Free cover letter template

Free cover letter template by Michael Cheary Calling all jobseekers: your cover letter needs you…Even if you know everything about the perfect cover letter, putting one together can seem like a stressful ordeal. Not only do you have to think about the contents, you also have to consider what structure and formatting will make it stand out.We’ve already covered  what a cover letter is and how to write a cover letter, but if you’re still feeling frustrated when it comes to formatting â€" here’s our cover letter template to help you get started: Free Cover Letter Template Email address: Please enter a valid email addressmessage here By clicking Submit, you accept our Terms & Conditions and consent to receive emails and career related topics. See our Privacy policy for details. Continue without submitting Download Free Cover Letter TemplateOpening the letterOnce you’ve covered the letter writing basics (address, hiring manager’s name if you have it), the opening paragraph should be short and to the point.Explain what job you’re applying for and where you found the vacancy.Feel free to mention the website by name (e.g. ‘as advertised on reed.co.uk’) or, if someone referred you to the contact, mention their name in this section.Example:   I  wish to apply for the role of IT Manager, currently being advertised on reed.co.uk. Please find enclosed my CV for your consideration.How to overcome common cover letter problemsSecond paragraph â€"  Why are you suitable for the job?Briefly describe your professional and academic qualifications that are relevant to the role and ensure you refer to some of the skills listed in the job description.If you have no specific academic or vocational qualifications to cite, use your relevant experience to win merit.And if you’re lacking in practical work experience? Use personal skills or attributes to show what makes you the perfect fit for the role.Example: As you can see from my attached CV, I have over three years’ experience in the IT Industry, and I believe the knowledge and skills built up during this time make me the perfect candidate for the role.Five things you need to stop doing on your cover letter  Third paragraph â€"  What can you do for the company?Use practical examples to emphasise what you can do for the company. These might be performance-based, and could include examples from previous positions, your current job or even from your academic career.Always make sure your examples are as quantifiable and pertinent as possible. ‘Increased revenue by x%’, for instance, sounds a lot more impressive than simply stating you ‘Increased revenue’.Other (role-specific) examples include ‘drove x% more traffic to the website during my time in employment’, ‘an increase in students grades by x’ and ‘achieved a first class distinction grade in my dissertation on x’.Example: In my current role as Senior Marketing Executive at Software Company X Ltd, I have been responsible for increasing incoming client enquiries for our B2B product lines by 156% in under 12 months, which helped the business increase its revenue by 55% year-on-year.Cover letter help  Fourth paragraph â€"  ReiterateHere’s where you reiterate your interest in the role and why you would be the right fit for the company.Example:   I am confident that I can bring this level of success with me to your company and help IT Company LTD build upon their reputation as one the UK’s fastest-growing software houses. With my previous experience and expertise, I believe I can hit the ground running and start actively contributing to the business as soon as possible.Thank you for your time and co nsideration. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my application further.  Closing the letterThank the employer for their time. It is also a good opportunity to indicate that you’d like to meet with the employer for an interview.Sign off your cover letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ (if you know the name of the hiring manager)/’Yours faithfully’ (if you do not), and your name.Example: Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my application further.Yours sincerely,[Your name]  Final thoughtsRemember: this is a template, not a ready-made cover letter.This means that it’ll only be effective if you actually put the work in. So before you get started â€" take some time to research the company and role, and think about how your skills and experience make you a good fit.Then, do this for every single job you apply for. Because although you won’t have to completely rewrite your cover letter each time, making small changes tha t make it tailored to the job are essential.Finally, your cover letter will always look different depending on your situation â€" whether you’ve just graduated, you’re coming back from a career break, you’re looking for part-time work, or anything else.Take a look at our cover letter help tips for specific pointers on how to write yours.Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the featured

Writing a Resume When No Work Experience is Present

Writing a Resume When No Work Experience is PresentSometimes, when writing a resume it is important to have 'other' experience. When you don't have any experience, it's easy to think that you have to go to work for someone else and be completely dependent on them.You don't need to feel this way at all. There are plenty of jobs out there that offer full benefits and a decent wage. Don't feel bad about not having any experience, because you should definitely apply for jobs that you are qualified for, even if you have no prior work experience.If you don't feel comfortable applying for any jobs you see, you can always write your own resume. It is a lot easier than you might think and can easily be done on your free time. If you've got a computer and a bit of technical knowledge, this can be done without even leaving the house.The best way to write a resume is to gather as many good examples of job postings as you can. To do this, go to online job boards like Careerbuilder or Monster. Wri te down any job postings that you find and get a sample resume.Resumes can be written in any order you want. After all, it doesn't matter what you start with as long as you end up somewhere. Always start at the top of the resume with your job history, followed by a summary of your education credentials.Finally, you should consider including your skills at the very bottom of your resume. After that, include your current or past position, dates of employment, salary range, and accomplishments.Whether you need an interview or just a headhunter, the internet is a great place to start. There are plenty of sites that offer free resume services. Look for ones that will make it easy for you to start creating a resume right from the beginning.This is often a common mistake. The first place I look when trying to create a resume is the first place you should look.

