Sunday, May 31, 2020

Cover Letter Layout Example and 20+ Rules

Cover Letter Layout Example and 20+ Rules Layout is just for publishers and web designers, right?Wrong.Hiring managers spend only seconds reading cover letters and resumes. If your cover letter layout isnt easy to follow, your job applications gone, along with your chances of getting the job.Get this right and youve got that base covered.This guide will show you:The basic rules of how to layout a cover letter.Cover letter layout examples.First, heres a perfect cover letter layout example created with our builder.Want to write your cover letter fast?Use our cover letter builder. Choose from20+ professional cover letter templatesthat match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.Sample cover letter made with our builderSee more cover letter templates and create your cover letter here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowIf youre looking for detailed advice on what to include in a cover letter, try: What Should a Cover Letter Include: Examples and TipsNow take a look at how to make your cover letter layout look that good.How to Lay Out a Cover LetterA proper set-up of words on a page is called layout. It includes headings, space, and typeface. As a standard business letter, a cover letter needs to be formatted the right way.Proper spacing is key. Its important to add space between the header, greeting, each paragraph, closing, and signature. White space is eyeball friendly and frames your job-winning content. Follow these tips to ensure a professional cover letter layout:Cover Letter Layout and Formatting TipsUse standard business letter-spacing: 1 or 1.15.Left-align all contents. Again, this is a standard business letter layout.Dont use text justification.Set one-inch cover letter margins on all sides.Use a simple, easy-to-read cover letter font, like Comic Sans. Just kidding! Arial, Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Cambria, or Times New Roman are b est.Stick to 11 or 12pt font size.Add double spacing between paragraphs.Include your full name, job title (optional), home address (optional), phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile in your cover letter header.Remember to use a cover letter template designthat matches your resume template.Save your cover letter as a PDF to avoid messed-up formatting, unless instructed otherwise.Give a professional name to your cover letter file title.Heres a job-winning cover letter layout template. Use it to structure your own cover letter or try our cover letter builder which will lay your cover letter out for you.Cyrus JohnsonBusiness Analyst1721 N Damen AveChicago, IL, 60647224-555-5555zety_cyrusjohnson@gmail.comlinkedin.com/in/zety_cyrusjohnsonChicago, 10/18/2019Dane De LucaHR ManagerVermillion Inc.2116 W 95th StChicago, IL, 60643Dear Dane,I have attached my resume for the position of business analyst. My professional achievements include saving $1M in costs by choosing a new cloud d ata warehouse solution. This was enabled by my superior negotiation skills, expertise in effective procurement and ability to identify cost savings.As a business analyst at Vantech, I leveraged a new procurement business process to ensure consistency across all teams leading to a saving of 500 man-hours equivalent to $100,000. This consistent approach was the first of its kind in the company. I also consolidated 3 legacy CRM systems into a single modern iteration reducing data retrieval times by 50% and customer response times by 40%.Getting on board with Vermillion as it rapidly scales its operations is an amazing opportunity for me to do what I do best, increasing efficiency in business processes and implementing value-rich changes to the organization.Lets arrange a quick chat to discuss how my ability to translate stakeholder needs into development goals can help Vermillion at this crucial time.Sincerely,Cyrus JohnsonP.S. Itd also be a great chance to discuss how my dedication to clear data visualization has improved communication between stakeholders and development teams.Pro Tip: If youre writing a physical copy of your cover letter, add a handwritten signature between the complimentary closing and your name.And thats how you lay a cover letter out the right way!For a full breakdown of how to write a cover letter for a job, check out our guide: How to Write a Cover LetterWant to see cover letter examples for every profession? Weve got that covered, too: Best Cover Letter Examples for All CareersStill not sure how to leverage your cover letter layout? Fire away with your questions in the comments section below so we can help. Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Tips For Writing a General Resume

