Resume writing for those re-entering the workforce after an extended absence is different than writing for someone who has been consistently employed for a number of years. No matter the reason for the absence, potential employers will sometimes notice gaps in employment history; do not let this be a reason for them not to choose you, or at least offer you an interview. You can minimize these gaps, or if needed use your cover letter to offer a succinct explanation about your absence and how eager you are to re-enter the workforce. Here are a few suggestions on how to minimize, include, or even capitalize on your time away from employment.
Though chronological resumes are the most common, this style is not the best in this circumstance; a functional or skills-based one allows you to direct the attention towards your skills and abilities rather than focusing on the times that you were not employed (in the traditional sense). This type begins, as all do, withcontact information and an objective statement; after that, however, instead of a listing of previous work experience, you should write one or two short paragraphs about the skills that you have used during your time away. For example, if you were president of the PTA, a member of a planning committee, or even a room parent, you can include transferable skills that you gained from those experiences.
Certain industries do not accept functional or skills resumes. Do some investigative work before writing one. Not all employers do the math or notice employment gaps. You can also use only years without months on your chronological resume. This will rarely count against you. I personally have never turned down interviewing a qualified candidate who did this.
Something you should keep in mind while you are not traditionally employed is that any continuing education that you can get will help you should you plan to re-enter the working world at some point. If you know that, for example, you will go back to work when all of your children are in school, taking classes or keeping current on information relating to your chosen career will demonstrate to potential employers that you not out of the loop.
Resume writing for those who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time does not have to be daunting; the key is to focus attention away from gaps in employment and on to you and your qualifications. Focus on writing accomplishments statements that make you shine.
Using power words when writing accomplishment statements can help you stand out from the crowd and get interviews. A great source for creating these statements and resume writing is the ResumeDictionary.com. The dictionary contains power words and actual example statements. This article is copyright 2010 Phil Baker.
Labels: cover letter, job seeker, resume
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Cover Letters – The Icing on the Cake
Why? I get a lot of questions from clients about whether or not they should include a cover letter when sending in their resume. My response is “Would you consider making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the jelly?” The point being that the two go hand-in-hand, and unless a job position announcement specifically states that you should not send in a letter along with your resume, you should ALWAYS include one.
There are multiple reasons. As more companies are using applicant tracking software to scan for job keywords, this document also can get fed into this system as well. Building up your hit ratio in this system is paramount to catapulting you into the next level of the screening process.
Additionally, the letter serves as the compelling reason as to why the employer should hire you- it’s your opportunity to make the case as to why you are a superior candidate over the applicants. The resume presents your value proposition in terms of facts. The cover letter can provide the softer skill side where you can talk about your drive, initiative, attention to detail and how you are willing to go the extra mile.
But actually writing this introduction can be deceptively easy, and many people get trapped writing the wrong thing. Many people fail in this activity because they simply end up focusing entirely on themselves. The truth is that in this document, while it is about you, it’s actually really about THEM (the employer).
Here are a couple of straightforward tricks to use when developing an effective cover letter that addresses an employer’s needs:
1) Personalize your letter. Don’t know the human resource manager? Use your network or look them up on LinkedIn.com. A personalized cover letter always gets more attention than a ‘Dear Human Resource Manager’ or ‘To Whom it May Concern’ type of letter.
2) Always include a reference to the specific position you are applying for in the cover letter. Here’s an example of the format:
3) Create immediate interest. Use a compelling ‘hook’ to spur the employer to read on. You can relate to something that is of interest to the employer by making a direct appeal or providing an interesting fact relevant to that company. The key is to make a connection to what is of interest to THEM!
4) Write to your audience. Demonstrate familiarity and knowledge about their company… this can stroke their ego while at the same time subliminally demonstrating your resourcefulness by digging up information about their company. Find out what types of challenges that your target company might be facing, and then provide yourself as the solution to those problems. Advertisers use this ‘problem-solution’ tactic all the time!
