After the resume, the cover letter may in fact be the most important piece of the application process. If your resume intrigues a hiring manager, they’ll likely then look at the letter, as they’ll hope to see more of the same potential. However, if you’re unsure about your writing skills, there are steps that can be taken to improve your chances in the field.
A good start to the approach is to consider and know the audience you’re writing for. Often, there will be a different person in charge of… Read more
There are several reasons you may want to make a major career change, whether it’s for more money, a better work/life balance, a different location or new management styles However, there are a few basics you should know to ensure the transition goes smoothly, College Recruiter reports.
The publication notes that before you commit to leaving your current position for a job in a new field, there are a few factors to think over. The first is to assess the skills you’ll need and the duties you’ll have to perform… Read more
One of the most visible workplace trends in industries across the board is the looming retirement of the Baby Boomer generation. Losing the boomers creates no shortage of obstacles that businesses must overcome, including:
Replenishing the work force following the departure of this massive generation.
Replacing the experience and talent they’ve accumulated and shared over long and often remarkable careers.
But perhaps the hardest part of watching the Baby Boomers take their leave is the prospect of losing beloved and, in some cases, legendary leaders who emerged from the crowd… Read more
The New Year is underway and for many of us, that means our New Year’s resolutions are fresh in our minds. New Year’s resolutions are often directed toward improving our personal lives – things like quitting smoking, getting in shape, learning a new skill, traveling more or other self-improvement quests.
Personal resolutions are great, and everyone should make them. But given the centrality of work in our daily routines, we would be losing out on a chance to improve this important part of our lives if we didn’t make resolutions… Read more
When you’re searching for jobs, you’re not just looking for anyone who will give you a steady paycheck. You want to find work that, in addition to paying well, gives you a sense of pride and fulfillment that you can only get after a day of taking on challenging tasks and overcoming them. It’s the kind of pride that comes with knowing that you’re not just checking off boxes, but contributing to a team that’s making an impact in your industry and maybe even society as a whole.
There’s a… Read more
One of the biggest fears a recruiter can have is posting a job opening online and receiving hundreds of resumes from underqualified candidates. Imagine having to sift through all of those resumes only to find out that maybe a handful are worth calling in for an interview.
In this situation, the problem is often that the job description didn’t do its job correctly. An effective job description should do two things: attract the right candidates while simultaneously repelling the unqualified ones. To this end, the language and setup of the… Read more
Why do you interview job candidates before you hire them?
The answer should be obvious here: You want to learn more about who they are as a professional in terms of their work style, skills and qualifications to name a few.
What’s less obvious is the answer to the question of why you should interview an employee who’s on his or her way out. While exit interviews are fairly common, it’s not always apparent as to why exactly you should be conducting them.
What is an exit interview and why… Read more
For most of us, maintaining a perfect work/life balance is a goal we constantly aspire to reach. The reason is clear – leaning too much toward one end of the spectrum means the other side of it is suffering. When the two are balanced, however, they become greater than the sum of the parts, bringing satisfaction to our overall lives.
That’s why you might be surprised to hear that one of the best things you can do for both your career and your personal life is to take on more… Read more
Even though more and more of our interpersonal interactions are taking place on Internet-based communication platforms, the importance of a good first impression hasn’t been diminished. In fact, it might be even more important in the digital world.
Employers and other professionals are so inundated with communications – emails, texts, social media, etc. – that it’s even harder to make your name stick in their heads. That’s why it’s so important to know how to make a good first impression.
Even though some people doubt the efficacy of sending cold… Read more
Have you ever gone to a job interview fully confident that you would ace it, only to find out a few days later that you didn’t get the job? It’s frustrating – you spend hours researching the company and industry, preparing answers to every possible interview question, brushing up on technical skills and everything else imaginable. Then, after what you felt was a great interview, it turns out you came up short despite your best efforts.
In some cases, it may not be what you said that lost you the… Read more
