THE ART OF THE COVER LETTER
- Opening paragraph: Explain who you are and why you are writing
Body: This is where you show your interest in the company Prove you did your homework and researched the company before writing the letter by including examples of what this company does that appeals to you as a potential employee. Provide examples describing how you fit the position's qualifications' - this is your sales pitch and the product you're selling is yourself.
"You get the job yourself," she says. "But connections can get your foot in the door."
you know, it's who you know" is an accurate description of jobhunting for students, says Lauren Airey, a public policy assistant for the American Farm Bureau in Washington,D.C.
One of the most difficult and dreaded tasks in the job search process is writing the cover letter. Not only is it unnatural to brag about yourself — especially in writing — but you also need to personalize each letter for the position and company you're applying for, which takes time.
The cover letter has three major components: the opening paragraph, the body (or sales pitch) and the call to action, says Gaston. The main purpose is to entice the employer to look at your resume. Here's the breakdown:
Sometimes, however, getting a job is no more than blind luck. That was the case for Amy Sullivan, a wedding coordinator for the Chicago Historical Society and a 2005 graduate. She stumbled on her job after interviewing with a catering company in Chicago. The person she interviewed with knew of a position Sullivan might be better suited for, so the interviewer faxed her resume to the Chicago Historical Society. After a 10-minute interview and two weeks of waiting, Sullivan had the job. But it was not without some serious work on her part. She made four trips to Chicago and interviewed nine times before landing her job
- Final paragraph: say thank you for the recipient's consideration, then provide a course of action, such as when you will follow up.
Do résumé really need to fit on one page?
Writing a résumé for a new graduate is tough, says Kursmark. To stand out from the heaps of résumés stacked on a recruiter's desk, it's crucial that yours is full of specific examples.
A résumé should be easy to read and concise. Typically (though
it depends on your field) the résumé should contain a three-to-five-sentence summary of your goals, Gaston says.
Descriptors are one of the most critical elements of a resume; they explain the experience you received from past jobs or activities. Use action verbs such as "managed," "developed," and "organized" and then follow with details to describe your experience. Beware of too much information, though. The last thing any employer wants to do is wade
on the one-page resume rule?
"If you genuinely have enough information, it's okay to go off onto a second page," she says. "But look at what you're saying. it needs to be relevant."
Gatson thinks it depends on the field. For education, it's more acceptable to go beyond one page; for sales and marketing, one page should be the maximum.
"It's a marketing tool, not a transcript of everything you've ever done," Gaston says.
through a river of meaningless text.
Interviewing: Necessity or torture device?
Nothing strikes more fear in the hearts of job hunters than the interview. Interviews can reduce even the most extroverted people to a bundle of nerves in a suit. (And yes, you should wear a suit.)
And where does Kursmark stand
If there was one common piece of advice career experts wanted to share about interviewing, it's this: prepare,prepare,prepare.
What's the quickest way to blow an interview with Perry Golden, campus recruiter for Cerner Corporation in Kansas City? "Be late," he says. "If you're on time, you're already 10 minutes late. It's best to arrive 15 minutes before the interview. And don't smoke. We can smell it on you."
One of the biggest mistakes students make is not researching a company before they go in to interview, says Mimi Collins, director of information for the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
"Every year we ask what advice employers would give students, and every year it's the same thing: Research the company," she says. "It's amazing how many people don't do that."
With the excess of information available online, it's hard to come up
What impressos him the most?
"When a student has done extensive research beyond the standard reading of the first page of our Web site"
with a reasonable excuse as to why you didn't do your research. Plus you can save yourself a lot of time by seeing if you are even interested in the position and the company.
Golden wants students to know two things about the interviewing process: Be honest and be selfish. "This is the one time to talk about you and your accomplishments — but of course still be honest," he says.
To prepare for an interview, a good place to start, once
again, is the career center, Career Services conducts 200 to 300 mock interviews per semester, Gatson says. Mock interviews are a great way to practice answering tough questions
and to get more comfortable with the interview process.
Practice is really what it's all about, says Randall Hansen, Stetson University marketing professor and creator of QuintCareers.com, a career development site. He suggests writing out answers to common interview questions — not to memorize them, but to be familiar with them — and to be able to tell stories that illustrate your experience. If you can have three or four bits of information you want your interviewer to know about you and stories to go along with them, you should be in pretty good shape.
What you want to do is minimize the percentage of the interview you're not prepared for, Gaston says.
WhitneyBartlow.anadministrative assistant for Stowers Medical Research, was caught off guard by the interview process.
"I didn't have any experience with business interviewing as a science major," the 2005 graduate says. Bartlow was particularly unprepared for the notorious "what is your weakness" question. "I hadn't thought about it," she says. Her advice? "Be prepared, because they are going to ask you some tough questions."
You've prepared, you've looked over your résumé and researched
the company. Now what to wear?
A suit is a necessity, says Kent McAnally, assistant director of University Career Center. And a suit is considered a matching set, either pants and jacket or skirt and jacket. Blazers and khaki pants need not apply.
Business casual is especially inappropriate for interviews, says Patty Noland, career development coordinator for the School of Journalism. "Students are used to dressing casual for classes, but they need to look the part of a professional while interviewing," she says. "You want to make a professional first impression."
Also, take care not to wear any distracting accessories. "You want people to remember you, and not the red flower on your coat," McAnally says.
You also want to be well-groomed and pay attention to the details in your ensemble. This means clipping your fingernails and shining your shoes.
"Everybody's always nervous," McAnally says. "But it's all about if you can handle the interview in a confident, composed manner."
Do 50 phone calls qualify as a nuisance?
You made it through the interview.
Now you're in a delicate situation —
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