Friday, June 22, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Assistant Human Resources Manager Role and Responsiblities
Assistant Human Resources Manager
The Assistant Human Resources Manager is the right hand of
the HR Manager and shall oversee the day to day activities within the HR
department ensuring that tasks are completed. This position will assume all responsibilities
of an HR Manager in his / her absence.
Roles and responsibilities;
1.
Assist the HR Manager in the implementation and
monitoring of the staff policy.
2.
Assist in coordinating staffing needs of each
department and ensure that all hiring procedures are followed.
3.
Assist in performing needs assessment for
existing staff and match with relevant trainings.
4.
Assist in creating and coordinating strategies
to monitor staff performance.
5.
Assist in administering staff compensation and
benefits.
6.
Assist in ensuring proper exit of staff and all
relevant documents are complete.
7.
Assist in initiating review and recommend
revision for staff forms and follow –up its implementation.
8.
Ensure timely preparation of monthly stipends
and completed documentation.
9.
Supervision of HR staff.
Criteria;
1)
Completed at least Grade 10
2)
At least two years working in MTC and CDC
3)
Good written and spoken Burmese; Basic English
and Thai
4)
Basic computer skills
5)
Strong skills in communication
6)
Commitment for at least two – years is a
requirement.
Cover Letter Sample
Step 1 : The heading
Step 2 : The opening
Step 3 : The main part
Step 4 : The ending
Step 5 : The checklist
Sending cover letters by email : How to do this
Mistakes : What you MUST avoid when writing your cover letter
Conclusion : Some final thoughts
INTRODUCTION What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a letter that is sent with other documents to provide additional information. This book is for cover letters that you send with a resume or C.V. You can send a cover letter when applying to an advertised job vacancy or if you are making general enquiries about possible vacancies within a company.
Why do you need a cover letter?
A well written cover letter will make you stand out from the competition. It will increase your chances of getting an interview. Imagine a company advertising for a position. They receive hundreds of resumes. They don’t have time to read all of them immediately so they read through the cover letters. They find a thoughtfully written cover letter that states exactly how the applicant is a perfect match for the position advertised. This person is more likely to have their application considered further. Your cover letter is just as important as your resume and can mean the difference between you being contacted for an interview or being rejected.
What does a cover letter look like?
The heading
Your name
Your address
ZIP/Postal Code
Your telephone number
Your email address
The name of the person you are sending the letter to
Their position
The name of the company
The address of the company
The date
Any reference number that you may have been asked to quote
Dear (person’s name)
The opening
You need to state what position you are applying for and where you saw it
advertised. If it is a general enquiry state what positions you would be interested in. The main part This is where you write about your qualifications and experience. You should show the employer that you are a perfect match for their requirements. This part can be written in paragraphs, bullet points or a list. You are not repeating all the information from your resume, you are highlighting the skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
The ending
End the letter on a positive proactive note. Let the employer know when you are available for interview. You could state that you will phone the employer to arrange an interview. As this is a business letter end in a professional way.
Yours sincerely
Leave room to write your name
Your name
Can you use a template cover letter? There are many template letters which are useful to look at as they give you a general idea of how cover letters are structured. I suggest that you look at those that are relevant to the kind of work that you are searching for. However, some employers receive hundreds, even thousands, of cover letters and they are aware of what the template letters look like. Although it takes more time and effort to write your own cover letter I feel that it is worth it as the employer will certainly notice. Also, when you are asked to go for an interview the employer may ask you to expand on the qualities and skills that you wrote about in your letter. It is much easier to do this if you wrote the letter yourself from scratch.
How do you set out a cover letter?
The most effective way is :
Using Arial, Verdant or Times New Roman in 10 or 12 font size. If possible use the same font as your resume. Make sure your cover letter fits on one page, not more. Leave spaces between paragraphs. Print out on white or cream paper. Don’t forget to sign it.
