Questions about cover letters, resumes and
interviewing
What
should I say in my cover letter?
Your cover letter is the first thing an
employer looks at. If your cover letter doesn't impress them,
chances are they won't even look at your resume.
Your cover letter should be fairly short
and to the point and should tell the company how they will
benefit by hiring you. Don't tell them why you want the job
(they don't care) - tell them why you can do the best possible
job for them.
Briefly list your relative experience, skills
and accomplishments. Address the specifics mentioned in the
job listing. If the job requires certain software or hardware,
explain your proficiency with it.
You can write a general cover letter and
then tailor it to apply for each position by mentioning how
your experience makes you well suited to fulfill their needs.
It wouldn't hurt to do a little research
on the company and show that you're familiar with their product
or service.
What
is the best way to make sure my resume will be noticed among
all of them?
By having a professionally written specialized
telecommuter's resume that stands out among the others. Click
here to learn more about how to write this very unique type
of resume in this free report.
How
should I send my resume?
If it's not specified in the ad, copy the
text of your resume into the body of your email, following
your cover letter. It won't matter how well laid out and professional
your resume looks if they can't open the attachment or if
their software converts it to gibberish. If it is specified,
follow the instructions to the letter. You won't even make
the competition if they think you can't follow simple instructions.
How
long will it take for a company to reply?
Unless there's a time frame specified for
the job, it's hard to say. Some companies will reply to say
they've received your application and give further indication
of how, if or when you may expect to hear from them again.
On the other hand, some companies will only
respond to the applicants that are being considered for the
job and if you're not among them, you won't ever get a response.
Some companies will keep your resume on
file and may contact you at some point in the future for another
opening.
You can send a follow-up letter (ONCE) after
a week or two, asking if they've had a chance to consider
your application and offering to provide any further info
they might need. If you haven't had a response in 3 weeks,
file it and move on.
How
should my resume be set up?
Your resume should be short (never more
than two pages - one is best) and easy to read. Use a conventional
font such as Arial or Times. Do not use fancy or multiple
fonts. You can use bold for headings, and bullets, dashes
or white space for formatting.
You should tailor your resume for each position
you apply for.
List your name and contact info.
State an objective - what you would like
to accomplish. Wanting to work at home so you can be with
your kids can be your ulterior motive, but NEVER state that
as an objective. Explain what you can do and how your experience
and skills relate to the particular position.
List your skills. Many companies scan resumes
electronically to look for key words, so include as many as
you can, e.g., excellent communication skills (verbal and
written), demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, highly dependable,
with exceptional organizational and time management capabilities.
Also list specific skills such as perform
data entry/proofreading with attention to detail and fast
(85 wpm), accurate turnaround; provide excellent customer
service via email, fax and phone.
Also list software: proficient in Windows
95 and 98, MS Office 97 (Word, Excel, Access, Power Point);
familiar with internet, email, and FTP, with outstanding research
skills.
Achievements - if you've received any relevant
awards or recognition you can list them under achievements.
Work Experience - list your experience starting
with the most recent and going backward. Include the name
of the company, dates employed, position title, and a brief
description of your duties, responsibilities and accomplishments.
It's not necessary to go back more than
10 years.
Education - list your education with most
recent first. Include any relevant courses or special training.
It's not necessary to list your high school
unless it was recent.
Affiliations - list any relevant professional
or volunteer memberships or associations.
Click
here to learn more about how to create the perfect telecommuter's
resume in this free report.
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