Do you need a cover letter

Do you need a cover letter Do you need a cover letter? Stephen Van Vreede wrote a nice guest post titled the Great Cover Letter Debate over at EmploymentDigest.net.  It address the question: Do I really even need a cover letter? Does anyone read them anymore?  Stephens main takeaway:  the reason cover letters aren’t often read isn’t because they are antiquated or even unwanted necessarily; it is because they simply aren’t effective and hiring people are tired of reading them. I absolutely agree with Stephen.  As a hiring manager, cover letters fall into one of two categories.  At best, it regurgitates the resume.  At worse, its a page long document filled with dense, meaningless paragraphs. I havent seen the perfect cover letter, but personally, Id like to see a document that summarizes the top 3 reasons why youre qualified for the job, backed with concrete examples from your work history.  If a job seeker can provide that, Ill read it.

How to Prepare for a Career Change During a Recession

How to Prepare for a Career Change During a Recession The pandemic has created a new home-based workforce in which professionals now have more time to contemplate their career goals and aspirations. For many professionals, this contemplation will result in the decision to make a career change. However talk of recession has many career changers feeling stuck. In this blog post we will share the 3 best steps for career change planning in times of a down economy, timelines needed for making the change, and strategies for getting unstuck and moving forward towards a new profession. How the pandemic is influencing the workforce and individual career planning for career changers Most of us are spending more time at home than ever before with no real certainty of when it will end. Some clients I’m interacting with have experienced a newfound connection to their work. They have been asked to think about solving problems to new challenges which has brought energy and enjoyment to their day. Also, with no commute, many are feeling less resentful of their jobs now that they have more time to spend with their families. Other clients have experienced a shift in career interests as a result of the new career normal. Many professionals are starting to think about career change as a way to experience more meaningful work and professional fulfillment. And then there are other professionals who were in the midst of a career transition, but now feel stuck. With conversations around a recession, these clients are just grateful to have a job. These clients are wondering if perhaps now is not such a great time to think about career change. Maybe they should just be gratef ul for a job and stay put? Is career change possible in a down economy or recession? The short answer is: Yes! Career change can happen at any time. Anything is possible. However, career changes typically take time. This might not be what you want to hear right now, but it is the reality. Fortunately, time is something you have in excess, during times of pandemic.   How long does it take to make a career change in times like these? What can you expect? Regardless of how long our self-quarantine goes on, or if a recession is an outcome of the pandemic, we know things will turn around. What does that mean for you? Eventually, within the next year or two, the market will be back to what it once was. There may even be new opportunities in industries that have thrived or brought innovations to the world as a result of the pandemic. With this in mind, and because the career change process takes time, you want to use your newfound time to take action now! Career change won’t happen overnight and there are many pieces you will want to prepare to make the change more effectively.   1. The first step in making a career change: career exploration The first part of making any career change is identifying your target. What will you do next (title) and with whom will you be employed? Wherever you are in the career change process, it will take time to figure out what that next move will be. Use this time to get a head start in your reflection process, so you can make that move with confidence. Use these reflection questions as a starting point: What’s motivating your career change? If there is more than 1 motivator, list them in rank order with the most important at the top. Use this list as a guide point to help you stay focused on what needs to change, it can also be used as a reference point to help you clearly articulate to recruiters and networks why you’re seeking a change. Most importantly, this list will keep you energized along the way! What are the top 3 things you enjoy and dislike about your current position? What are the top 3 things you enjoy and dislike about your industry and company? What task (s) are missing in your current role that you want to see more of in your next job?   What is the most important thing you need out of your next job? Are you interested in going back to school to receive training? What does success look like in the next 6 months? ACCELERATE YOUR JOB SEARCH STARTING NOW! How much time should you spend in career exploration and planning? It’s easy enough to go for a new job that pays more money or has a cooler job title. However if those were not the top motivators on your list, then you will need to take the time to figure out what you want before starting a full-on job search. If you take the time to go through this important first step of career exploration, your job search process will be focused and intentional. You will have a stronger and more focused brand. This in turn will produce more job interviews. It will further produce stronger interview outcomes and hiring manager interest!   What if you get stuck in the career exploration process? For some professionals, career exploration will be enough to help you move to actionable next steps. However if you find yourself stuck at this step, you will want to seek support from a career coach. There are a few reasons a career coach can be beneficial on your career change journey. Sometimes when my clients have been stuck in a career rut or in a certain career for a long period of time, they can’t see the forest for the trees. They need help from another person to get unstuck. Furthermore, due to job search insecurities, “stuck” job searchers can have a limited view of their full potential and all the possibilities that lie ahead. A career coach is trained to pull you outside of yourself and help you see the path ahead much more clearly. If you do decide to work with a career coach, this process can take a few months of processing assessment results and career research to feel confident about where you want to go next. For some individuals it can take up to 6 months.   2. Align to your next career move! After you’ve taken the time to reflect on your answers to the exploration questions, it’s time to align yourself to the new target. This will look different for every person. What this looks like for you, depends on how dramatic of a change you’re deciding to make. If you’re doing a complete career change you will likely have some skills gaps to fill. This can range from a simple certification, to an entire degree. Based on how you answered the reflective questions above, you know how deep you’re willing to go to connect to this new career area.   