned: Prospective employers on average only spend ten seconds reading your resume!  1, 1000, 2, 1000, 3, 1000…you get the picture.  You really need to stand out.

The most helpful tip we found is to recite the phrase: “You should give me a bonus this year because…” in front of each line you would like to bullet point. This will help you highlight your accomplishments, not your position.  …Use numbers whenever possible!  (especially sales) (i.e.:  “..increased sales by 55%,” or “…increased revenue from 1.5 million dollars to 2.2 million dollars in the first quarter…,”)

Tuesdays Tips! Resume Tips continued…

Technology is on your side in 2014. With the ease of computers your resumes can be tailor-made to the job that you are trying to land the interview for.

Incorporate Keywords

Print job postings you’re interested in and highlight keywords. After researching the position and the company you will have a better understanding of their goals and culture. Customize your resume by transforming it from a job description to a series of accomplishments that are of interest to the company by incorporating those keywords into your resume and cover letter.

Words Of Wisdom Wednesday We are keeping it simple!  What we learned is not very many people like to read! (hence, the break-down) If you have gotten this far, that means you must really be interested! We thought these bullet points are right to the point!

• Be professional!
• Spell Check (again)
• Grammar Check.  Maintain the same tense through out your correspondence and resume.
• Have a friend or colleague spell check for you.  One misspelled word can cost you the job!
• Research the company you are applying to.
• Follow up in a timely matter (with in 24 hours)

Thorough Thursday! …and the resume writing tips keep coming!

• You and someone else, have already proof read your resume for spelling and grammar,
• Thoroughly complete your Linkedin profile. (including professional looking photo) Prospective employers WILL look at that.
• Add a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile on your resume. (that’s the beauty of an on-line resume) You will come across very confident and prepared!
• Create Hyper links to your previous employer’s company to make it easy for your future employer to check it out. (remember 10 seconds) (i.e.: I created a hyperlink above in the words “Facebook Page)
• Add a LinkedIn icon with a hyperlink to your profile on your email signature as well.
• For help on creating hyperlinks, search the help in the email software you are using.
• For help with any of the above, feel free to contact us through our website (hyperlink)

Finally Friday! The next step is to check out all the open listings that you can find in the BullHorn Reach tab located on our Facebook Page. And please follow us on LinkedIn.  When you find a position that is a good match, contact us! You are ready! In the meantime, we leave you with this quote from Walt Disney

A New Year – A New Start

Whether you are making a career change, re-entering the job market, or you are (almost) fresh out of college, the following tips can successfully help you start this new phase of your life.

Part 1 (of 2) First step: Preparing to Land the Interview,

We often get asked, “What is your best interviewing advice?” Interviewing seems to be the most stressful part of the job search. However, before I answer that popular age-old question, I am going to take one step back and give you my advice on How to land that very important interview.  This is such a big topic, that I am dividing it up it to 2 parts!

No such thing as Privacy (Clean up your on-line rep)

Living in the on-line world makes you visible to anyone who wants to find you. First and foremost, clean up your on-line reputation.  It is a statistical fact that 79 percent of employers review on-line information about job applicants.  70 percent say they have rejected a candidate based on what they found on-line, yet, only 7% of job seekers thought their online rep affected their job search.  What you do online can play a role in determining whether you get hired or fired.  The point is painfully obvious: You need to be thoughtful and deliberate when conducting your life online.

 

(statistics vary depending on different references)

Where to start?  

Do exactly what potential employers would do, Google yourself. (Make sure you are not logged into any of your social media platforms.) This will give you a good idea of what potential employers will see.  However, (this very important) you do not want to be invisible either. Make sure you are well represented in a respectful, responsible way. (We will get to that.) Ok, now, how to clean up your rep…

“Don’t go there!”

Before I urge you to change your privacy settings, I will simply tell you “don’t go there!”  Take extreme caution about what you are posting or what your friends are posting about you. I know you know this, but it is important to change your privacy settings on your Facebook page.  You may think “Friends of Friends” is a private setting, but your friends’ friends opens you up to many people you do not know, hence, taking away that privacy you thought you were achieving.   There is a privacy setting on Facebook that prevents people from tagging you in a photo or post without your approval, use it!

DO post the photos of your school/group/volunteer involvement

By all means show off your school spirit.  I have seen a ton of photos of students decked out in their college gear celebrating before a big football game.  (And I have seen it in action.)  The photos show your enthusiasm, your fun personality, and your school loyalty.  HOWEVER, and I’m going to break the “don’t use all caps rule”, LEAVE THE RED SOLO CUPS OUT OF THE PICTURE!  Ugh!  Really? If you must hold something, grab a bottle of water (you should be rehydrating anyway). Keep it clean-cut.  Remember, everything you do on-line will get seen!  When all is said, done and posted, review the pics.  If you see one you can’t part with, but it’s not quite proper for your rep, you have choices.  1) Delete.  2) Put it on a privacy setting. On Facebook click on the little icon of people, select custom, and choose the few people who you want to see the pic. 3) Send the pic in a group in a private message.  Of course, I’m going to tell you to choose option one.

Make sure you are seen on-line

No, I am not contradicting myself, as mentioned above, you need to be seen. Did you or are you planning to take part in a school organization, a volunteer group function, a community event?  If so, snap away and post those photos of you doing something productive and something you can be proud of.  Ok, you get the picture. (No pun intended)

Next, create a complete LinkedIn profile.  (This really can be a whole blog topic, and it will be). By complete, I mean, include a photo, if you do not have a professional one, a head-shot is fine. Check the background of the photo you cropped for inappropriate items. Then, just go step by step. (I will give details in a future blog.)  LinkedIn is highly searched and Google puts it near the top.  At a glance, a LinkedIn profile with a photo, immediately appears to be complete.  But only appears, it still needs to be completed.  I am just stressing how important having a photo is.

Ok so you got the picture about on-line reps, lets move on…Do your home work and Check back in a few days for Part 2:

 Landing the Interview