Employment & Jobs | Seowerank

Common Pitfalls in Writing a Cover Letter for a Resume

Whether you’re applying for a job or writing a business proposal, a very good cover letter should present very well what you have intended it for. Just as the word “cover” implies, it should provide the recipient a very good introduction or briefing of what to expect from you- the sender. A good cover letter is like a pair of shoes that can take you anywhere. Don’t know where to start? Follow these simple guidelines and some common mistakes in writing a cover letter.

Do check your spelling, grammar and usage. Many cover letter writers don’t bother to check the words before they print and this could be a problem especially for a Human Resource officer who’s kin on those things. Remember that first impressions last and this is the first thing that they read about you.
Proofread your cover letter after you’ve written the cover letter. This is not only to check if spelling, grammar and usage, but mainly to check if it addresses a specific person or company rather than using a generic cover letter. A generic letter is a very common mistake especially for a first time applicant who will apply for a job in different companies.
Get your facts right and utilize it well. Research for the correct contact person the company and mention it in the letter. Address that person properly and also make mention of the company, where you saw the ad and the position you are applying for. It will show that you took time to know all the facts about the company and many HR officers appreciate this.
Open your letter with the name of the contact person, if you have it like “Dear Ms. Smith”. Do not use the classic “Dear Sir/Madam” which is a very outdated way of doing it. Address all women as “Ms.” As opposed to “Miss” or “Mrs.”, which adds a touch of professionalism to your letter.
Do make sure that your cover letter cover is brief and concise, but not overly short or long. Ensure that you highlight the important points relevant to the job you are applying for: skills, training and experience. Keep it to about 3-4 paragraphs which is definitely does not exceed a page. Remember it is a cover letter, and there is no such thing as cover letters. You have the resume to put all those, plus leave room for the interviewer to ask questions from by not giving everything in one go.
Do make use of specific skills keywords that really stand out especially for achievements or accomplishments. A few examples are “increased sales by 50%”, “initiated the use of recycled papers to save cost for the company”, “implemented use of EDI to key customers”, “and designed the training program for new employees”. Finally, consider these points very well, and in no time you can come up with a very good cover letter that will surely land you a job.

Top Job Listing Sites for Fresh Graduates and Newbies

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Top Job Listing Sites for Fresh Graduates and Newbies

Fresh out of college, it is difficult for a college graduate to compete with hoards of other graduates with impressive academic background. And nearly impossible to compete with experienced employees who already proved their achievement and skills through work experience acquired over the years. So is there hope for a fresh graduate? The answer is yes. Many companies are looking for fresh graduates who can be trained and be the best at the jobs that they do. And to help there, there are online Job Listing websites that are friendly for fresh graduates. The following are the best job listings sites that any fresh graduate can start with:
• Aftercollege.com is a social networking site and job listing and hunting tool for would be and recent graduates. It made it top to the Top 10 Jobs Sites for Recent grad by the Educationportal.com. It lets every graduate connect with the best and personally tailored entry level jobs through various networks like faculty, alumni and other methods. Best of all, it has career building tools to help a graduate jumpstart his career search.

• Bright.com is a friendly job listing site for new graduates as it helps them to build their online resume. Once this is done, it will populate a few suggestions to match their skills and current qualifications to jobs that they can apply for. This is specially tailored for clueless graduates who simply do not know where to start.

• Collegerecruiter.com is another job listing site that is suitable for fresh graduates and for employees with less than 3 years job experience under their belt. The job listing site offers tips to build a good resume, access to different tools and search can be done by narrowing into different categories like location, job title or even both.

• For fresh graduates who want to explore career opportunities in the federal government, USAjobs.gov is a job listing site that they want to explore. With the enactment of Pathways Program, fresh graduates can now apply for either internship or entry-level jobs in civil service offices.

• Alumnicentral.com is part of the CCN or College Central Network and offers one of the largest jobs listing database for fresh graduates. There are useful kits that include e-resume writing, cover letter writing and interview tips in the website, which can give boost career job hunting. It is also connected sister websites like Student and Employer Central.com

• For fresh graduate, or for a student who is about to graduate, internship is one of the best options to try in order to gain the necessary experience and skill that will be helpful in job hunting later on. One of the job listing sites that they can try is Campuscareercenter.com. All it takes is to fill out a full profile so companies can contact you.

• For fresh graduates who want to find international opportunities, iHipo.com is a job listing site that accepts young professionals and students. It provides a good platform by which a fresh graduate can access international jobs and also for companies to tap into qualified graduates who have little to no experience but have potential.

Fresh graduates and young professionals can now access many different job listings with a few clicks of the fingers, thanks to these websites. Landing a job has become simpler and very easy.