The first step in aligning to your new target: a skills assessment A good next step will be to gain a deeper understanding of what skills you have that align with this new career area. You will also want to gain a deeper understanding of what skills are missing. For example, if you’re a mid-career professional trying to switch from an Accounting Manager to a Digital Media Specialist position, you will likely see: Skills Match:   Work in cross-functional teams. Analyze information and provide insights to improve the process/project/outcomes. Connect/Communicate with external stakeholders. Skills Gaps: Technical skills: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SEO, SEM. Following KPI’s to match a company’s brand. Supporting and optimizing a marketing campaign. A few strategic options for filling in your skills gaps After you’ve analyzed your skill gaps, you will need to take action to fill those gaps. Based on the severity of the gaps, you can choose a few next steps. You can either make a deeper commitment and pursue a relevant degree allowing you to gain experience, connections and even an internship in this new space. Or you can take a less bold next step that may include taking online courses to gain technical skills. We don’t recommend taking the deep dive into a specific degree program unless you have seen this listed as a “must have” requirement on the majority of job descriptions you’re targeting.   One of the best ways to top up your skills is by gaining relevant work experience in your target space. This will allow you to add new skills keywords to your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. Ask your network about ways to attain relevant side gigs or freelance work in order to gain the right experience. Even volunteering can be a great way to gain new skills.   Not ready to make such a huge career move or skills top-up right now? If you don’t want to commit to a major change, there are other ways to lay the foundation for a future change. You may decide that you’re not willing to make such a big move right now, but you are willing to switch industries. Therefore, you may choose to stay in Accounting, but you may do that work in a marketing agency or at a company that has a large internal marketing/agency team. By keeping your same role and pivoting into a new industry, you are taking a step in the right career direction. Sometimes these moves end up being a huge opportunity in making big career changes in the future.   Should you get an MBA to make the career change more feasible? If you are ready for a big change and thinking an advanced degree may be the answer, take some time to make sure a new degree will indeed produce your desired job results. Before you commit to pursuing an MBA, for example, you want to make sure it is a “must” in order to make the change. This is a huge investment and you may not want to pursue unless absolutely required for your new target role. You want to focus on obtaining a degree that will be a standard requirement and therefore give you an edge on the competition when applying for jobs. While an MBA may sound nice, know that it will require finances, time away from the workforce, and/or a huge time commitment away from family/life-balance. So you want to be extra sure there is career value (ie job possibilities that will require it) before making the investment. How much time should you spend in the career alignment process? Whichever choice you make, it will take time! Plan for 1 month or more for this step. If you’re only making an industry shift, it would still benefit you to fill any gaps. An easy way to do this is by focusing your efforts within your network. Learn industry trends and join professional associations to boost your competitiveness. 3. Reinvent yourself by changing your resume and LinkedIn story After you’ve put in the time and work for making a career change, it’s time to tell a new story that matches your career transition! It’s not enough to simply list a bunch of certifications and projects, you need to create a completely new professional brand that aligns with your new path. You want to plan for at least 2 weeks to tackle all of your branding.   Quick tips for reinventing your resume A targeted headline at the top of the resume that talks to the roles and industries you’re targeting tells a clear story to the reader. This will help make clear connections between your background and the job opening.   A summary of achievements at the top of your resume is a great way to showcase transferable skills stories and connect to your next career move. This is where you want to take your skill matches from step 2 and highlight them right at the top in a professional summary. You will also highlight your new skills in the skills section just below your summary. Another great career changer keyword opportunity is in   your education and training section. In this section be sure and highlight any new and relevant professional development. For example, if you attended a training on JavaScript through General Assembly, then add it. Be sure to also list the year of completion to show how recent it was.   Next, you will want to look at your current position and see if there are ways to break your role down into sub-categories that showcase relevant transferable skills. In keeping with the example above, as an Accountant, you may be able to break your resume into two parts, Project Management and Client Relations and then Accounting and Finance Management. If you create sub-titles within your job and write bullets to each area instead of under just the one bucket of “Accountant”, it then tells a story more relevant to your next career move, in this case marketing. An important part of creating desirable resume experience, is using your bullets to communicate career accomplishments. This is especially useful for career changers hoping to demonstrate transferable skills. REPACKAGE YOU FOR A CAREER CHANGE WORKSHOP WATCH NOELLES SIGNATURE BRANDING WORKSHOP NOW! Adapting your LinkedIn profile for a career change There are a ton of ways you can adapt your LinkedIn profile for a career change. And in fact, LinkedIn is more important than your resume when it comes to making a career change. The most important thing to remember is that you want to write your profile to where you are headed not where you are. Take advantage of all of the keyword and SEO opportunities by using strategic target industry lingo in your headline, and about sections. You can also join groups relevant to your industry area, follow influencers from your new space, and connect to people in your target new space. If your supervisor does not know you’re seeking new opportunities, be careful about updating your headline. You should also edit your settings to not notify your network of the changes you’re making to your profile. This will be particularly helpful once you start adding all your new skills and professional associations to your profile. The bottom line on changing careers If you’re looking to make a career change that is intentional and targeted, then you will want to start your reflection and exploration process now. Career change takes time. If you start now, you’ll be much further along once the market improves. If you need help making a career change, schedule your complimentary 20-minute Clarity Consultation with a Career Change Coach today!

