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When writing a cover letter for your job search, most people don’t even think about one of the most powerful tools at their disposal — the headline.

You can call it what you will, headline, title, whatever, but it is this bolded piece of copy at the top of your cover letter than can determine whether your letter is read or not.

Put your headline directly above the salutation and make sure it is in bold letters. You don’t have to put it in all caps, but a word or two can be all caps if it add better emphasis. Here are some examples of great cover letter headlines: Read more »

Job interviews, although nerve-wracking, are often a lot easier than you think. With this in mind, there are preparation steps that you can and should take to ensure that your next job interview is a successful one.

One of the most important tips to remember is what not to say. There are some topics that need to be discussed during a job interview, but there are others that should be left out of the conversation. For more information on what you should or shouldn’t discuss at one of your upcoming job interviews, you will want to continue reading on. Read more »

Writing a cover letter doesn’t have to be tough — if you know what benefits you offer a potential employer and can match them to what the employer says they want. “Benefit” is at the crux of this discussion. Many job seekers take bits and pieces of information from here and there and create a mess of a cover letter.

Always remember that a cover letter works only when you have compelling offer to make. A cover letter should not be an introduction of what you’re looking for in a job. Every word is important — do not waste a single one to distract your potential employer’s attention. They are not as interested in the features you bring to a position (a degree, experience, etc.) as they are the benefits these features bring to them. Think from the employer’s point of view and ask yourself, “Why should I read this letter? Is there any benefit or offer to me which cannot be refused? Can you convince me that it is really a good offer?”

HEADLINE

Keeping these things in mind, you should apply thought in writing your cover letter. Remember, this is, at its core, a sales letter. And what part of the sales letter comes first? The header or the headline. This very crucial to any sales letter, and can make or break your cover letter, too.
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Guest Writer: Sharon Delay

You recently heard somewhere that a job fair is an excellent way to meet lots of potential employers and maximize your job search time. The problem is, how do you find job fairs and what do you do once you’ve found them?

To locate upcoming job fairs:

• Review media, including free job publications. Don’t forget to check radio and TV stations.
• Check your target companies’ Career section Web sites. They’ll often promote job fairs they’re attending.
• Contact college career service offices in your area. They regularly conduct or know of job fairs. Non-students or alumni may be welcome.
• Search the Internet using the key words “job fair” or “career fair” and your city and state.
• Bookmark your favorite job search resources for upcoming job fairs and locations, as well as preparation tips.

To prepare for a job fair, follow these suggestions: Read more »

Regardless if you are new to the job market or a seasoned job seeker, these job hunting tips can help to set up your job search campaign for success.

Check your resume for mistakes
Before submitting your resume to a prospective employer, check your resume for corrections at least three times. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no’s. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume’ to no more than a page and a half long.

Taking the interview challenge
A survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm based in California which corresponded with 1,400 chief financial officers concluded that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Read more »