If your CV is attached to the email, then use the main body of the email as your covering letter. Tell the employer how you meet their key requirements so that you can immediately make a good impression and entice them to open the attachment and look at your CV in more detail.
Remember, first impressions are very important. The following is a quick checklist before sending off those emails.
In the subject line of the email, list the vacancy title, reference number and where you saw or heard about the vacancy. Use the body of the email to convince the recruiter in three to five bullet points that you are the right person for the job. Send the CV as an attachment clearly labelled with your name. Spell-check before sending the email
]]>In my view, the belief that the individual is the best person to write their own CV is not always true. Although many people can write their own CVs, and do it well, others struggle with a variety of problems; such as incorrect English, not knowing how to structure a CV and not knowing how to best highlight their most relevant strengths.
Through in-depth consultation, a professional CV writer can help identify the key achievements and skills necessary for a particular role or sector, cut out unnecessary or irrelevant details, and pinpoint what makes the individual stand out. This level of objectivity is one of the major benefits in working with a professional writer. It’s often difficult to be able to stand back from your own career history to assess what’s relevant or not, or to choose the most appropriate qualities.
If you do choose to work with a professional, here are some tips for working with a CV writer:
You’ll probably need to answer an in-depth email questionnaire or be interviewed before any writing actually starts. The more information you can give your CV writer to work with, the better, so the promise of a quick turnaround time isn’t always going to result in the best possible CV. Take the time to think about your career aims, your past achievements, and the value you bring, before you start the whole process.
Your CV will probably be used as a springboard for questions at interview, so you need to make sure you feel happy with the way it’s written and with the choice of words. Being involved in the writing process means your CV sounds authentic.
Ask for a CV writer who has industry experience in your sector. HR professionals and recruiters with relevant experience can also have valuable insights into what companies are looking for.
The UK CV-writing market is not regulated as in the USA, where the letters CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) indicate that the writer is a trained professional. This means you’ll need to do some research and shop around to find someone with the appropriate writing skills. Look for someone who’s prepared to take the time to unearth your core accomplishments, choose exactly the right words for maximum impact and who understands what and where to edit. Ask to see before and after samples of their work or use personal recommendations before you choose a CV writing service.
Most professional CV writers will happily make edits to your CV, although often within a specific time-frame. Some offer other benefits too, such as ongoing support or follow-ups and interview coaching, so always ask.
]]>As companies move to remote work to fight the coronavirus pandemic and an increasing number of workers are being laid off or furloughed, you might be wondering if you should continue to send out resumes or just assume that no one is hiring for the foreseeable future. It’s true that economists are predicting a recession, but career experts say it’s best to keep networking and applying, provided you change your approach a bit to acknowledge these are uncertain times.
Some companies have responded to the health crisis with layoffs, furloughs, cutting hours and overtime pay, and implementing hiring freezes. Other companies are actively hiring and posting new jobs daily. Right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what the national and global impact will be on hiring, but there are ways you can stay positive and proactive about job searching.
Ultimately, life is in a state of “wait and see.” However, we can provide some guidance on how to keep your job search in motion while we navigate the holding pattern that is our society.
The short answer is, thankfully, yes.
The longer answer is that there are jobs to be had, but the landscape is shifting. Many companies have implemented complete hiring freezes. Others are still hiring but more carefully scrutinising the roles they’re advertising.
We should all be thankful that we live in a digital world. Can you imagine facing a job search 30 or 40 years ago when you actually had to search newspaper want ads and go hand in a resume in person? So, be thankful for small blessings that come in the form of the Internet and technology platforms that still allow us to remain connected and let information flow.
With thousands of people applying for some roles, your personal network should be your first port of call. Friends, family and acquaintances will collectively know hundreds of people, and some should know of businesses which are hiring – after all, the entire planet is said to be connected with just 7 degrees of separation. Many employers do admit value from a personal recommendation and you may even hear about roles before they are advertised.
If not already, sign-up to LinkedIn and start to incorporate use of the platform into your job search activities (in earnest). LinkedIn is an amazing tool for connecting with other professionals, sharing pertinent information about happenings in your industry, and for uncovering potential opportunities. Engage in some outreach, connect with old colleagues or partners, and spread the word that you are job hunting — you never know when an amazing opportunity could present itself. Plus, the mere fact that you are using digital technology to look for job prospects already shows you are comfortable operating in a remote, tech-focused environment.