Why Its OK to Break New Years Resolutions, Life Goals

Why It's OK to Break New Year's Resolutions, Life Goals In case you're one of the half of Americans who made a New Year's goals this year, odds are you've just fizzled. It's OK. So have I. Indeed, I broke my goals (to put together a lunch at home, instead of purchase a turkey sandwich from the Time Inc. cafeteria ordinarily) on the absolute first work day of the year. I at first felt kind of awful about this not exactly propitious beginning to 2017, particularly considering the entirety of my colleagues were very much aware of my #money2017 goals and joyously called attention to that the sandwich I was eating was not, truth be told, hand crafted. Yet, I won't yet esteem myself a disappointment and 2017 an act of futility for self-improvement. Here's the reason you shouldn't, either. In the event that you believe I'm simply one more apathetic millennial shunning obligation, think about this from specialists at the University of Toronto: Individuals rush to censure themselves for the weakening of the eating routine. Individuals frequently state to themselves, 'well, I came up short on self discipline, my exertion declined, and that clarifies why my weight took the direction that it did.' Our own conviction is that that isn't the situation, that the explanation that your weight reduction eases back down and stops is more a physiological issue than a matter of resolve. At the end of the day, on the off chance that you've just quit heading off to the exercise center or making your morning espresso at home, it is anything but an individual falling flat or an indication of shortcoming. What's more, you're positively not the only one. Individuals do will in general overestimate others' prosperity and what's conceivable, the specialists composed. A 2009 Harvard Business School working paper (Goals Gone Wild), which assessed notable research about objectives set by administrators in the work environment, sets that the gainful impacts of objective setting have been exaggerated and that methodical damage brought about by objective setting has been to a great extent overlooked. (For an ongoing case of the awful ways objective setting can wander off grinding away, take a gander at the Wells Fargo misrepresentation disaster.) Not everything about goals is terrible, obviously. They can help center us, and quitting any pretense of smoking, for instance, for even half a month is a net positive. Studies have supported for making hyper-explicit objectives, keeping in touch with them down, and educating others regarding them as approaches to all the more effectively achieve things. Be that as it may, as the HBS scientists composed, (w)ith objectives, individuals thin their core interest. This exceptional center can daze individuals to significant issues that seem inconsequential to their objective. at the end of the day, hooking onto a solitary objective can come to the detriment of bigger, progressively extensive way to deal with work. Inspiration can diminish also, as individuals become barely, adamantly centered around arriving at some particular achievement. Dr. Karen Lawson, executive of the Integrative Health Coaching program at the Center for Spirituality Healing at the University of Minnesota, revealed to CBS News that frequently individuals fall flat on the grounds that the objectives they're setting aren't about things that are essential to them, but instead to others. So the inspiration doesn't originate from inside yet originates all things considered and that doesn't will in general lead to progress, Lawson said. Considering I set out to carry my lunch to work in light of the fact that my proofreader requested volunteers and not on the grounds that I wanted to do as such, I remain by this clarification. In addition, there genuinely is nothing of the sort as a new beginning. Another divider schedule or the primary day of school won't mystically change us into various, progressively dependable individuals. Hanging tight for the discretionary date of Jan. 1 to accomplish something is simply dawdling. I'm as yet a similar individual I was on December 31; you likely are, as well. Rather than limiting yourself to a specific arrangement of 365 days, center around taking a shot at your objective at whatever point you can, regardless of whether that is in January or the third week in July. There's no off-base opportunity to begin making yourself a superior, more advantageous individual. What's more, I truly like our cafeteria's turkey sandwiches.