STEP 1 – THE HEADING
Your details The first thing you need to put at the top of your letter is your name, your address and your contact details. If you are putting an email address you might want to think carefully if you have a ‘fun’ or ‘jokey’ email e.g. joe.iamthegreatest@hotmail. This doesn’t look professional so it would be wise to open a new, more businesslike email. The same would apply if you have a fun message on your answer phone! Make sure you give a telephone number that you can be reached on. When I worked with a hiring manager we received a wonderful application form with a great cover letter – the telephone number given was a home number and there was never anyone there. We got tired of trying to ring this person and so put their form to the bottom of the pile.
Their details
It is extremely important that you put the name of the person you are writing to. Putting ‘To whom it may concern’ or ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ is guaranteed to annoy the person who receives your letter. If you are replying to an advert, the person’s name is usually given. If not, you can look online at the company’s website. If it isn’t there, you can phone up the company and find out who you should address your letter to. Under the person’s name put their position at the company. Under that, put the name of the company and their full address. I know this seems a lot of unnecessary work but a cover letter is a professional business letter and it needs to be set out like one.
The date
This can go under your address or the recipient’s address.
Reference details
Sometimes an advertised vacancy will ask you to state a certain reference such as a number or a position title. Putting this under the addresses will make it easy for the employer to find.
The salutation
Use the name of the person you are writing to. Remember, this is a business letter so start it with ‘Dear ........’ A cheerful ‘Hi!’ or ‘Hey there!’ is not appropriate here.
STEP 2 – THE OPENING
What should you include in the opening paragraph? The type of position you are seeking. State if it is full time, part-time, voluntary etc. How you heard about the job – if replying to an advertisement.
How you heard about the company – if you are making an enquiry about a possible position. Mention any contacts that you might have at the company. Make sure you have that person’s permission to quote their name. State why you think you are a perfect match for the position. Here are are some examples of opening
paragraphs : For advertised vacancies – I am writing in reply to the classified ad for a .................... I believe that my skills and experience in my current position of .................... would make me an ideal candidate for this vacancy.
I refer to the vacancy for a .................... that was advertised on Monster.com. I have several years experience in this field. The description you posted in your ad for a .................... is perfect for me as I am currently working as a ................... I am writing to express my interest in the position of ... which was posted in yesterday’s Evening News. I work as a ...................
so I am aware of the skills and experience needed in this vacancy. I am applying for the position of .................... which was posted on your website. I believe I have the experience that you are looking for and would appreciate it if you would consider me for the vacancy. The job listing in Monday’s Evening Post for a .... caught my attention. I am confident that my skills as a .................... make me a suitable candidate for your consideration. For general enquiries – I am presently working as a ...... I believe that your company can offer me the ideal opportunity to increase my skills and experience in this chosen field. I see from your website that your company excels at ............I would love to be more involved in this side of the business and I wonder if you could consider me for any available positions. Please consider my resume for any future vacancies for a .................... at your company. I currently work as a ................... and I believe I have the skills and experience that your company is looking for.
I am submitting my resume for your consideration with regard to any future openings for a .................... If you know someone at the company – I am writing in regard to the vacancy for a….. My former colleague, John Smith, who works in your IT department, told me of this vacancy. I enclose my resume which shows that I have ten years experience working in.................. which makes me a suitable person for this position. Please find enclosed my resume for the position of .................... I was told of this position by my friend, Mary Jones, who works in your PR office. I understand you have not yet officially advertised for this vacancy but I would like to advise you that I have ten years experience of this job as I presently work as a .................... at .......
My friend, Joe Gordon, has advised me of a vacancy for a ................. I would appreciate your consideration of my enclosed resume. I believe I have the skills that you are looking for. Joe works in your admin department and speaks very highly of your company.
STEP 3 -THE MAIN PART
This is the most important part of your cover letter. (This is also the longest section of this book!) This is the part where you show the employer how you are a PERFECT MATCH for their company. You don’t need to repeat all the information that is on your resume, you need to highlight the relevant parts that show how your skills, experience and abilities would make you the perfect employee. An important thing to remember is that your cover letter should demonstrate how you can benefit the employer – not how the employer can benefit you. This is also the part of your letter to explain any employment gaps such as time taken off work to be with family, travelling, studying, volunteer work, consulting work etc. Imagine that you are the owner of a shop that makes suits. You advertise for a trained tailor, one that knew how to make business suits and got on well with customers. What would you think about the main parts of these cover letters?
