Make em READ Your Cover Letter Using This Killer Secret!
Got your attention? Great. That was my intention. Who wouldn't want to read on when the title promises a 'killer secret.' If I hadn't nabbed you in the first three seconds, however, I'd have lost you. People read and decide just like that. A job interviewer does the same thing. Read and toss. Read and toss. But that doesn't have to happen to your cover letter. You can grab and keep his or her attention with a smashing title or headline. This technique is one of the best-kept secrets in the career industry. Most job-hunters focus on their credentials, instead of focusing on the hiring manager they want to meet in person. Make him or her read your complete cover letter from start to finish without blinking. How does this little secret separate your cover letter from all the others? Great question! The answer? Most people don't know about it, so they can't use it. But now you know, so by putting a powerful headline at the top of your cover letter, it will rise to the top of the pile on the interviewer's desk. In fact, he or she may stop right there, and ignore the other letters. It can lead to the appointment you're after and the job you want. What happens if you skip it? Your cover letter might hit the trash can faster than you'd hear these dreadful words, "thanks, but no thanks." You can avoid this disaster by creating a hot headline that will assure your cover letter the attention it deserves. If you're trying to land a job interview, what could be more important than pinning the reader to your every word? He or she will want to shake your hand, discuss the job opening, and possibly make it yours. Anyone with your creativity will be a 'keeper.' Convinced? I hope so. Here's what to do. Just above the greeting in your cover letter (Dear Mrs. Smith), place your 'killer' headline in bold-face print and center it on the page. (Two lines maximum). Here are THREE examples of excellent cover letter headlines: THE reason why I think I'm the right candidate for the job opening of [insert job opening title here] at [company name]. Why I believe I'm an excellent match for the position of [insert job opening title here] at [company name]. I would love the opportunity to be interviewed for the position of [insert job opening title here] at [company name]. With a headline like one of the above, what do you think the hiring manager will do? He or she will read, decide, and call you for an appointment. Exercise the 'muscle' of a strong headline at the beginning of your next job-search cover letter and watch your calendar fill up with interviews for the job that is just right for you. Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy has written several career-related books and his unique, "think-outside-the-job-search-box" style, make his articles a job-seeker favorite. Jimmy is regularly published on some of the Internet's largest career web sites. Who else wants their phone ringing off the hook with more quality job interviews? Visit Jimmy on the web right now at http://www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com for your 'instant' cover letter today.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Lets Talk About Trust
I agree with Brooker T. Washington, "Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him." I agree with Mr. Washington because I've experienced trust. I've been on both the giving and receiving side of the equation, and I know first hand the power of trust.
Power Resumes ? Writing Your Objectives
A powerful resume starts with a good statement of objective. This is the headline of your advertisement promoting yourself. The headline has to be simple yet state with clarity that you are the perfect choice for the specific job or position.
What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont
Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume. Her challenge was simple. She was a stay-at-home mom who had not worked in four years. A difficult task however, with the information in this section, I generated a listing of skills she did not know she had. Here is a partial list.
(Organized, patient, detail oriented, energetic, ability to multitask, works well under pressure and capable of meeting deadlines) Now ask yourself, what company would not want their new employee to showcase these skills?
What Turns Potential Employers ON; What Turns Them OFF?
According to an annual survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, these are the most important qualities that employers are looking for in a job candidate, in priority order:
(1) Communication skills;
(2) Honesty/integrity;
(3) Teamwork skills;
(4) Interpersonal skills;
(5) A strong work ethic.
Be sure to highlight those skills in your resume, during your interview, and in your thank-you letter.
That same survey discovered the number-one thing that can turn potential employers off -- a job candidate's appearance! Specifically, they cited unusual hair color or style, body piercings, tattoos, and unusual clothing as things that most often gave a bad first impression.
What you think is "cool" may be the "hot" ticket to the reject list! So keep your need to express yourself under wraps during the interview, and you'll have a better shot at getting the job.
Have You Been Fired? Laid Off? No? You Will Be!
It's true. Things have changed. You need to know the 3 Keys to Taking Control in this wildly-changing job world.
Take This Job and...Re-staff It
Deciding to leave a job isn't easy. In fact, quitting a job requires courage, especially in today's soft economy when the unemployment rate has reached 6.4%. However, in a tight job market, some people consider leaving their jobs without having another "lined up".
Rich Career, Poor Career
What makes for a rich career? It is more than just the
salary and benefits. A rich career is one that suits your
talents and provides an opportunity to make a meaningful
contribution, as well as one that provides the right
compensation.
Thank-You Notes: Your Thoughtfulness will be Rewarded
I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I send separate thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed me? Can I just send one thank-you note to the hiring manager and ask him/her to thank others involved in the process?"
Ode to a Spoon
"Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have."
--Rabbi Hyman Judah Schachtel (1907-1990)
Think About a Nursing Degree
If you decide to get a degree in nursing, there are many things you need to know and consider first. Choosing your nursing school may not be as
easy as you expect. There is research that needs to go into it to be sure you get the best school available to you. You are going to want to look
into different college programs, where they are located, how much they cost, what degrees they offer as well as information about scholarships
and more to help you make an informed decision about which is best for you.
Should You Make A Career Decision Based Upon A Career Quiz?
Q. I'm about to graduate High School and I don't know what I want to be "when I grow up". Do you think that a career quiz might help me decide?
Your Self-Image in the Workplace
When communication breaks down in your office or factory and workers lack motivation, what are the roots of the problem?
Invest in Your Career Change--Put Your Money Where Your Dream Is
You say you want a new career, you say you want to start your own business, you say you'd love to be a freelance writer and travel more but are you serious? Can I really believe you? Are you investing in your dream?
Reinvent Your Career In Five Simple Steps
The phrase "reinventing yourself" seems to be popping up all over lately. Just a few days ago a friend asked me how he could do it without starting completely over. His concern was, "How do I move in a new career direction without sacrificing all the skills and experience I've worked so hard to achieve?" The underlying question is, "Is this even possible?"
Theres No Need to Pad Your Resume
It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your friends assure you that everybody does it and that employers rarely check resume facts. Going on blind faith and convinced the truth hasn't been helpful so far, you seriously consider fabricating information on your resume. You adapt the school of thought that a little white lie never hurt anyone and lying on a resume is just that, a little white lie.
Building Performance Trust
You can have outstanding ideas, yet never leverage them into winning at working results. That's because the secret behind those ideas lies in performance. Yours.
Your First Summer Work in the UK - Picking Strawberries The Right Way
Most jobs on farms in the UK involve picking strawberries or berries in general, raspberries and possibly other berries with which I have not have the lucky chance to pick.
Job Search Blurts
I coined this word to draw attention to
the nervous and apprehensive way of
saying something in the job search that
makes you feel like a buffoon. A "blurt"
is a catchy way of saying: Gaffe.
Cross Cultural Interviews
At this moment in time, the increase in cross border human traffic has meant that companies are no longer dealing with a homogenous native community from which they recruit their staff. Companies are now facing cross cultural challenges in how they recruit, manage and develop a multi-cultural staff. One area of note where HR and management are finding difficulties is in the interview room.
Last Year Physician Resident Checklist
Here is a last year resident checklist not to forget:
|
