Writing a Good Resume Cover Letter - How to Write a Good Cover Letter That Gets You Into The Job You Want

Writing a Good Resume Cover Letter - How to Write a Good Cover Letter That Gets You Into The Job You WantA resume cover letter is basically a way of showing that you are qualified for the job but have not decided whether to apply for it or not. In this article, I will show you how to write a good resume cover letter.This is a step to take before you even start looking for jobs. To understand why you should take this step first, let's first talk about your skills. If you think you do not have any skills, then I am afraid that you are going to waste time applying for jobs where you have skills and possibly give up when the employer sees you.When you apply for a job, you need to give some idea of your abilities. To do this, you should describe a range of your skills, and how these skills have helped you in the past. Don't just say that you have great communication skills. What is important is how well you communicate, which of your skills has helped you achieve this, and how.After descr ibing how you communicate, give a list of the skills that you know. Have a look at what skills you have, and try to see if they apply to the job you are applying for. If you are being hired, you need to demonstrate that you have those skills. If you don't have the skills that they are looking for, you need to find out how you can learn to show them that you do. Keep in mind that when you apply for a job, you are not asking for a job; you are also seeking to prove to the employer that you have the right qualities to get the job.Writing a good resume cover letter requires a lot of practice. You need to be patient, and ask yourself what skills are important to show the employer. Once you know what skills are important, you need to work on them until you have them all in order.When you first start out applying for jobs, you may not know what skills to include in your resume cover letter. This can be a problem, because you might get rejected quickly. The most important thing is to not le t this happen. You need to remember that you can learn all you need to learn, and that in the end, you will still be qualified for the job.Writing a good resume cover letter requires an understanding of what skills are important to demonstrate to the employer. It requires practice, and attention to detail. However, this isn't something you should just learn and start looking for a job. It is something that you need to work on, until you are comfortable with all the skills you need to show the employer.

Going Freelance 5 Things to Ensure a Smooth Transition

Going Freelance 5 Things to Ensure a Smooth Transition Planning to quit your day job to become a full-time freelancer can be the most exciting transition in your career. You gain control over your own schedule, and have the freedom to choose the type of projects you work on. But with this excitement comes a lot of financial questions and planning. In order to make the leap from your day job as smooth as possible, here are five questions to ask â€" and answer! â€" before becoming a full-time freelancer. 1. How Much Should You Save? If you have no other sources of income to pay the bills after you quit your job, how long would your savings last? Do you feel comfortable giving yourself three months to get your new freelancing career off the ground? Or is six months a more reasonable timeline? Obviously the more money you save up, the less risky your leap into freelancing will be. There are additional factors that need to be accounted for too, like whether or not you’re the breadwinner for your family. It’s likely you’ll have to pay for your own health insurance, taxes, and fund your own retirement account. All of these things need to be calculated before you can accurately estimate how much money you should save. Most experts suggest that you keep at least three to six months’ worth of expenses in a separate savings account to cover any emergencies or losses of income (some even suggest as much as twelve months’ worth). As a freelancer you might as well double this amount to account for the added risk of being self-employed. 2. What’s Your Bare Minimum Budget? What’s the bare minimum amount of money you need to make in order to pay your bills each month? Make sure you add in all of your household bills (utilities, insurance, groceries,) as well as the cost of doing business as a freelancer. When I was in the process of quitting my day job, I calculated my bare minimum budget to be $3,000 a month. This meant that I needed at least $18,000 saved up ($3,000 a month X six month savings cushion = $18,000) in order to cover my bare expenses for six months while I built my freelancing business. Calculate how much money you need to adequately pay your bills every month, then multiply this figure by six to eight months. This is the amount you’ll need to save in a separate account to make the transition from a day job to freelancing a successful one. 3. Do You Have Passive Income Streams? One other way to make this process much easier is creating multiple streams of income. Aside from your core freelance duties, do you have other options for creating passive income? What other assets can you leverage to bring in more money each month? Maybe you can branch out and offer business consulting, or create an online course that teaches a specific skill based on your background and experience. Do you have investments that earn small dividends or interest? Every little bit of income can help you save up money faster, while easing the transition of quitting your job and steady paycheck. 4. Are You Willing to Do What it Takes? How much time do you have available to dedicate to finding work? Are you prepared to spend nights and weekends building your business? In the beginning, clients won’t come to you, so you’ll have to actively seek them out and build a solid network from scratch. How much time you spend in the beginning will determine how quickly you’re able to replace your day job’s income. There will likely be a lot of sleepless nights and stressful days, but in the end you have to determine if the reward is worth all the effort. Freedom is never free, and this includes financial freedom. You have to figure out if the cost is worth it. 5. Do You Have a Financial Backup Plan? What happens if Plan A doesn’t work out? Do you have a Plan B in place? In the event that you blow through all of your savings, and are still not where you can fully pay your monthly expenses, how are you going to cope? Create a backup plan of action for this specific event. List out the possible solutions and scenarios for how you and your family will deal with this. Are you going to find another full-time job? Will you be able to move back in with your parents? This is another reason that having a large chunk of money stashed away in savings can really help you during the process of quitting your job to freelance full time. Calculate at least six months’ worth of your minimum budget expenses and then save money like crazy. More From Wise Bread: 4 Ways to Fund Your New Business Without Borrowing a Dime Self-Employed? Here’s How to Get Your Apartment Application Approved 101 Tax deductions for bloggers and freelancers 4 Ways to Fund Your New Business Without Borrowing a Dime Self-Employed? Here’s How to Get Your Apartment Application Approved 101 Tax deductions for bloggers and freelancers