Tips For Writing a General ResumeWriting a general resume is the first step to securing a job. So, what are some good tips for writing a general resume? As you write the document, keep your reader in mind. Write in a way that will appeal to the reader.A general resume is a document that outlines your experiences and qualifications. It does not include your job history or the specific responsibilities that you are looking for. Instead, it outlines your skills and qualities that employers look for in a job applicant.The goal of the general resume is to portray yourself as someone who has solid experience in your field of choice. In addition, this document should highlight your achievements in a short but positive way. This is the style that most hiring managers read and respond to.Many people may think that writing a general resume is a difficult task. However, with the proper tips, this can be a lot easier. Here are some pointers to help you get started.First, make sure that you have a good title for your document. It should contain your full name, followed by the words 'Resume.' This will help the prospective employer recognize you more easily. At the end of the document, add a few bullet points.Bullet points are a great way to separate your career objectives from your experiences. You should write about your career goals, followed by a list of skills and experiences that match those goals. For example, 'Chief Executive Officer of XYZ Company.' Repeat the bullet points to explain your accomplishments. This allows the hiring manager to learn about you as an individual, instead of just your job.Ensure that you emphasize your strengths and overcome any weaknesses that you may have. Do not try to come across as being too bold. Most people do not possess the ability to attract a potential employer with their 'false self' presentation.Writing a general resume is an important step in securing a new job. So, start writing today and ensure that you highlight your streng ths and overcome any weaknesses that you may have.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

How to Pitch Yourself to Employers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Pitch Yourself to Employers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career While most job seekers know how to generally market themselves to employers, they dont always know how to effectively pitch themselves to employers. When you submit your cover letter and resume, an employer spends about six seconds scanning it to see if youre even qualified for the position. In these six seconds, you need to convince the employer they should hire you. Whether youre submitting your resume or sending a networking email, you want to be able to flawlessly pitch yourself to employers. If youre wondering how you can do this, here are five tips that will help you impress employers and even land a job: 1. Figure out who you are. First and foremost, you need to know who you are as a professional. Take a look at your work ethic, interests, character, strengths, and weakness, and combine these into a description of who you are. Job seekers who are confident in their interests, passions, skills, and abilities are more likely to stand out to employers. If you know who you are as a professional, youll better illustrate these qualities when you apply for jobs and network with employers. 2. Know your strongest skills and experience. Your strongest skills and experience are what will get you in the door at a company. Make sure you dont overlook a combination of your hard and soft skills because employers want to hire well-rounded candidates. Once you know your strengths, find ways to weave them into all aspects of your job search. For example, if youre sending out a networking email, dont hesitate to share with a recruiter some of your latest work. Be careful you dont do this in a manner where it sounds like youre bragging. You want to show employers what you can do and how it will add value to their organization if they hired you. 3. Explain how youre an asset to the company. After youve created an image for yourself, explain to employers why youd be the perfect addition to their organization. If youre confident in your skills and experience, you should have no problem explaining how youd make a great fit. Before explaining why youre an asset to the company, make sure you understand the company itself. Understand what the company is currently doing and where theyll be in the upcoming years. Next you can explain how you fit into their picture. If you can explain how youll help the organization accomplish its goals, youll definitely be a notable candidate for the position. 4. Tell your story. In addition to explaining why your skills and experience make you a qualified candidate, pitch your passions and interests. Employers are becoming more focused on hiring people who make good cultural fits for their organization. If you can explain how your passions align with the organizations goals and mission, youll stand out from your competition. 5. Be clear and confident. Finally, its important to be clear and confident when pitching yourself to employers. Its never easy writing a resume or sending an email to an employer. But if you can do it with confidence and showcase your best self, youll be able to set yourself apart from other job seekers applying for the same position. Pitching yourself to employers doesnt have to be as difficult as it seems. All you need to do is take some time to learn about yourself and transform those qualities into something that makes you an asset for any employer. What tips do you have for job seekers who want to pitch themselves to employers?

