Resumes may be the marketing tool that open the door, but cover letters get you invited in.  While a resume shows what you've done, a cover letter allows you to specifically tell what you could do, and how, for a future employer.   Format of a cover letter First, note that your cover letter is not a dissertation.   It should be fairly short, rarely over one page or 1 ½ pages

I’ve written my resume and I think it’s pretty good.  It tells everything I’ve done – and even shows some accomplishments.  So why do I need a cover letter?  Isn’t a resume enough?      Unfortunately, the answer is No.  It is not enough. A well-crafted cover letter gives you another opportunity to make the sale for you as a potential employee and

Writing letters is an integral part of a successful job search - more than you might think. Job seekers find themselves producing lots of letters.  Those who run a really active search find themselves writing . . . .    -  letters to accompany their resumes,      -  letters to request assistance,        -   letters

Writing letters is part and parcel of the process of finding a job.  While composing letters may seem uncomfortable if you're not much of a letter-writer, keep in mind that letters provide you with another opportunity:        (1) to show what you can do, and        (2) sell a prospective employer on the benefits of hiring you! While

Identifying a few folks who will speak on your behalf, and then listing their names on a sheet of paper seems like a simple enough task.  When your list is complete, voila', you have a reference list to be given out to prospective employers.      Right? . . . . .  Wrong! Compiling your reference list, called an Annotated Reference List, is anything but simple.  Just

Referrals open doors.  References get you invited in! References are golden.  Treat then like the gold they are!  In an article entitled Referrals are Golden – Handle with Care I noted that referrals can open doors that might not be opened any other way.  Once opened, references can get you invited in! References should be handled with care.  Names and phone numbers

When asked for references, most job seekers just plunk down a list with a few names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers on it. It meets the request, but it's nothing special.   It certainly doesn't make a job seeker stand out from the crowd.  Stand out from the Crowd! But, you can stand out from the crowd by supplying an Annotated Reference List whenever you're asked for references. 

Looking for a job is all about sales  –  You know that by now, if you have been looking through the articles, tips and tools offered via our AJC – Career Strategy website.  And you know that sales is a very action-oriented profession.  To make a sale, the smart sales person knows that every action they take, and every activity they engage in, should count toward moving them

To Vacation or Not to Vacation ? . . . . .  That is a question that frequently comes up during a lengthy job search.   If you do decide to take time away from your search, be smart about it!  Generally, I advise job seekers to post pone taking a vacation or time away from their search if at all possible.  Why?   A job seeker runs a real risk to the productiveness

To Vacation or Not to Vacation ? . . . . .  That is a question that frequently comes up during a lengthy job search.  It can be a challenge to keep your search moving forward when the people you need to meet and network with are unavailable.  People in the companies you want to meet are on vacation.  That interview you’ve been patiently waiting for is delayed by a vacationing