How to write a great cover letter. Are the jobs you are qualified for the right fit?
4/1/2008
The MTSG View
On
business, the workplace and employee relations
April, 2008
Introducing You! Elements
of a Stellar Cover Letter
Writing a
cover letter for every job you're applying for can seem like a daunting
process, but it doesn't have to be A cover letter is a tool to help an
employer determine whether to interview you for a particular job and it is a
way for you to showcase how and why your experience and qualifications will fit
into a given industry
A cover
letter should include information about how you heard about a job and the
specific job title of the position for which you are applying It should not
restate the work history that is on your resume Consider it a way to
communicate how the skills you attained at previous jobs will help you
perform in this new role It's also a chance to highlight your accomplishments
and to explain how and why you believe you will thrive in the new position
That said,
you don't need to start from scratch every time you write a cover letter
Unless you're going after a vast array of jobs across several industries, the
jobs for which you are applying will likely require similar skills and
experience Start by making a list of those types of jobs Then do a search for
available jobs in those areas Notice the common traits, qualities and
qualifications that employers are seeking in the ideal candidate
Comprise a
list of the top five attributes and think about how you can utilize your skills
and experience to achieve success in those areas Write down a few brief
sentences explaining how and why you believe your skills are a match Also
discuss how you used those traits to achieve certain goals in past jobs
Incorporate these sentences into the body of your cover letter When it comes
time to apply for a particular job, add one or two sentences that touch on
something that the employer mentioned in its ad that is particular to the given
job or the employer's overall mission and goals
Finally use
short, concise sentences and have someone else proofread your work before
submitting your cover letter Think of your cover letter and resume as a
package deal Use the same type of font on both to maintain consistency Also,
remember to limit your cover letter to one page
The Right to Bear Arms -
In the Workplace
Legislation that would make it illegal for employers to enact a policy banning firearms on their
property is making its way through the Florida Legislature Recently, the House
Environmental & Natural Resources Council and the Senate Criminal Justice
Committee approved measures that would prohibit employers from
discriminating against employees for exercising their constitutional right to
bear arms or their right to self defense, as long as they don't show their
weapons on their employer's property unless in self defense
The proposals would also extend to a customer or other "invitee" who enters the employer's
property, so long as the invitee is in lawful possession of the firearm and the
firearm is locked in a vehicle An employer would also be prohibited from
asking an employee or invitee about whether he or she possessed a firearm on
the premises or by searching his or her vehicle for a firearm Further, under
the legislation, employers may not conduct a search for a firearm in a vehicle:
Only an on-duty member of a local law enforcement agency can conduct the
search In addition, employers may not condition a prospective job candidate's
employment on whether he or she agrees not to keep a lawfully possessed firearm
within a locked vehicle on company property
An
individual who believes his or her rights have been violated may sue the
employer, and he or she may be entitled to attorneys' fees and costs in
addition to damages for losses incurred as a result of the employer's acts
Florida is
not the only state to address this issue Recently, a similar bill in Tennessee
was sent to committees within the House and Senate for a vote A similar bill
in Georgia, however, died in committee earlier this year
The Job Looks Good, But is
it Really You?
Do you feel
as though there are a lot of jobs that you are capable and qualified to
perform, but you don't know whether they will be a good fit for you? If you
find yourself questioning whether your personality is well suited for a
potential job, consider taking a career test to determine whether you're
focusing your efforts in a direction that's right for you
There are
numerous free online resources that use personality traits to assess your
career style, management skills, whether you have a sales- or
entrepreneurial-based personality, and how sensitive you are to criticism For
instance, the Princeton Review offers a free online quiz that uses a color-code
system to assess interests and work styles Visit http://wwwprincetonreviewcom to take the test
Also,
at Career Explorer, which is powered by http://wwwprojectcareercom,
you can take a 105-question quiz that assesses your interests and
provides a description of the types of jobs that are available in the
industries that appear to best suit those interests The test also provides an
employment outlook summary and sample job titles for those industries
Another
resource to check out is located at http://wwwqueendomcom/ This site allows you to test your personality traits,
your IQ, and your career focus It also allows you to take tests designed to
specifically assess your interest in and aptitude for specific careers, ranging
from customer service-related jobs to caregiver roles and entrepreneurial
endeavors
Finally,
consider asking a career counselor to administer the Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator®, or MBTI, which uses an inventory of 16 traits to assess one's
personality The test is used to determine whether a person is extroverted or
introverted and whether they use sensation, intuition, thinking, and feeling to
govern their reactions Visit http://wwwmyersbriggsorg for more information
Small Talk and Networking
A Stanford University business school professor conducted a
study during the 1990s to discover the traits of the most successful alumni He
found that the one trait most common among the high achievers was "verbal
fluency" When you're at a networking event and meeting new people, the goal of
small talk is to create a memorable impression Some guidelines to think about:
Don't erect a wall Fight the impulse to be
on-guard with a stranger and open up
Smile and make good eye contact
Don't use defensive body language such as
crossing your arms
Listen closely to the other person You never
know what will emerge
If you want to engage someone in conversation,
talk about interesting things The weather won't do it
If that means revealing something about yourself
- do it The other person might respond
Talk about your passions and see if the other
person shares them
End with a compliment "I've enjoyed talking to you You've got me
thinking more about (whatever you discussed)"
Living the Dream
Was it the curveball we couldn't
hit or the fly balls we couldn't catch? Perhaps it was the steroids we didn't
take Cynicism aside, the 2008 Major League Baseball season starts in full this
week with the average annual salary hovering around $3 million per ball player
And if you're really, really good, you get paid like these guys
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, $275
mill
Johan Santana, Mets, $229 mill
Manny Ramirez, Red Sox, $20 mill
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers, $19 mill
Derek Jeter, Yankees, $189 mill