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Wrecking Things is Justifiable to Get Ahead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Wrecking Things is Justifiable to Get Ahead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Sometimes you need to build things with the intention of wrecking them. This ties very closed to the idea of an MVP in the Eric Ries Minimum Viable Product mentality. When you are building a new idea, a new business, a new thing … be ready to exert brutal candor. Be ready for brutal honesty with yourself and from others. When needed and perhaps even when you aren’t ready … Wreck Your Ideas. What’s the Point of Wrecking Things? The point is … Don’t fall in love with your ideas. Be willing and able to let go. Be willing to break them. Be willing the wreck them. There is a current and popular song by Florence and the Machine by the name of “Ship to Wreck” and it got me thinking about something she and the band may not have intended. It got me thinking about the process of building a new product or idea. After reading the lyrics she seemed to be thinking the same thing as it relates to relationships. Every time I hear this song (which is quite good) I can’t help but think about what kinds of things we build just to wreck. Sometimes the wrecking is not intentional. At least at the surface level. The idea I’m thinking of here is one where there is an intent to Build Things to Wreck. Hire a Chief Destruction Officer The business guru and author Tom Peters suggests every company should be thinking about destruction … about wrecking things. He suggested every company should have a Chief Destruction Officer, a CDO. Not in the sense of Ghostbusters Gozer the Destructor. Rather in the sense of that someone who is always on the lookout for what can be broken apart … or wrecked … if you prefer that visual. Building things to destroy them is one way we learn. The people that can see around corners and can either actually or virtually wreck things will stand out in their careers. They will be the ones that are called upon to guide new projects and lead new teams. The people that can envision and/or actually wreck things (and get away with it) will often be able to create new lines of business, new products and new revenue streams. In the literal sense this is what Hernán Cortés did in 1519 when he landed in the Yucatan Peninsula  â€" modern day Mexico. He is fabled to have told his men to “Burn the Boats” which meant that there was only one way to go … forward. Did Cortes have the boat builders knowingly Build These Ships to Wreck? I doubt it, but it is possible he had the intention all along to do so. For what it was worth … it worked. Cortes and his 600 Spaniards conquered Mexico. I’m not suggesting this was the right (or wrong) thing to do. I’m using this bit of history as a metaphor for pushing yourself and your team to think about building things to wreck. Knowing full well that what you are building, your ideas, your dreams and your future may need to be wrecked to get to the next level. What will you Build to Wreck this week? This month? This year?

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Writing Resume PowerPoint Presentation

Writing Resume PowerPoint PresentationA writing resume is not as difficult as some would make it out to be. In fact, the very first time I sat down and wrote a resume, I literally felt sick with nervousness. It was probably because I was terrified of making a mistake that would send my application back to the beginning of the pile!What we have done here are some basic principles that you should follow in order to improve your resume. You will want to start with an outline, a cover letter and resume page, then continue in the flow when you learn how to use the best formatting techniques.The first step is to have an outline of your work experience. What you should include in this step are your educational qualifications, work experience and any special qualities or qualifications that would make you stand out from the rest of the competition. This is the first thing that people will look at when they are looking at your resume and you do not want to miss out on this very important info rmation.In the next step you should write your cover letter. Your cover letter should include your name, address, telephone number and email address so that your professional contacts can contact you. Remember, in a matter of seconds you can send out a resume and within hours you could be applying for a job.Now it is time to format your resume in a PowerPoint presentation. Once you know what each section is going to contain, all you have to do is place these segments together in a way that makes sense and there is no reason why you should not end up with a nice looking resume.The next thing that you should do is create a cover page that uses the header and footer sections of the PowerPoint presentation and follows the page layout in the same manner. You will need to use a smart font so that the people reading your resume are able to read through the information easily. Once this is completed, you can then start the resume flow by adding in the other sections and beginning to fill in the blanks.There is one thing that you need to remember when it comes to formatting your resume in PowerPoint. You do not want to save the image that you have created on the program as a .PNG file. When you save a PowerPoint slide as a .PNG file, you do not get any special formatting features that are essential for your resume.When you use the formatting options in the Resume PowerPoint you will be able to use the codes that are available to make changes to the resume. You should remember that your goal here is to make your resume a reflection of your skills and abilities. You do not want to hide your abilities in your resume.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