1) I haven’t made suits before but I’ve made lots of dresses so I’m sure I will quickly learn how to make suits. I would prefer not to talk to the customers as I like working on my own. I would like to have my own business soon so could you give me some advice on this? How many weeks holiday would I get? Do you have a bonus system? Do you pay overtime?
2) 2) I have worked in the tailoring business for ten years and have gained extensive experience in making business suits. I feel that talking to customers is an important part of the job and one that I particularly enjoy. I also like to design my own suits and wonder if this is something that you would be interested in taking further should you consider me a suitable applicant.
Can you see how in letter 1 the applicant was more concerned with what the employer could offer them? In letter 2 the applicant is offering exactly what the employer is looking for – this applicant has even offered more in mentioning that they also design suits. How do you match your skills to the employer’s needs? In the case of an advertised job, the best thing to do is to break down the advert into what the employer is looking for.
For example, here is a typical advert for an insurance claims handler :‘Insurance Excel is looking for an Insurance Claims Handler to join their dynamic team. The ideal candidate will focus on property, motor and liability claims. Your responsibilities will include the processing and administration of claims; assessing and accurately recording telephone claims; updating in-house databases; liaising with customers in a professional manner and pursuing settlement as quickly as possible. You will need the ability to use your own initiative and to be able to plan and prioritise your workload. Good telephone skills are needed as is the ability to remain calm under pressure. We are looking for a team player who is self motivated.’
This advert can be broken down into individual responsibilities and skills i.e. ·
Dealing with property, motor and liability claims. ·
Processing and administering claims. ·
Assessing and recording telephone claims. ·
Updating databases. ·
Talking to customers.
Settling claims quickly. ·
Use initiative. ·
Prioritise workloads. ·
Good telephone skills. ·
Calm manner. ·
Team player. ·
Self motivated.
List these on the left hand side of a piece of paper. On the right hand side write down what experience you have with these responsibilities and skills. For example, under ‘dealing with property, motor and liability claims’ you might put ‘5 years working in the property claims department, 6 months in the motor claims department with 2 weeks training on liability claims’. When writing your cover letter it is important to support your statements with examples. So, using the same example as above you could write: I have worked in the Home Claims Department for five years, the last two as a supervisor. I spent 6 months in the motor claims department which included a two week intensive training course on liability claims. Supporting your statements with examples paints a picture for the employer and makes you more of a person rather than just another applicant with a list of qualifications.
Don’t spend a lot of time matching your experience to what the employer wants as you don’t need to include them all in your cover letter. Pick 3 or 4 of your strongest skills and go into more detail about them i.e. write supporting examples. Remember, your cover letter is highlighting the skills/ experience that matches what the employer is looking for. If you are making a general enquiry to a company and are not sure what responsibilities and skills are needed you can search for job descriptions online. Type in what vacancies you are looking for and you are sure to find many job adverts that list the skills needed. Look at plenty so that you get a good overall view of what is needed. You can even look at online recruitment specialists such as Monster.com, jobsearch.com, totaljobs.com etc. Again, make a list of 3 or 4 of your strongest skills and write about them using supportive statements. A general rule for the main part of your cover letter is to write three or four sentences in each paragraph. You might need two or three paragraphs to cover your important skills. Don’t write too much as you will make your cover letter longer than the ideal length of one page. Another place to look before writing your cover letter is the company’s website, in particular, their mission statement (if they have one). This will show what their company stands for and what they aim to achieve. If the company feels that ‘customer care’ is important, you can state how important customer care is to you and perhaps give an example. If the company promotes ‘environmental issues’ you can give examples of how this is relevant to your existing skills. A lot of companies support charities, you may support the same ones, or you may have undertaken some charity work yourself recently. Mention this as it will show the employer that you are the type of person they are looking for.
What if you haven’t got all the skills that the employer is looking for?
What if you haven’t got all the skills that the employer is looking for?