Do You Really Need a Cover Letter For Executive Jobs

Do You Really Need a Cover Letter For Executive Jobs Invariably, when executives try to figure out how to stand out in the job search, the subject of cover letters comes up â€" followed by confusion. Do you really need a cover letter for each executive job application? How can you be sure that employers are actually reading the letter you’re so carefully crafting? Do you really need a cover letter for executive jobs? Is it a myth that a cover letter can distinguish you in the executive job search? Here are 3 key points to consider when it comes to the cover letter question: 1 â€" Yes, cover letters are read by (some) employers. However, this varies among different companies and their hiring practices. This informal survey from About.com shows some hiring managers are emphatic that a great cover letter will boost your chances of being selected for a choice interview. Studies in the careers industry also consistently nearly two-thirds of hiring authorities read cover letters, and of that group, nearly 50% consider them crucial.   Youll never know at the outset which third of hiring managers youre dealing with, of course. Therefore, it’s better to be prepared with a strong personal brand message encapsulated in a cover letter, than to lose out on a great opportunity.   2 â€" Recruiters aren’t that interested in your cover letter, but like a short introduction. Most executive recruiters will tell you they have little use for a cover letter. In fact, since they’re experts in drilling into the heart of your resume to see your true qualifications, they may even consider your letter to be a bothersome part of the job application. However, you’ll find some recruiters advocate using a letter â€" even if they don’t personally prefer to review it, as outlined in this Forbes article. The reasons? You can often specify in a letter what is taboo to mention on a resume, such as relocation plans or a desire to return to work. Therefore, if a recruiter is your intended audience, keep your letter to a short introduction centered on the facts (what executive title you’re pursuing, whether you’re open to moving, etc.), preferably pasted into the body of an email message. 3 â€" Some hiring executives actually prefer your cover letter over your resume. Believe it or not, many hiring authorities enjoy reading your cover letter (and may even place more weight on it than your resume!), as they believe it provides insight into your personality. A CEO, for example, may skip over the resume entirely to read your cover letter â€" preferring it to the jargon of your executive resume. (If you’re presenting a case to become the next CFO, you can bet he or she will tend to your letter carefully.) Where cover letters make the most sense is when youre pitching a company directly â€" without a posted job opening. You can use the letter to explain your interest in the company and your unique value-add to them.  (Don’t know that? Get your research game on, using the firm’s annual report and googling for trends in their industry.) Bottom line, an expertly written, branded cover letter  can be a potent job search weapon, even though your executive resume must be aligned closely with your goal. There’s always a chance employers will find your letter compelling enough to move you along in the hiring process. Award-winning executive resume writer  Laura Smith-Proulx  of An Expert Resume has a 98% success rate collaborating with executives and rising professionals to capture top jobs at Fortune-ranked corporations, startups, and emerging leaders. With 9 highly regarded industry credentials as a certified job search coach, master resume writer, LinkedIn expert, and former recruiter, Lauras work has been published in more than 200 venues worldwide and featured in CIO.com, CareerBuilder, The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Post, Forbes, Monster.com, The Chicago Tribune, and other media. She holds the U.S. record for global resume writing TORI awards from 2007 through 2013, with 23 total distinctions. Laura is a featured Personal Branding and Resume Expert for CareerRocketeer.com and Careerealism.com, the National Resumes Examiner for Examiner.com, and Job-Hunt.orgs LinkedIn for Job Search Expert.

