How to Write a Job-Winning Cover Letter

Written by Brett Krkosska


Let me say that I've done more hiring and firing in my days than I care to admit. And although Human Resource Managers and recruiters all have their own way of doing things, here was my approach to looking at new applicants...

A Good Resume Invites Recruiters to Read Your Cover Letter

I always looked atrepparttar person's resume first. I quickly breezed over qualifications and employment history. If they looked promising in these areas, then I would look atrepparttar 129598 cover letter.

The cover letter gave me further insight intorepparttar 129599 person, e.g. how organized they are by examiningrepparttar 129600 presentation ofrepparttar 129601 letter, whether or not they had takenrepparttar 129602 time to find out anything about my company, whether or not they have had or do have any ties torepparttar 129603 company, whether or not they have specifiedrepparttar 129604 job they want, will they travel, and so on.

What all this means is you need both a resume and a cover letter. The meat is inrepparttar 129605 resume. I wantedrepparttar 129606 facts and I wanted 'em fast. If a person looked promising fromrepparttar 129607 resume, then I readrepparttar 129608 cover letter, and then I call 'em in for an interview. That's whererepparttar 129609 rubber meetsrepparttar 129610 road.

The Goal of a Cover Letter

So, this brings up your goal in creating a cover letter ...

... to introduce yourself torepparttar 129611 company and to sell yourself.

If you do this well enough, you are atrepparttar 129612 top ofrepparttar 129613 list for an interview, assuming you are qualified for repparttar 129614 position.

Creating a Strong Cover Letter

1. Make it short. Definitely no more than one page. Half a page is better. Two paragraphs is even better. If you can whittle it down to that and make your case succinctly, then you are proving yourself to be a great communicator. That's a huge bonus in my book. 2. Be professional and concise. Never try to be humorous. Keep your tone on a "business only" level.

3. Always put yourself inrepparttar 129615 best light and never give hints that you may be underqualified, even if you think you are.

"How To Ensure Your Article Is NOT Published"

Written by Azam Corry


I bet you've heard that submitting articles for publication in ezines is an excellent, low-cost means of promotion.

And it's true.

There are hundreds of thousands of ezines and newsletters. Most rely on contributed content, giving you a wonderful opportunity to connect with an endless ocean of prospects for free!

The rub is that most would-be authors get pretty shabby results. They conclude that they can't write, or that submitting articles isn't an effective means of promotion. At least not unless you're a "big name."

Wrong.

Almost anyone can write articles of acceptable quality to be published online. You needn't be a literary wizard, nor well-known. It's simply that like most things in life, there's a right, and a wrong way to do it.

Below are several easy ways you can get an editor to trash your article - EVEN if they LIKE what you say!

* Don't Check Spelling And Grammar Thoroughly

Even with electronic spell checkers, this is still a killer. Be particularly careful with words that sound alike but have different meanings (homophones). Should that be "there" or "their"? "Your" or "you're"?

Another trouble spot isrepparttar apostrophe ('). An apostrophe should be used to indicate possession (John's car), dropped letters (don't) and characters/words mentioned as themselves (ID's). And remember, "it's" means "it is."

Most editors don't expect you to be perfect. However, a piece littered with obvious errors is unlikely to be published.

* Write In Long, Dense Paragraphs

Long, unbroken runs of text are visually unappealing, and act as a subconscious block to reading (looks like too much hard work). People are in a hurry, so information needs to be presented in a way they can scan for points of interest.

* Ramble And Use Wordy Sentences

Providing great information is not enough. People read to learn, but also seek excitement. Instant gratification. They lackrepparttar 129596 time to be patient, so stick torepparttar 129597 point.

When you've finished writing, start deleting. Cut unnecessary sentences. Look for superfluous 'filler' words and repetitions. Delete them. Add more punch and drive by killing adjectives.

* Use Gratuitous Self Promotion

There's no greater turn-off than an article that proclaimsrepparttar 129598 author or their product wonderful. People want to discover your qualities for themselves. Your article isrepparttar 129599 medium.

If you want to sell yourself; display your knowledge, innovative thinking, character. To promote a product, talk about a common problem or need, educate, perhaps tell a story. Provide interesting information. Only mentionrepparttar 129600 product subtly, or not at all, leaving it for your by-line.

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