Tailor your CV and cover letter for each application, which is time-consuming but more likely to result in a job. Check job boards daily, reach out to recruitment coordinators and contacts after submitting your application materials, and make time each day to exhaust all avenues. Be diligent about your search to unearth the results you want. As you look for jobs advertised online – for instance, by using the ITMarketingJobs.com job search – don’t forget to make speculative job applications to employers you’d like to work for and use social media for job hunting.
There’s so much competition for jobs, so it’s important to up your game right now. First, prioritize jobs that have been posted most recently because that’s a sign that the company has a current role that needs to be filled. If a posting has been up for weeks, it may be less of a priority for the company right now. Be confident when you’re reading job postings and remember that you can still get the job even if you don’t meet all of the job qualifications. Use your resume and cover letter to show you have transferrable skills employers are seeking.
Now that many people are working remotely, job interviews are being done by phone and video instead of face-to-face. It can be more challenging to have a phone interview because it is harder to interpret someone’s reaction and have a conversation that flows naturally. It can be trickier to have a video interview because it can feel awkward to be on camera. You’ll stand out if you learn the ins-and-outs of phone and video job interviews.
This doesn’t just relate to finding a job, but to the whole pandemic and the effect it is having on our daily lives. Remaining positive is important for our well-being and is crucial to allowing us to maintain a routine and have some focus. Referring to the job market specifically, there are definite reasons to remain positive. Yes, many companies have implemented a recruitment freeze, but this won’t be forever, and the recruitment market is normally one of the first to bounce back after turbulent times. Furthermore, there are still many companies currently recruiting, looking for people to work from home, making it the perfect time for you to apply for full time roles. Competition is not as high right now, which is always a plus, but also, you’ll have more time to dedicate to your application, receive calls from the hiring manager, attend an interview (albeit a video interview and not face to face) and receive job offers.
At the end of the day, not every company or industry is going to put hiring on hold — they simply might modify their processes to ensure that hiring professionals and job seekers stay safe.
Stay strong, persist and try to do what the others aren’t.
Good luck!
“Never let a good crisis go to waste”
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
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]]>Take the time to make your resume shine, and you’ll give yourself the boost you need to advance your retail sales career with this easy-to-use resume template.
Retail jobs can be competitive, especially when you want to land a great position as a retail sales associate or a top-level role as a retail sales manager. But by following these eight tips, you can create a retail sales resume that’s sure to tilt the odds in your favor.
In fact, the same study found that resumes with simple layouts featuring clear sections and header titles were the most successful at holding recruiters’ attention. So let the artists and graphic designers have their artsy resumes. Keep yours simple and direct.
All great resumes start with the correct contact information. Including all of this information ensures that potential employers can connect with you in a variety of ways.
In fact, the same study found that resumes with simple layouts featuring clear sections and header titles were the most successful at holding recruiters’ attention. So let the artists and graphic designers have their artsy resumes. Keep yours simple and direct.
All great resumes start with the correct contact information. Including all of this information ensures that potential employers can connect with you in a variety of ways. Be sure to list the following:
Before submitting your resume, double check that your contact information is both current and accurate. You don’t want to miss out on an interview because you forgot to update your phone number.
]]>Take the time to make your resume shine, and you’ll give yourself the boost you need to advance your retail sales career with this easy-to-use resume template.
Retail jobs can be competitive, especially when you want to land a great position as a retail sales associate or a top-level role as a retail sales manager. But by following these eight tips, you can create a retail sales resume that’s sure to tilt the odds in your favor.
In fact, the same study found that resumes with simple layouts featuring clear sections and header titles were the most successful at holding recruiters’ attention. So let the artists and graphic designers have their artsy resumes. Keep yours simple and direct.
All great resumes start with the correct contact information. Including all of this information ensures that potential employers can connect with you in a variety of ways.
In fact, the same study found that resumes with simple layouts featuring clear sections and header titles were the most successful at holding recruiters’ attention. So let the artists and graphic designers have their artsy resumes. Keep yours simple and direct.
All great resumes start with the correct contact information. Including all of this information ensures that potential employers can connect with you in a variety of ways. Be sure to list the following:
Before submitting your resume, double check that your contact information is both current and accurate. You don’t want to miss out on an interview because you forgot to update your phone number.
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