Give Your Personal Brand A Boost With Media Marketing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Give Your Personal Brand A Boost With Media Marketing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Traditionally brands and businesses have used both advertising and organic methods as part of their marketing strategy. While these are effective they may not be producing the right sales results that you need. In order to effectively harness the power of this media marketing it is important to approach your audience the right way with various methods in place. How can your brand best connect with its audience for more conversions? Through original blog posts, targeted social media campaigns, book publishing, and more. Todays online arena allows us to collaborate and share information quickly and easily. This can draw attention far more than just advertising alone can do. You can use your engagement as an opportunity to positively impact others and drive more traffic to your website. Today a personal brand should become more personalized with its audience and customers. These connections create more of an awareness and can even help increase sales and leads. What Makes Media Marketing Powerful Creating a marketing campaign is just the beginning to building a buzz for your brand. Here are some key factors to consider in order to take advantage of all that is available: Word-of-mouth recommendations This is so powerful in the beginning stages of your campaigns, and saves you money on advertising. By knowing your niche market you can attract the right influencers and followers who can help your business gain some traction. Focus on two marketing channels Many people spread their efforts too thin on multiple networks. In order to be more effective in your reach begin with just a couple where you know your audience is active the most. As you engage there you can slowly build up to others in the future. Build a tribe of followers As your personal brand establishes credibility and trust, an army of fans can be built. This will become your network of loyal supporters who are willing to spread the word and attract more customers. Educate and inform Once your brand has a solid following online it may be time to launch your own podcast or eBook in order to add value. You can attract an audience through live streaming methods as well as storytelling videos and interviews with industry experts. As media marketing continues to evolve and grow it is important to stay connected with your audience, and interact with them frequently. Pay attention to what content generates the most interactions. Stay focused on the needs of the audience, and remember that fresh original content is going to make a lasting impression for your brand.

Becoming a Better Listener in Three Easy Steps - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Becoming a Better Listener in Three Easy Steps - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone wants to be heard. Whether they are speaking. Or through their actions. When you have been listened to … you have a full measure of empowerment. ~ Paul Shoemaker Become a Better Listener When you listen more you will become better at everything you do. This is also true if you are a professional speaker. Your ability to listen will help you in more ways than you can imagine. By taking the time to become a better listener you will stand out in your career. By learning how to become a better listener you will invariably find that there is a lot you don’t know. You will become better at being able to discern nuances. The more you practice the better you will become. By becoming a better listener you will also become more productive. How? Because you won’t have to keep asking people to repeat themselves. We can learn a lot by listening. Whether you are listening to others, listening to yourself, or just listening to the sounds that surround you. You can learn a lot by listening. Why Listen More? You already know what you know. You cannot learn more unless you are processing, listening and ingesting new content. This is not to say that you cannot learn by thinking to yourself. Of course you  do this all the time.  When you do this you are listening … listening to yourself. When you are listening to yourself you are still listening. You are Processing Ideas  â€¦ tumbling them around and around … until you have an  epiphany. Something From Your Grandmother This is an old saying that might need to be said, heard and heeded more often today. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in proportion. We can get so caught up in trying to be heard that we forget to listen. Listen Up Here are three tips to become a better listener: Set a GOAL: To become a Better and More Active  Listener Talk Once Less Ask One More Question It’s not as simple as it sounds (pun intended), but with practice and time you can become a better listener. A few more Practical Points Becoming an Active Listener: Make it tactical. If you have a thought … write it down … don’t blurt it out. If someone else says it … great … move on. Pay attention to people you consider to be great listeners. Observe them, learn from them. Be Present Dont Use the space when you Are Not Talking as filler while you wait to get your next point into the conversation. Have you heard me? I hope so. Now, go out and listen up.  You may be surprised at what you hear.