7 Steps to Finding Success If You Drop Out of College

7 Steps to Finding Success If You Drop Out of College Figure you can't be fruitful on the off chance that you drop out of school? Reconsider. The absolute greatest organizations on the planet were begun by business people who never completed school. While there are aptitudes and encounters and achievements that any yearning effective individual will secure in school, in the event that you happen not to have completed (or you wind up having dropped out and spiraling in an attack of frenzy), recall that it isn't really the apocalypse. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-promotion 1467144145037-0'); }); Here are a couple of things you can do on the off chance that you dropped out to get yourself back on a decent track to success.1. Breathe.First take a full breath and understand it's your life. You are in charge. On the off chance that this is what you need and you can at present achieve what you need to in existence without this degree? At that point incredible. Begin making solid arrangements and progressing in the direction of that goal.2. Keep learning.Education doesn't really end with school. Neither ought to yours. Keep learning as insatiably as could reasonably be expectedâ€"after what premiums you most and what you'd have to know to grow your profession outside of school. Try not to fall into obliviousness or stagnation since you expected to quit going to college.3. Continue taking risks.Dropping out to seek after different alternatives is a major hazard. On the off chance that it pays off for you, keep considering different ways you can face determined challenges in quest for your predetermination. Continue pushing for your fantasies. You've just demonstrated you have the guts. Persist!4. Locate your genuine community.Just on the grounds that you aren't in school any longer doesn't mean you needn't bother with educators and schoolmates. Find yourself tutors. Present yourself to individuals in your ideal field and demonstrate your ability to learn. You'll most likely receive a decent pr oposal in return at some phase in your vocation. So also, discover your team of similarly invested, likewise arranged individuals who you can assemble your domain (or if nothing else a business) with. Gain from one another and advance each other's work.5. Try not to discard responsibilities.Whatever your new class proportional isâ€"appear for it. Try not to brush things off on the grounds that you aren't actually required to show up any longer. Propel yourself and give yourself grades! This is similarly significant for work. Find a new line of work and appear at itâ€"on schedule and consistently.6. Try not to be defensive.You can't have it the two different ways. In the event that you didn't complete school, you can't gripe that others did and it causes you to feel awful. Recollect you picked your needs and your life. It was your decision. Speak the truth regarding why and don't take any negativity from anybody on the off chance that they respond unfairly.7. Be humble.Be ready to wo rk from the base up. Get in on the passage level of whatever field you most need to work in. Be happy to begin low on the command hierarchy. With a little lowliness and commitment, you likely won't be down there long.

