Face facts: Some people will never read your cover letter. The rest of the people may trash your resume if it does not include a cover letter. Others will value the cover letter over all other application materials. Since you can’t know for sure which type of employer or recruiter will receive and review your materials, assume the cover letter is a crucial piece of your application package. [Read more…] about Are cover letters important? Cover letter mistakes
How to get a job in the new year
Do you need a new job search strategy for the new year? Companies are hiring, but you need to stand out from the crowd if you want to win an interview, and ultimately, the job. Suggested methods of standing a head above the rest differ depending on whom you ask. Is it time to try some extreme methods? [Read more…] about How to get a job in the new year
Simply Hired reports opportunities up for job seekers
In Simply Hired’s February Jobs Report, there were some silver linings for job seekers.
They reported growth in 17 of 18 industries; only Technology was down a bit (-2.0%). Reported large growth areas: Military (22.7%), Travel (20.9%) and Agriculture (20.0%)
Month-over-month, growth in job openings (based on posted jobs on Simply Hired) were up 3.8% and year-over-year (compared to February 2010), they were up 49.7%.
There are (statistically) 4 people for every 1 job opening nationwide. Top hiring companies nationwide included:
- Home Depot
- HCA
- Securus
- Starbucks
- U.S. Air Force
Top hiring sectors based on jobs listed on Simply Hired included: agriculture, automotive, construction, education, financial services, government, health care, hospitality and legal.
Statistically, the most competitive place to land a job was Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where there are 9 candidates for every one opening. Washington D.C. has one job for every one candidate. (Remember, this is a statistical analysis, which doesn’t necessarily mean you will or will not be able to land an opportunity.)
Daniel Greenberg, CMO, SimplyHired.com, explains how they calculate these ratios and what they mean for job seekers:
SimplyHired.com’s unemployment ratio is calculated by taking the average of the total number of currently unemployed persons in the U.S. (as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) over the total number of job openings listed on SimplyHired.com each month. In February, the unemployment ratio was 4:1 nationally. This means that on average there were four job seekers for every one job opening. What this means for job seekers varies by location, if you’re looking for a job in an area like Miami, the unemployment ratio is actually 9:1, and in Washington, DC the unemployment ratio is an ideal 1:1.
This ratio also includes every job opening, meaning that part-time and contract work is considered – not just full-time jobs. Everything else being equal, job seekers in highly competitive job markets would be well served to relocate to areas that have more favorable job seeker-to-unemployment ratios.”
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If you’re looking for a job — or thinking you need to start using social media to propel your career, my book: Social Networking for Career Success is available on Amazon (at a great discount). Please order now!
photo by Redvers
How to get an employer to review your resume – spoon feed it!
Yesterday, I reminded you that it’s not a good idea to order your Chinese food in French. Or, more specifically, to use the language that your targeted employer will understand when writing your resume. Today, another food analogy:
Food analogy #2: You need to spoon feed the employer exactly what you have to offer.
In other words, you would not hand an infant with no teeth a whole apple to eat; he or she wouldn’t know what to do with it. (For the uninitiated, take my word for it here. The baby may just throw it back at you and still be hungry. And crying.)
Instead, you would offer applesauce and manipulate the spoon full directly into the infant’s mouth. Similarly, (see where I am going here?), you need to give the employer exactly what he or she needs and understands with regard to what you offer that will help him or her. Just like a baby couldn’t really care less about YOUR needs, your potential employer cares most about his or her own requirements and is not all that interested in what YOU want.
To extend the analogy, you better not be serving up green beans if the baby employer wants bananas! To top it off, the bananas need to be peeled and mashed and on the spoon if you want a chance to succeed.
So, two lessons from this analogy.
#1 – The resume is about the employer and how you directly fit what he or she wants. Spending a lot of time including things on your resume that are unrelated to the job at hand is only going to confuse the employer and make him or her wonder why you are interested in THIS job.
#2 – Don’t expect the employer to spend a lot of time figuring you out. If you aren’t making it easy to “eat” your resume – if you are passing crunchy apples when applesauce is preferred, you are not likely to pass the initial screen, no matter how great your underlying skills may be.
The fact is, recruiters and hiring managers are too busy to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your job is to break things down for them into easily digestible, bite-sized pieces AND spoon feed it directly to them. When you do make solid connections between what they want and what you offer, you will find that your search goes much better and your chances of landing an interview increase exponentially!
If you are ready for a change and could use some help with your search, follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how we can work together!
photo by seandreilinger
Questions to Consider for Your Cover Letter
Once you have a great resume, writing a terrific cover letter is the next important step. It’s not a good idea to skip the cover letter, as many employers think of it as the equivalent of an introductory handshake. If you wouldn’t skip the handshake, don’t skip the cover letter!
I’ve written all about cover letters…Follow THIS link to read my suggestions for how to compose yours.
I recently read a post by my colleague, J.T. O’Donnell that I thought offered some terrific, thought provoking questions for job seekers to consider when writing a cover letter. She suggests that they answer questions such as:
—Looking at your past professional success, what makes you good at what you do?
—How has your work inspired you?
—What value does it provide?
—If asked to describe yourself in an honest, humble, funny yet confident sort of way, what would you say?
The key thing is to connect what you have to offer with what will appeal to the employer. I think these questions are a great way to start thinking!
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