Strong Verbs For Resumes

Strong Verbs For ResumesThere are certain strong verbs to make a resume look impressive and also the strong verbs for resumes can actually spell success or failure when you want to land the job. The verbs for resumes are as follows:It is very important to know the weak verbs before you start because they have the potential to destroy your resume and your chances of getting the job. The most common and the weakest of all the verbs in your resume is your title. If you choose the wrong titles in your resume then it is bound to make things worse rather than better.The next list of strong and weak verbs for resumes would be the resume itself. You should have the resume ready at all times, otherwise you will not be able to cover all the details that you need to in your resume. Also, there are certain errors that can be seen on the resume and these errors can be corrected before it reaches the employer's doorstep.When you are trying to create that great momentum in the employer's mind about you, then you need to always keep in mind the potential employers' eye. This means that you should add any good attributes in your resume in a proper way. You must make the best use of your skills and talents in the job you are applying for. Even if you have made a mistake somewhere in your resume, there are chances that the potential employer will think twice before rejecting your resume.When you want to make your resume look professional, then the strong verbs for resumes are the resume keywords and the various phrases that you have used in your resume. In other words, you should not be too descriptive or you will lose the reader's attention. But you should use the appropriate words at the right places.When you have to look for tougher jobs, then you have to make use of the strong verbs for resumes such as the use of the specific facts and figures, the usage of numbers, and the elimination of any grammatical or spelling mistakes. You have to remember that you do not have to make a great deal of effort in completing your resume, just the basics. After all, you cannot make your resume perfect without any effort.The next strong verbs for resumes are the section headings and the resumes sections that you have included in the resume. For instance, if you have included the statistics section in your resume, then you should make sure that you have listed the accurate figures. You should also list the specific subjects that are covered in the resume, such as the skills and aptitudes, the qualifications and work experience.Once you are able to read and comprehend your resume properly, then you should see the strong verbs for resumes of defining the title and of designing the heading of the resume. All these things can help you to present your resume to the prospective employer and this will increase your chances of getting the job and landing yourself the job of your dreams.

5 secrets internal recruiters wont tell you (but wish they could) - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

5 secrets internal recruiters wont tell you (but wish they could) You might be intimidated when dealing with recruiters, but we genuinely want the best for you and the company. As much we want you to have a great candidate experience, here are some things we just can’t share with you. 1. “You typically could have got a higher salary if you had negotiated.” Most companies have a salary band for each role and the first offer is usually not the highest one. There are exceptions to the rule of course if a candidate is already at the top of the range, I will tell them before arranging onsite interviews, so they can decide if they want to proceed. Also, if the recruiter tells you their max. salary at the start of the process, there might not be any room for negotiation. However most of the time you CAN negotiate. I talk about salary negotiation and include some salary negotiation scripts in my “Get the job you want” online course  . 2. They just didn’t like you/they liked someone else better. First impressions are important and if you haven’t made a great first impression e.g maybe you were 30 minutes late, didn’t return the calls or whatever. It might be hard to move to the next round unless you were absolutely exceptional in the interview. Likeability and team fit are very important people always hire people they want to work with, so always try to show off your personality a bit, rather than just being super serious when answering questions. 3. “Your references weren’t very flattering.” If a recruiter or hiring manager had doubts about you, they won’t let you know if unflattering references just confirmed their doubts. If you provide references, they should be from people who can talk in detail about how you’ve exceeded expectations. I still remember one situation when a candidate gave me his reference details probably thinking that I wouldn’t call this person but his previous boss apparently fired him and would never hire him again! Another potential scenario is that the hiring manager would reach out to someone you both know to get informal references without asking you about it first. If these references are negative, this might be the reason that you don’t get the offer. 4. “The job was filled internally.” It’s very unfortunate that sometimes the company will interview you even though it is highly likely that an internal candidate will get the job. It’s super annoying if you’re looking for a job but it happens sometimes the hiring manager wants to make sure that the internal candidate really is the best option for the job. 5. “Your last few social media posts were deal-breakers.” It’s crucial to have a professional presence on the Internet as some hiring managers will try to review your social media pages. A friend who is a recruiter told me about a situation when they didn’t hire a senior level candidate in marketing since they’ve found lots of half naked pictures of him online and they didn’t think it was good judgement to have these pictures available for public viewing. Also, if you keep complaining about your job on Facebook and your settings aren’t set to private you obviously won’t get hired if your prospective manager sees that. I hope you’ve found these insightful. If a similar situation has happened to you, it probably wasn’t the right opportunity for you. If you’d like to learn more about what recruiters are looking for when looking at your resume, you’ll find a webinar on this topic in my “How to get the job you want” online course this month only you can get it for £67 instead of £97 with OFFER19 coupon code.

There is no perfect workplace - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

There is no perfect workplace - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog The perfect workplace does not exist. All companies have problems. But great ones fix them and move on to newer and better problems. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related There is no perfect workplace - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I have had the pleasure of visiting some of the worlds happiest workplaces and while some people think that theyre happy because they dont have problems, that is just not so. And if you need a great way to identify and fix problems in the workplace, check out this article. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related