5 Reasons against Starting A Working from Home Career CareerMetis.com

5 Reasons against Starting A Working from Home Career â€" CareerMetis.com Yes, telecommuting or working from home has its perks, for instance, you can manage both work and family. And you can work according to terms and conditions. But there are a lot of reasons, which will not be helpful in longer terms.Many freelancers love to be at home and enjoy their career, and some of them really miss working outside. After visiting a lot of freelancers who are working on many projects simply from their home spaces, we are here with this post.evalWe have noted their opinions and their specific cases, and we are here with following 5 Reasons against Starting a Work-at-Home Career.1. Communication DifficultyevalMany people who are in a freelance career admitted that poor communication affects both sides equally. The freelancing is totally based on effective communication, and if you and your client have some barriers, then you may not satisfy him with your skills.Hence if you are working in a firm or company, you can deal such situations more effectively. If you canno t handle this gap, then you must work with someone or for a company which can handle such issues and career will grow with more opportunities. Edubirdie, a venture for freelance writing is an exception here as they manage this gap very well.2. Difficult management and maintenance of accountabilityWhen you are handling a big team of freelancers from your home, then the time management and maintaining accountability is a big issue. The clients need their work done on time, and you cannot afford to lose them if your employees are not permanent.This is one of the biggest reasons to go to the office to work. Join a full-time office or create one for your team so that you can check the progress. A permanent employee enjoys permanent salary, and you will be assured that no deadlines will be missed.3. Payment and Logistics IssuesIf you are working on a project, then payments do matter. Freelance working is highly dependable on the salary issues as when you are in a stay at home career you h ave to meet expenses. These expenditures of yours and remote team of your freelancers will be paid only when you get money on time.evalIf you are in outsourcing, then Time zone is another important issue you have to work on, communicate and get paid by your Client’s time zone. But when you are working on a schedule you are not going to face such issues. Complete the projects on time and get paid on time.4. Family Other DistractionsWhen you are busy with your stay at home career, you have a lot of things to take care. Either these are kids or your pets; they need constant attention from their guardians and owners. This fact directly affects your productivity as you cannot give proper sitting and proper attention to your work when your mind is filled with distractions.evalYou cannot forget about the sources of entertainment. You need to control your temptations. Otherwise, you will be in trouble.5. Almost No Socializing OpportunitiesevalLike many other cons of a stay at home career , the last one on our list is a lack of Socializing Opportunities. When you are in a workplace either it is your home or a firm you must need to interact. We are social animals and making friends helps us best it stressful situations. To achieve a boost in a career you need to handle different situations.A strong back of your team and friends will help you to excel. When you are working from home, then you are missing this advantage and also the healthy competition from your co-workers. Celebrate every success with your team and be a part of their happy/sad moments at work.

Saturday, May 9, 2020

An MBA in Hammering Nails - CareerEnlightenment.com

And the most amazing thing he shared with me was that even though he struggles to find business every month, and they have to cut costs like crazy, he is happier than ever.If you were laid off, what has that experience taught you about yourself?What hidden talent or aspirations were suddenly revealed when you went to bed knowing you didnt have a job anymore?If you live in Washington State and have some construction or renovation work, look up Will Martin. Hell greet you with a smile.This Post was Featured On:

Friday, May 8, 2020

The Complete Passion to Profit Series (and a free PDF for you)!

The Complete Passion to Profit Series (and a free PDF for you)! If ya saw my post How to Know Youre on the Right Track a week or two ago, then you learned a bit about the Passion to Profit Series run by Laura Simms. In her words: This series was created for passionate, at least slightly unconventional folks with an interest in pursuing meaningful work. Whether profiting from your passion is a twinkle in your eye or you’re already on track, you will find rock-your-world insight and strategies here. You’ll hear from leaders in different niches, new established voices, men and women. And be- cause the New American Dream is not just for Americans (how American!) you’ll also hear from an Aussie a Brit. Well-rounded, well spoken; this group is ready to lead you down the path they’ve already tread. And thats just what she did! 8 working creatives were rounded up   including yours truly, Dennis Baker, Thom Chambers,  Alexandra Franzen, Tara Gentile, Rebeccca Leigh, Lisa Sonora Beam, and Laura herself and we each wrote a post that helps bring the New American Dream into reality. But she didnt stop there! It wasnt enough to have this blog-trip-o-goodnessoh no indeed! Laura then put all the posts into a gorgeours, free, downloadable e-book to savor and share. Get your copy and your New American Dream its so waiting for you.