Thanks for the interview! Follow-up every interview with a thank you letter.  Send thank you's following initial phone screens, first-level phone interviews, video interviews, and in-person interviews.  No exceptions!     Your thank you letter is not a dissertation.  What it is is one last opportunity to state  --  and sell  --  your capabilities

Treat every conversation like it's an interview! Question:  When does interviewing begin?   Answer:  Any time you open your mouth and begin talking  --   if you are looking for a job! Many job seekers believe they are only interviewing when they are sitting across from a hiring manager or HR recruiters.  Not true. When you are looking for a job, any time

Have you been on the market for a while, searching for a position since summer, spring, or since 2013 began?  Even before that? Fall is here.  It's a good time to . . . . . Rev up your search! Fall . . . .  Following the passing of Labor Day, job seekers get serious about finding a new job before the year is over. . . . . .  Why?Because, companies and organizations also get

Has your job search gone nowhere?      Submitting lots of applications, sent lots of resumes, but no interviews?          Feeling discouraged and beaten up by a non-productive search?                Confused and bewildered about what to do now?               

Thank You Letters  – Send thank you letters to everyone who assists you in your search.      I repeat . . . . EVERYONE!   Thank you letters should ALWAYS be sent following any helpful interaction, including interviews.  Use a formal format, if you are sending a typed standard letter, or a less formal format for an e-mail or a hand-written note-card. Your

Your network is wider than you think.   You know more than 9 people! When I sit down to begin work with a new client, one of the things we always discuss right up front is networking.  This critical skill is at the core of finding new positions, since the majority of jobs come through networking.  I ask clients to create a networking plan, which begins with them identifying

Below is a template showing how to write a cover letter in 8 steps.  This format shows an alternative to the traditional paragraph style for a cover letter.  It uses a 2-column style of presenting qualifications in Step 5.   This alternative style cover letter is preferred by some recruiters and human resource professionals because it makes their job easier!  It makes

Below is a template showing how to write a cover letter in 8 steps.  A cover letter is a formal letter and should be written as such, with attention to correct format, spelling, and grammar. The template illustrates the 8 Steps that are described in my article:  "How to Write a Cover Letter - 8 Steps to Writing an Effective Letter that Moves the Action Forward."** Just follow the steps

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