In this case, you need to show how your existing skills can be transferred to suit the employer’s required skills. If we use the previous example of insurance claims, perhaps you haven’t any experience working with motor claims so you could write : I have gained an extensive and thorough understanding of insurance claims during my five years in the position of Senior Home Claims Handler. Or the more general : My present job has taught me qualities such as (include qualities that the employer is looking for). How do you write supportive statements? Here are examples of strong, effective statements :
Working with .................... has taught me how important customer service is and has allowed me to become an excellent communicator. I appreciate how important it is to be organised and my role as a ...................has increased my organising skills. During my time as a .................... I have greatly increased my knowledge of computer systems and how to solve any technical problems. As a ...................I have learnt to appreciate how important it is to be self motivated. Whilst I am confident to work on my own I realise that I also need to be part of a team. I recently went on a team building programme which I thoroughly enjoyed as it helped me appreciate my colleagues.
My present position of .................... means that I spend a lot of time talking to customers. As a result, my listening and conversation skills have improved. My long term experience as a ................... has taught me how to ................... During my role as a .....................I have acquired many new skills such as .....................
My present position of .................. has prepared me for a variety of administrative duties, in particular ................... What other statements can you use? Always use strong action words. Try to avoid ‘I feel’ or ‘I think’ as these don’t make you sound confident of your abilities. Also, don’t start every
sentence with ‘I’ or ‘My’. Here are more examples which will help you with the main part of your letter: I understand the need for .................... In this capacity I was able to ..................
Experience has taught me .................. The key strengths I possess are .................. I have experienced, first hand ................... My responsibilities include .................. You’ll find me well-spoken, energetic and confident.
I believe my skill as a ..................... I have extensive experience in ................... The ability to work as a team is one of my strongest skills.
In addition, I have gained working experience of .................. Furthermore, my time here has increased my knowledge of ................. I have excellent communication skills along with .................. My background in ..................has increased my understanding of ................ I appreciate the importance of ..................
And here is a list of strong words you can use in your statements: accomplished achieved acquired assessed balanced briefed coached collected combined communicated completed convinced created decided delegated demonstrated developed educated effected encouraged exceeded formed founded functioned gained gathered generated guided handled highlighted identified improved increased instigated instructed introduced launched led maintained managed marketed motivated negotiated networked observed operated ordered organized participated performed prepared presented prioritised produced programmed provided realised received recommended redesigned reorganised researched revised selected served solved streamlined strengthened studied supported targeted taught traded trained transformed
Here are some strong words to describe yourself : able accurate adaptable consistent creative decisive dedicated diligent dynamic efficient energetic enthusiastic experienced fast flexible imaginative inventive motivated organised outgoing patient persistent positive practical productive punctual quick reliable resourceful responsible self-motivated successful strong talented understanding versatile
STEP 4 -THE ENDING
How should you end your cover letter? Once you have matched the main requirements of the employer’s needs then you are ready to bring your letter to a close. It is important to include a call to further action in your closing paragraph i.e. ·
advise you will wait for the employer to contact you to arrange an interview
· say that you will contact the employer (make sure you follow up) ·
let the employer know when you are available for interview
if living outside the area, advise a day when you will be nearby.
Here are examples of endings : Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you to arrange an interview. I hope you will consider me for this position. I look forward to meeting with you so we can discuss my suitability in more detail.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read my application. I am confident that I could provide value and service to your company. You can contact me on ................... to arrange an interview time. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate the opportunity to apply for this position. I look forward to discussing my qualifications in more detail and am available for interview at your convenience. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you further to discuss my application for this position. I will telephone you next week to see if we might arrange a time to speak. Thank you for your time. I will call in one week to see if you would like to arrange an interview. Thank you for considering my application for candidacy. I will follow up within a week to confirm that you have received my details and hopefully set up an interview time. Signing off As this is a business letter use ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. Leave a space for your written signature – this goes above your typed name e.g.
Yours sincerely
John Smith
STEP 5 – THE CHECKLIST
Congratulations on writing your cover letter! Before you put it in an envelope use this checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. ·
Proof read your letter for grammatical and spelling mistakes. It helps to read your letter out loud. Ask a friend to double check it for you. ·
Have you included your full address and contact details? ·
Have you included the employer’s full details, including the name of the person you are writing to?