5) Talk about what you can do for the employer. Focus on the target company, versus rattling off a litany of ‘I’ve done this, and I’ve done that…now hire me!” It doesn’t work that way. You should be into your third paragraph in the cover letter before you start touting yourself, and even at that point, you need to relate specifically what you offer to what they need. Avoid a lot of ‘I’ or ‘my’ statements!
6) Use keywords in your cover letter like you do in your resume. These can generate hits and adds to the employer’s perception of your relevancy.
7) Don’t forget to close the sale. Most people, whether in their cover letter or at the end of an interview, forget to ask for the sale. You are selling your services to help their company, and your close in a cover letter is just as important as your opening. Don’t be afraid to ask them to hire you!
Avoid ‘regurgitating’ your resume in your cover letter. Remember, the resume are the facts, and the cover letter is how you make the case as to why they should hire you!
Hopefully, these tips will help you understand that the cover letter is practically equal with the resume… they go together and act as compliments to provide a tight, focused and informative snapshot about what you offer the employer.
Dawn Rasmussen, President Pathfinder Writing and Career Services PO Box 20536 Portland OR 97294 (503) 539-3954 phone http://www.pathfindercareers.com
There are multiple reasons. As more companies are using applicant tracking software to scan for job keywords, this document also can get fed into this system as well. Building up your hit ratio in this system is paramount to catapulting you into the next level of the screening process.
Additionally, the letter serves as the compelling reason as to why the employer should hire you- it’s your opportunity to make the case as to why you are a superior candidate over the applicants. The resume presents your value proposition in terms of facts. The cover letter can provide the softer skill side where you can talk about your drive, initiative, attention to detail and how you are willing to go the extra mile.
But actually writing this introduction can be deceptively easy, and many people get trapped writing the wrong thing. Many people fail in this activity because they simply end up focusing entirely on themselves. The truth is that in this document, while it is about you, it’s actually really about THEM (the employer).
Here are a couple of straightforward tricks to use when developing an effective cover letter that addresses an employer’s needs:
1) Personalize your letter. Don’t know the human resource manager? Use your network or look them up on LinkedIn.com. A personalized cover letter always gets more attention than a ‘Dear Human Resource Manager’ or ‘To Whom it May Concern’ type of letter.
2) Always include a reference to the specific position you are applying for in the cover letter. Here’s an example of the format:
- Date
- Contact Name, Title, Company, Address: City, State, Zip
- Re: Position Title and Reference Number (if applicable)
3) Create immediate interest. Use a compelling ‘hook’ to spur the employer to read on. You can relate to something that is of interest to the employer by making a direct appeal or providing an interesting fact relevant to that company. The key is to make a connection to what is of interest to THEM!
4) Write to your audience. Demonstrate familiarity and knowledge about their company… this can stroke their ego while at the same time subliminally demonstrating your resourcefulness by digging up information about their company. Find out what types of challenges that your target company might be facing, and then provide yourself as the solution to those problems. Advertisers use this ‘problem-solution’ tactic all the time!
5) Talk about what you can do for the employer. Focus on the target company, versus rattling off a litany of ‘I’ve done this, and I’ve done that…now hire me!” It doesn’t work that way. You should be into your third paragraph in the cover letter before you start touting yourself, and even at that point, you need to relate specifically what you offer to what they need. Avoid a lot of ‘I’ or ‘my’ statements!
6) Use keywords in your cover letter like you do in your resume. These can generate hits and adds to the employer’s perception of your relevancy.
7) Don’t forget to close the sale. Most people, whether in their cover letter or at the end of an interview, forget to ask for the sale. You are selling your services to help their company, and your close in a cover letter is just as important as your opening. Don’t be afraid to ask them to hire you!
Avoid ‘regurgitating’ your resume in your cover letter. Remember, the resume are the facts, and the cover letter is how you make the case as to why they should hire you!
Hopefully, these tips will help you understand that the cover letter is practically equal with the resume… they go together and act as compliments to provide a tight, focused and informative snapshot about what you offer the employer.
Dawn Rasmussen, President Pathfinder Writing and Career Services PO Box 20536 Portland OR 97294 (503) 539-3954 phone http://www.pathfindercareers.com
Labels: cover letter, job seeker