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Showing posts from February, 2012

Cover Letter (Part 2): It's never too early to make a bad impression !!!!!

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A cover letter or introductory email is often the first thing a potential employer sees when reviewing a job applicant. It's the first opportunity to impress recruiters and hiring managers and, therefore, the first opportunity to disappoint them. Everything from copy mistakes to inappropriate jokes in a cover letter could derail an application. Here are the Top 5 worst things to put in a Cover Letter 1. Next to Nothing   While writing something that's too long is a common cover letter mistake, what can be even more damaging is a cover letter that's too short. Here is an example of a cover letter that I received few months back for an entry level Customer Service Representative role:  "Here's my CV. Call me [Phone Number]" 2. Awkward Language While I agree that all languages evolve, we shouldn't allow all the rules and correct spelling to go out the window. Laziness should not be the reason our language evolves. Here is an ex

Cover Letter (Part 1): Is it important?

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You found an exciting new job posting and are getting ready to submit your CV, but what about a cover letter? Is it always necessary to spend time writing a cover letter, or are there times you can get away without one?  Experts say,  “Skip the cover letter, and you miss out on an opportunity to sell yourself,” A good cover letter is essentially a sales document, consider it as your sales pitch that you should design to convince the employer of what an asset you will be to the company. When designing a cover letter, remember the employer is probably receiving hundreds of applications for any one job. They will be stressed out and very, very busy. You have a window of opportunity of no longer than 30 seconds to convince them to take your application to the next step and read the CV. Cover letter should be taken in as an excellent opportunity ·           To impress the employer ·           To showcase your skills / individuality / personality ·           To induce