Check you have put on the date and any reference numbers. ·
Have you stated the position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised?
If a general enquiry, have you put what position you are interested in? · Have you identified your main strengths and used supporting statements? ·
Do these match what the employer is looking for?
Does your letter end on a positive note with a call to action? ·
Have you signed your letter? Make sure you have an envelope big enough so that you don’t have to fold your letter, or at least, to fold it once. Check that you have included your C.V., resume and any other requested supporting documents in your envelope.
How should you end your cover letter? Once you have matched the main requirements of the employer’s needs then you are ready to bring your letter to a close. It is important to include a call to further action in your closing paragraph i.e. ·
advise you will wait for the employer to contact you to arrange an interview
· say that you will contact the employer (make sure you follow up) ·
let the employer know when you are available for interview
if living outside the area, advise a day when you will be nearby.
Here are examples of endings : Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you to arrange an interview. I hope you will consider me for this position. I look forward to meeting with you so we can discuss my suitability in more detail.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read my application. I am confident that I could provide value and service to your company. You can contact me on ................... to arrange an interview time. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate the opportunity to apply for this position. I look forward to discussing my qualifications in more detail and am available for interview at your convenience. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you further to discuss my application for this position. I will telephone you next week to see if we might arrange a time to speak. Thank you for your time. I will call in one week to see if you would like to arrange an interview. Thank you for considering my application for candidacy. I will follow up within a week to confirm that you have received my details and hopefully set up an interview time. Signing off As this is a business letter use ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. Leave a space for your written signature – this goes above your typed name e.g.
Yours sincerely
John Smith
STEP 5 – THE CHECKLIST
Congratulations on writing your cover letter! Before you put it in an envelope use this checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. ·
Proof read your letter for grammatical and spelling mistakes. It helps to read your letter out loud. Ask a friend to double check it for you. ·
Have you included your full address and contact details? ·
Have you included the employer’s full details, including the name of the person you are writing to?
Check you have put on the date and any reference numbers. ·
Have you stated the position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised?
If a general enquiry, have you put what position you are interested in? · Have you identified your main strengths and used supporting statements? ·
Do these match what the employer is looking for?
Does your letter end on a positive note with a call to action? ·
Have you signed your letter? Make sure you have an envelope big enough so that you don’t have to fold your letter, or at least, to fold it once. Check that you have included your C.V., resume and any other requested supporting documents in your envelope.
SENDING COVER LETTERS BY EMAIL
When do you send a cover letter by email? When the employer asks you to do so. This could be specified in a job advert or on their website (if you are sending a general enquiry). The employer will make it clear whether you are to copy your resume and cover letter into the body of your email text or if you should send it as an attachment.
The email letter is very similar to the written cover letter but there are a few differences in how you should set it out. ·
Subject line – include your name, the position you are applying for and any reference number.
Heading – you don’t need to include your contact details here or the employer’s details. · Opening – begin with ‘Dear ....................’ · The main part – same as the written letter – identify your key strengths and make sure they are a match to the employer’s needs.
The ending – end on a positive note as before. Sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. · Your contact details – under your name put your contact details. ·
Use the checklist above before pressing send!
MISTAKES WITH COVER LETTERS
Things you MUST avoid I’ve spent a lot of time searching through information to find out what are the most common mistakes people make when writing and sending cover letters. These mistakes have come straight from employers (it makes you wonder what kind of letters they have received!)
Failing to address your letter to a specific person, using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Hiring Manager’. ·
Telling the company what they can do for you rather than what you can do for the company. · Not checking for spelling/grammatical errors.
Using template letters and not taking the time and effort to write a specifically tailored letter. · Cover letter is too short – ‘Here is my resume.’ · Cover letter is too long – more than one page, unnecessary information.
Handwritten cover letter. · Repeating your resume instead of highlighting key skills. · Adding graphics, clip art or fancy fonts. ·
Using brightly coloured paper instead of white or cream. · Not including all contact information. · Rambling on and telling the story of your career/life.
