Make a Great First Impression

You have the qualifications, the motivation and the skills to succeed in your field. How do you let a prospective employer know how great you are, particularly on paper instead of in person?

First, here are some key ideas. If you are going get the job, the first step is to get noticed by the person skimming the cover letters and resumes. If you can't make it through the skimming phase you can't get the interview. Second, searching for a job is not that difficult – it just takes time, effort, and perseverance.

Follow the steps outlined here and you will be one step nearer to a job interview. You need to stand out but at the same time stay within the guidelines. After all, most prospective employers seek people that will fit within their corporate culture rather than mavericks who like to shake things up.

Why do we follow guidelines? When everybody agrees to a conventional way of doing things, the system works more efficiently (whether it is job search or driving on the same side of the road). Stick with the "rules" and it will be easy. Abandon them and you restrict yourself.

The two major causes for job search failure are:
1. Some people attempt to beat the system by doing things their own way (thereby disregarding the guidelines)
2. Others choose to take the easy way out and do the bare minimum. They don't set up their resumes using an appealing format that is easy to read.

Here are the guidelines that will help make that great first impression:

Be Thorough – Check your spelling and grammar. Read over your resume and cover letter and have someone else check it over. Typos will not make a good impression. Double check your contact information. Pay attention to everything you send out such as the spelling of the potential employer/hiring manager's name and address. When you think you are done, check it again.

Be prepared – You will need information to put your best foot forward. Here two things you need to know:


• First, you need to know YOURSELF. Why? You need to be able to identify your personal and professional character, your abilities, and your skills. In addition, you will need to relate these positive qualities to the workplace setting. You can apply this self knowledge when you create your resume and also in the interview to increase your likelihood of success.

• Second, you need to find information about the prospective employer/company and the position you are seeking. Find out about the company's size, their products and services, and who they serve. In addition, you want to know their "mission," their history and their future plans. It is also helpful to understand their market and their market position. This way you can target your application information to the company and the position you seek. This knowledge is invaluable when you prepare for the job interview.

Be yourself – Use your self knowledge to present your personal and professional skills on paper and in the interview. There is no need to stretch the truth or lie as this will hurt you in the long run.

Be ambitious – Do your best on everything do what it takes. You want the interview, right? Then be complete and as professional as possible. Focus on the things that matter such as the cover letter and resume. Make sure you get the call and not someone else.

Make your first impression count on paper and with advanced preparation you will have a great interview. Follow the steps outlined here so both your written and interview skills will stand out.

Follow the guidelines and be prepared so your job search will go smoothly.

For more information, please take a look at these articles:

'Suitable Attire'

'Interview Mistakes'

'Interview Thank You Letter'

'Telephone Interviews'

'Employee Selection Process'

'What You Need to Know About a Hiring Manager'


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Cover Letters for Nurses

Cover Letters for Nurses

Why are cover letters so important? They provide the prospective employer with a brief review of your skills and abilities in the form of a letter. Letters are written much differently than resumes and can have a lasting impact on the reader.

The best news is that writing one it isn’t that hard. An excellent Registered Nurse is always going to be in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Among all of the health care occupations, registered nurses had the highest level of employment—over 2 million."

What does that mean? It means there are more nursing positions in the health care industry than doctors, surgeons and technologists.
Nurses, generally speaking, are in a good labor market right now. If you are a nurse, that's good news. You should not encounter difficulties in obtaining work.

What about that awesome position with the top salary that you have your eye on, though? Do you think the competition for that position will be greater? You bet it will. That means your credentials will have to be presented in the best light possible if you are to get the job offer.
So, how do you write a great cover letter?

The cover letter builds on the resume and leads the employer toward it. Its goal is to get the employer excited about the resume. It is a sales tool, just like the resume is. Sell yourself in a compelling and exciting way. Inject energy and let your best qualities reach the employer through carefully written examples and anecdotes. Don't just state what you are capable of, show the employer what you have done in the past with vibrant language that attracts and invites the employer to want to know more.
You are a part of a significant sector of the labor market.

You have to be your very best to get the great jobs. What skills and abilities do you have that you can offer the employer – and – how can you do so in a way that makes the employer pick up the phone and call you for an interview?

Be personable, but professional at the same time.

Let your cover letter generate interest in your resume, then let your resume grab the employer's attention so that you are invited in for a face to face meeting.

A cover letter isn't likely to persuade an employer to grant you an interview on it's own, but it is part of the whole package that WILL encourage an employer to want to get to know you better. Make it an exciting and enjoyable read and you will find yourself being offered the next Registered Nurse position you apply for.

To review a cover letter checklist, click here: Cover Letter Checklist
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Resume Tips

Resume Tips:

• Good resumes show how your qualifications fit the requirements of the jobs you apply for.
• Most occupations require abilities like reliability, teamwork, and communication.
• Good resume objectives focus on the employer's needs.
• Nonwork activities add experience to your resume.
• Tailor your resume for each occupation or job of interest.
• Use action phrases— not complete sentences.
• Highlight specific achievements.
• Include quantifiable results where possible.
• Identify increases in responsibility.
• Mention special work related skills.
• Identify coursework relating to the employer’s needs.

More Tips:
• Chronological resumes organize your experience around the jobs you have held.
• Functional resumes emphasize skills rather than employment history.
• Sprinkle your resumes with language found in the position description.
• Use a laser printer and keep the font size at 10 points or above.
• Avoid mistakes by having several people proofread for you.

Even more Tips:
• Resumes can be formatted for scanning, e-mailing, or posting to Internet sites.
• Digital resumes use simple, technologically friendly formatting.
• Digital resumes emphasize keywords.
• Plain text resumes should not exceed 65 characters per line.
• E-mail a plain text resume to yourself and to a friend to test the way it transmits.

Source:
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/employ/resumes/resumes.htm

Additional resume information:

'Plain Text Resumes'

'Resume Preparation'

'Job Application Form'


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Is it Important to Send a Cover Letter?

While many employers require cover letters from prospective jobseekers, some do not specify what their requirements are. This leaves the jobseeker with the classic dilemma, whether or not to send a cover letter.

Writing a good cover letter takes time and effort. A mistake on the cover letter such as a spelling error could prove fatal to the jobseeker's chances. However, in general it is advisable to send one even if the employer doesn't require it.

Most employers are looking for good employees who are interested in doing the tasks provided to them, and who will stay with the company for a while. Even if a resume perfectly matches the job description, a resume says nothing about how the jobseeker feels about that company in particular.

A cover letter is a great tool to help the jobseeker stand out from the crowd and show the employer that he is interested and excited about working there. The employer will know that the jobseeker has taken the time to put together a cover letter, and that implies that he really wants the job and will accept if it is offered.

A cover letter is always a great idea, but caution should be taken in making sure the format is acceptable and the spelling and grammar are correct. There are few better ways to distinguish a qualified jobseeker from the crowd than a fantastic cover letter.

To learn more about cover letters, consider the following articles:

'Cover Letter Guideline'

'Cover Letter Checklist'

'The Power of a Good Cover Letter'

'Cover Letter Tips'

'A Great Cover Letter'

'Ten Cover Letter Tips'


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