24 May 10 How to Write an Effective Cover Letter?

A cover letter accompanies resume to be mailed to the employer. It shouldn’t duplicate the resume, but complement it. It should be factual, informative, data oriented yet personal. Cover letter is your first opportunity to impress the recruiter, thus, writing an effective cover letter is of great importance. Writing a cover letter for the purpose of job often seems like a tedious task. But if certain steps and tips are followed it’s quite an easy. There are mainly 3 types of cover letters – the application letter (in response to a known job vacancy), prospecting letter (enquiring about prospective vacancy) and networking letter (requesting information and assistance in job search).

An ideal cover letter has 4 parts –

Salutation

Letter should address the person you wish to communicate with. This person may hire you. Spell the full name correctly.

Opening

Opening paragraph of the letter is very important, as it’s the first step to appeal to the reader. If you are applying in response to an advertisement, mention that.

Body

This is the most descriptive part of the letter. It should reflect your educational qualification as per your resume, your job experience. You have to sell yourself in most attractive package in this part.

Closing

End has to be interesting, humble and effective. At the end, request for an interview/appointment. Leave a thank note. Use standard complimentary notes like – ‘Sincerely yours’ or ‘Your faithfully’. Leave some space for your signature and below that type your full name.

How to craft the letter?

Customize the cover letter, as per the employer. Do research concerning the employer before writing the letter. Specifically relate your skills and aptitude with the job you are applying for.
Mention the source, from where you came to know about the given position. Don’t forget to mention title of the position you are applying for.
Mention reasons of your interest in the organization. To write in detail, do your homework about the company, its success stories, recent projects, and upcoming projects.
Only display relevant skills and experience. Don’t include unrelated ones.
Emphasize on your matching educational qualification, abilities, strengths, and achievements.

Remember certain important points while writing

Be brief and hit on the point
Don’t make mistake
Use word processor and spell check
Avoid clumsy fonts and colors

Don’t let the chances of casting a good impression go waste with a poor cover letter. Follow the guidelines and craft a brief effective cover letter. Attach it with your CV and send across. Cross your fingers and wait for the interview call. Good luck!

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25 Sep 09 Finding An Information Technology Job

Jobs in Information Technology are many, and it’s a field that’s ever expanding. As we become more dependant upon computer advancement, and more overall integration with the internet, more jobs open up each day in the IT field. The biggest key to success isn’t in finding a job itself, but in finding the right job amid the mix. When you find yourself going into the job pool, you’ll always see plenty of IT opportunities, you just have to sort them the best way.

Pick out what’s important to you at a job. For most people a good job has decently high pay, good opportunity for industry growth, and plenty of job openings so that you have a good chance of getting a job. Those requirements are usually a good place to start. Industry growth is important, so that your company can stay relevant, and you can ensure a reasonable amount of job security. When they’re hiring for more opposed to fewer job openings, you have a better chance of getting a job. High pay speaks for itself. Who doesn’t want that?

From that you can formulate a list of the job openings that best fit what you’re looking for. Then you can concentrate on those openings. Do your research about the companies offering the work, and tailor your cover letter and resume to apply to each company individually. Putting in the personal touch will separate you from the field, as most people use generic cover letters and resume formats. Even though that’s a huge mistake, as they’re easily spotted by hiring managers, and are very frowned upon.

If you find you have more than one offer, weigh the options between both jobs. If job stability isn’t a huge concern, and you’re willing to take the risk for a chance at more money, go for that job. Weigh your comfort zones against what’s available to you, and choose the job that you’re most likely to succeed with. Making a name for yourself in one place carries weight in the IT world, so take advantage of your opportunities.

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