To include a cover letter or not to include one? Some say no if it’s not asked for, citing it’s a waste of time. Why would you think a hiring manager or recruiter would look at a cover letter if they only spend six seconds on average looking at a resume? However, having a cover letter that actually makes it easy for a recruiter to see if you meet the qualifications for the position could help you stand out in a way that gets you an interview. The key is: Do you meet all the qualifications for the position? If you
Count to six. What do you think you could get accomplished in this amount of time? Not much, but a recruiter has already reviewed your resume and moved on to the next one by the time you can get to seven. The Honest Truth. Hiring managers and recruiters, at least when it comes to making decisions based on a resume, don’t care about anything but your experience and your education if it’s required for the job. Someone may tell you having phrases like “highly motivated”, “self-starter”, “strong interpersonal skills”, etc. need to be on your resume, but you can’t prove
Last week, we discussed the importance of networking because Computers Don’t Give People Jobs- People Do. If you still aren’t convinced of this based on the data presented last week, then here is another tid-bit of data for you: According to this chart, networking encompasses almost half of the way that companies fill job openings. So the proof is there. If you want to get a job, the best way to do it is to network. But how do you do it? Here are some steps along with a Networking Log to help you track this process: Set a networking
A recent LinkedIn group posting by a job seeker asked the question, “Tons of applications vs. networking (in a new place) – Which might work best?” While applying online for openings is a necessary component to job search, I think this chart and table answers the job seeker’s question clearly: Mark S. Granovetter, a sociologist at Harvard, investigated how people get jobs. His study included professional, technical, and managerial workers who recently found jobs, and the chart shows the methods by which jobs were obtained. Granovetter’s data also indicated that of the people who found jobs through personal contacts, 43.8%
Do these characteristics describe you and your work/life values?: I desire flexibility in my work (work hours, days, etc.). This is more important to me than the stability of a consistent check or the stable benefits a company can provide. I desire autonomy or control in how work gets done (when, where, etc.) Or to more bluntly sum up the above two bullets, quiet frankly I don’t like other people telling me what to do! I’d rather decide how things get done and be rewarded (or not rewarded) according to the outcomes I decide to achieve. I don’t mind taking risks