The Skill of Resume Writing That You Need to Develop

The Skill of Resume Writing That You Need to DevelopIn order to learn the skill of resume writing, you need to know how to develop the right methods in order to prepare a solid and effective paper. It is vital that you have in-depth knowledge of the writing skills of this business document format in order to ensure that your resume's are presented in the best possible manner. Resume writing is a fact that every prospective employer would like to read. You will not only be able to impress your boss with your technical skills but also be able to convince your family and friends as well with the fact that you can make a good impression on them too.Before you prepare a resume for any type of job, it is essential that you understand what exactly PPT stands for and what its significance is. In order to find out whether or not you possess the skills of the job you want to do, it is important that you first identify the area of expertise that you hold. This way, you will know what areas of j ob you are capable of covering with the experience you have gained.This is where the skill of writing a resume comes into play. Writing a resume is no easy task because it requires you to research all the aspects of the job you want to apply for. Moreover, you also need to ensure that you do not fall behind in terms of experience and education. Hence, a good resume is necessary to allow you to get ahead of the competition.However, you need to be careful about the abilities of these skills when you prepare the resume for each job. There are certain factors which might affect the skill level of a resume. You should always ensure that the skills you are showing in the resume are the ones that will be required by the employer.One of the most important things to consider when writing a resume is to ensure that the skills PPT refers to are the ones that are actually required. In other words, the skills that the employer is looking for in order to hire you. You can never expect to impress the employer if you present him with the wrong information. After all, it is the employer who will be taking the decision as to whether or not you will be hired.However, it is also essential that you ensure that the skills that you are using to display in the PPT are your very own skills. This ensures that you don't fall short of showing the skills that you actually have. On the other hand, if you are presenting a resume that is clearly different from the one you prepared in the past, then you might be under the impression that you do not really possess the skills that are needed. This is where you might be missing a major opportunity of landing that dream job.When it comes to the skill of formatting the resume properly, the same is also very important. The template that you have drafted in the past will serve as a guide for the resume writing. This means that you can tweak and modify the template so that it meets the standards required by the employer.By doing this, you will be abl e to personalize the resume PPT and ensure that it serves the purpose it was meant for. With this, you will be able to impress the employer even more. If you take time to get familiar with the skills PPT refers to, you will be able to ensure that your resume is ready in no time.

Resume Writing Service in Austin Texas

<h1>Resume Writing Service in Austin Texas</h1><p>If you are an understudy who needs to go after alumni or post-graduate positions, you ought to consider utilizing a resume composing administration in Austin Texas. The Texas Health Resources Network is a pursuit of employment organize that incorporates various organizations that can assist you with getting the resume or introductory letter composing administrations that you need. By utilizing these administrations, you can set aside cash and time by carrying out the responsibility yourself.</p><p></p><p>There are various reasons why you would need to utilize a resume composing administration in Austin Texas. The primary explanation is that you will have the option to have more power over the result of your resume. As you work with these organizations, you will have the option to speak with the experts on an expert level. This will permit you to have much more accomplishment in landing the pos itions that you want.</p><p></p><p>Another motivation behind why you should utilize a resume composing administration in Austin Texas is on the grounds that you will have the option to work with individuals that you can converse with. These experts are going to realize what they are discussing and what they are searching for in your resume. They are going to realize how to compose a resume that fits the particular needs of your activity application.</p><p></p><p>When you have a decent resume or introductory letter, you will be bound to get interviews. So as to get a meeting, you should ensure that you are expertly sorted out and all set. You would prefer not to spend the entire day planning for the meeting just to discover that you didn't meet the base capabilities for the position.</p><p></p><p>When you recruit a resume composing administration in Austin Texas, you will likewise have the option to do the talkin g yourself. You will have the option to ensure that you are tending to the entirety of the inquiries just as ensuring that you are speaking with the organization on an expert level. This will guarantee that you are fruitful in landing the position that you want.</p><p></p><p>When you utilize a resume composing administration in Austin Texas, you will likewise have the option to ensure that you are adhering to the laws of this state. This is going to assist you with maintaining a strategic distance from a claim that you may run into. While you should ensure that you utilize a decent organization, you additionally would prefer not to run into a legitimate difficulty in the event that you do not.</p><p></p><p>In request to do this, you should investigate the organizations that you are utilizing. This will assist you with sparing a ton of time and cash in the long run.</p>