Too long winded and technical. · Forgetting to include resume and other promised documents. · Using anecdotes, gimmicks or unsuitable jokes. ·
Forgetting to sign letter. · Not paying enough postage. · Using a small envelope which makes cover letter very creased. ·
Not including information that employer has asked for. · Misrepresenting yourself – the employer will always find out. · Sending unsuitable photographs
CONCLUSION
I hope this book helps you to write your perfect cover letter. It isn’t difficult and it will give you an opportunity to think about how many skills and qualities you already have. There are many online sites that have template letters. I suggest you look at these to give you ideas on what to write. You could also look at specific templates that refer to your ideal occupation as these will help you identify what skills and qualities are needed.
If you really don’t feel you can write a cover letter yourself there are companies that will do this for you. You will find many of these companies online. The last thing I would like to say is ......................
GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR PERFECT JOB! YOU CAN DO IT! SENDING COVER LETTERS BY EMAIL
When do you send a cover letter by email? When the employer asks you to do so. This could be specified in a job advert or on their website (if you are sending a general enquiry). The employer will make it clear whether you are to copy your resume and cover letter into the body of your email text or if you should send it as an attachment.
The email letter is very similar to the written cover letter but there are a few differences in how you should set it out. ·
Subject line – include your name, the position you are applying for and any reference number.
Heading – you don’t need to include your contact details here or the employer’s details. · Opening – begin with ‘Dear ....................’ · The main part – same as the written letter – identify your key strengths and make sure they are a match to the employer’s needs.
The ending – end on a positive note as before. Sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. · Your contact details – under your name put your contact details. ·
Use the checklist above before pressing send!
MISTAKES WITH COVER LETTERS
Things you MUST avoid I’ve spent a lot of time searching through information to find out what are the most common mistakes people make when writing and sending cover letters. These mistakes have come straight from employers (it makes you wonder what kind of letters they have received!)
Failing to address your letter to a specific person, using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Hiring Manager’. ·
Telling the company what they can do for you rather than what you can do for the company. · Not checking for spelling/grammatical errors.
Using template letters and not taking the time and effort to write a specifically tailored letter. · Cover letter is too short – ‘Here is my resume.’ · Cover letter is too long – more than one page, unnecessary information.
Handwritten cover letter. · Repeating your resume instead of highlighting key skills. · Adding graphics, clip art or fancy fonts. ·
Using brightly coloured paper instead of white or cream. · Not including all contact information. · Rambling on and telling the story of your career/life.
Too long winded and technical. · Forgetting to include resume and other promised documents. · Using anecdotes, gimmicks or unsuitable jokes. ·
Forgetting to sign letter. · Not paying enough postage. · Using a small envelope which makes cover letter very creased. ·
Not including information that employer has asked for. · Misrepresenting yourself – the employer will always find out. · Sending unsuitable photographs
CONCLUSION
I hope this book helps you to write your perfect cover letter. It isn’t difficult and it will give you an opportunity to think about how many skills and qualities you already have. There are many online sites that have template letters. I suggest you look at these to give you ideas on what to write. You could also look at specific templates that refer to your ideal occupation as these will help you identify what skills and qualities are needed.
If you really don’t feel you can write a cover letter yourself there are companies that will do this for you. You will find many of these companies online. The last thing I would like to say is ......................
GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR PERFECT JOB! YOU CAN DO IT!
When do you send a cover letter by email? When the employer asks you to do so. This could be specified in a job advert or on their website (if you are sending a general enquiry). The employer will make it clear whether you are to copy your resume and cover letter into the body of your email text or if you should send it as an attachment.
The email letter is very similar to the written cover letter but there are a few differences in how you should set it out. ·
Subject line – include your name, the position you are applying for and any reference number.
Heading – you don’t need to include your contact details here or the employer’s details. · Opening – begin with ‘Dear ....................’ · The main part – same as the written letter – identify your key strengths and make sure they are a match to the employer’s needs.
The ending – end on a positive note as before. Sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. · Your contact details – under your name put your contact details. ·
Use the checklist above before pressing send!