9 Job Search Trends You Need To Know - Work It Daily

9 Job Search Trends You Need To Know - Work It Daily Are you one of those people who think a resume is an antiquated job search tool? A relic of the decades when classified newspaper ads and the U.S. mail were a job seeker’s best friends? Related: 5 Reasons It’s Easier To Find A Job When You Already Have One If so, I have some good news for you: just as technology has changed so much about the way we communicate and do business these days, it has had a major impact on the way job seekers learn about and apply for new jobs. There are more options for conducting a job search than ever before. And the bad news? Resumesâ€"although certainly doing their fair share of adapting to our current cultural expectationsâ€"haven’t been relegated to the history books just yet. The fact that so much is changing in career management has prompted even seasoned career experts to go to great lengths to make sure they’re on top of job search trends. Just recently, more than 150 career professionals put their heads together to share their observations for the fourth annual Global Career Brainstorming Day sponsored by Career Thought Leaders. Here are some of the findings from the group, and ways you can take advantage of current career management trends: 1. Make multiple versions Having a killer resume is a great first step. But to succeed in today’s job market, you may need to tweak your resume into several different versions to work for applicant tracking systems (ATS), online profiles, mobile platforms, email, and maybe even Twitter. 2. Emphasize your brand In an information-saturated world, you need to stand out. That means focusing on your brandâ€"those unique skills and characteristics that make you an excellent candidate for jobs in your chosen careerâ€"in every career communication that you create. And of course, presenting your case in a clear, concise, and compelling way. 3. Go the extra mile Many candidates are exploring different ways to catch employers’ eyes. Depending on your field, options include short videos, links to projects or published articles, and even websites complete with expanded examples of career success including detailed plans or photos. Give employers something to drool over… in a totally professional way, of course. 4. Boast a bit Have you received any glowing employee reviews or LinkedIn recommendations? Savvy job seekers are including some of the best comments in their resumes, cover letters, bios, or on various social media. 5. Leverage LinkedIn opportunities LinkedIn is more than just a place to post the dry details and responsibilities of your job; it is often a first stop for companies looking to hire. Make sure your profile is engaging and personable. And don’t forget the value of groups, which contribute to the conversation may boost your visibility to recruiters or employers. 6. Preserve your reputation Companies are increasingly turning to online sources to vet prospective employees. Make sure your online presenceâ€"from Twitter and Facebook to any public comments on forums and the likeâ€"captures your personality and reflects your dedication to your field… not your low opinion of your current boss or your status as a party girl or guy. 7. Explore apps Apps have been introduced for almost every aspect of the career management process, from finding jobs to posting resumes to networking. Some apps worthy of your attention per the Global Career Brainstorming day findings include Glassdoor, BeKnown, BranchOut, and TweetMyJobs.com. 8. Conduct smart searches More and more companies are now posting jobs on their Twitter feed or blogs, so be sure to follow any companies you’re interested in working for. Use your network! And job boards, especially specialized ones, may still be a great place to find technical or lower-level job postings. 9. Practice your video skills It’s not uncommon for employers to conduct initial screenings via video instead of phone. And don’t be surprised if you’re asked to complete entire interviews over Skype or Facetime. A little preparation will go a long way toward helping you feel and appear comfortable and confident. In short, the shift toward utilizing technology in the job search process means job seekers will need to be increasingly savvy in order to position themselves as desirable candidates. With these tips, you can start capitalizing on the advantages of social media and online/app tools, while tempting recruiters with clear, compelling, bite-sized morsels of information that leave them wanting more. Need help figuring some of this technology out? Connect with me on LinkedIn and schedule a consultation to get the support you need. Related Posts How To Use Google+ To Kickstart Your Job Search 7 Tips To Make It Easy For Recruiters To Find YOU A Job 6 Tips For Managing Job Search Stress   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!