MISTAKES WITH COVER LETTERS
Things you MUST avoid I’ve spent a lot of time searching through information to find out what are the most common mistakes people make when writing and sending cover letters. These mistakes have come straight from employers (it makes you wonder what kind of letters they have received!)
Failing to address your letter to a specific person, using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Hiring Manager’. ·
Telling the company what they can do for you rather than what you can do for the company. · Not checking for spelling/grammatical errors.
Using template letters and not taking the time and effort to write a specifically tailored letter. · Cover letter is too short – ‘Here is my resume.’ · Cover letter is too long – more than one page, unnecessary information.
Handwritten cover letter. · Repeating your resume instead of highlighting key skills. · Adding graphics, clip art or fancy fonts. ·
Using brightly coloured paper instead of white or cream. · Not including all contact information. · Rambling on and telling the story of your career/life.
Too long winded and technical. · Forgetting to include resume and other promised documents. · Using anecdotes, gimmicks or unsuitable jokes. ·
Forgetting to sign letter. · Not paying enough postage. · Using a small envelope which makes cover letter very creased. ·
Not including information that employer has asked for. · Misrepresenting yourself – the employer will always find out. · Sending unsuitable photographs
CONCLUSION
I hope this book helps you to write your perfect cover letter. It isn’t difficult and it will give you an opportunity to think about how many skills and qualities you already have. There are many online sites that have template letters. I suggest you look at these to give you ideas on what to write. You could also look at specific templates that refer to your ideal occupation as these will help you identify what skills and qualities are needed.
If you really don’t feel you can write a cover letter yourself there are companies that will do this for you. You will find many of these companies online. The last thing I would like to say is ......................
GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR PERFECT JOB! YOU CAN DO IT! SENDING COVER LETTERS BY EMAIL
When do you send a cover letter by email? When the employer asks you to do so. This could be specified in a job advert or on their website (if you are sending a general enquiry). The employer will make it clear whether you are to copy your resume and cover letter into the body of your email text or if you should send it as an attachment.
The email letter is very similar to the written cover letter but there are a few differences in how you should set it out. ·
Subject line – include your name, the position you are applying for and any reference number.
Heading – you don’t need to include your contact details here or the employer’s details. · Opening – begin with ‘Dear ....................’ · The main part – same as the written letter – identify your key strengths and make sure they are a match to the employer’s needs.
The ending – end on a positive note as before. Sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely’. · Your contact details – under your name put your contact details. ·
Use the checklist above before pressing send!
MISTAKES WITH COVER LETTERS
Things you MUST avoid I’ve spent a lot of time searching through information to find out what are the most common mistakes people make when writing and sending cover letters. These mistakes have come straight from employers (it makes you wonder what kind of letters they have received!)
Failing to address your letter to a specific person, using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Hiring Manager’. ·
Telling the company what they can do for you rather than what you can do for the company. · Not checking for spelling/grammatical errors.
Using template letters and not taking the time and effort to write a specifically tailored letter. · Cover letter is too short – ‘Here is my resume.’ · Cover letter is too long – more than one page, unnecessary information.
Handwritten cover letter. · Repeating your resume instead of highlighting key skills. · Adding graphics, clip art or fancy fonts. ·
Using brightly coloured paper instead of white or cream. · Not including all contact information. · Rambling on and telling the story of your career/life.
Too long winded and technical. · Forgetting to include resume and other promised documents. · Using anecdotes, gimmicks or unsuitable jokes. ·
Forgetting to sign letter. · Not paying enough postage. · Using a small envelope which makes cover letter very creased. ·
Not including information that employer has asked for. · Misrepresenting yourself – the employer will always find out. · Sending unsuitable photographs
CONCLUSION
I hope this book helps you to write your perfect cover letter. It isn’t difficult and it will give you an opportunity to think about how many skills and qualities you already have. There are many online sites that have template letters. I suggest you look at these to give you ideas on what to write. You could also look at specific templates that refer to your ideal occupation as these will help you identify what skills and qualities are needed.
If you really don’t feel you can write a cover letter yourself there are companies that will do this for you. You will find many of these companies online. The last thing I would like to say is ......................
GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR PERFECT JOB! YOU CAN DO IT!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)