The Cover Letter Format to Use to Get Your Resume Read

The Cover Letter Format to Use to Get Your Resume Read The job of the resume is to get you an interview, but what if your resume doesn’t even get read? One way of increasing your chances is attaching a great cover letter, as the job of the cover letter is to entice the reader to learn more about you and read that resume. A well written cover letter will help your resume or CV stand out from the crowd. A hiring manager, recruiter or HR person will be snowed under with applications such as yours and therefore you had better make yours be special. The key question/problem the cover letter should answer/solve is “Why select you?” This means you have to clearly state what you do better than others, what makes you unique and how the reader would be making a mistake by not considering you for the position. Here are a few guidelines on putting together a killer cover letter today: Details: Make sure you put the typical details at the top of the page, get all the details right and check them a few times before sending off: Your Address Date Mr. /Ms. (Name of Employer) Title Company Name Their Address Dear Mr./Ms. (Their Name Again) First paragraph: We begin with stating our business, basically telling the reader what job you are applying for and why. Let’s keep this short and to about three sentences, cover these points: Reason for writing and which role you are applying for. Drop any names of people you know in the organization here, e.g. “John Smith in your department encouraged me to send an application as he thinks I have the required skills to succeed.” Give any compelling reasons you have applied for the position or company. Keep it short and sweet, with the view to inspire the reader. Second paragraph: Here’s your chance to tell the employer why you are the man/woman for the job. Bring out some of your most relevant skills and experiences and mention how they will be applied in the new position. Pick out three examples of major achievements and provide the story to back these up: Start out with a short introduction focused on your achievements and how your skills and experience will be a good match for the new job. Use the rest of the paragraph to support and back up your introduction. This is where you exhibit your evidence in terms of specific positions/roles/responsibilities and so on. Keep this paragraph punchy and designed to impress, not to bore anyone. Don’t write too much about one accomplishment that you are the most proud of as you don’t know what the reader will think. Wrap things up with the final sentence, repeat the job title and company to further position yourself as the right person for the job in the mind of the reader. Last paragraph: A short paragraph that simply mentions your attached resume, tells the employer you are looking forward to an interview and let them know you will be in contact by a specific date. Don’t forget to thank the person reading your cover letter for their time and consideration. Sign-off Sincerely, Your Signature (scan this) Your Name Attachment(s) Word of warning A classic mistake is to use the same cover letter for all applications. This is counter-productive and the employer can spot it a mile away. The one size-fits-all cover letter will result in your resume being deleted before even opened. Image: Shutterstock

Professional Summary Examples For Resume

Professional Summary Examples For ResumeThere are many professional summary examples for resume out there. The problem is that they are all poorly crafted, not designed to convey the best information, and contain huge amounts of information that is unnecessary for a resume. It's a pity, really, because there are some very good examples that can help you achieve your career goals.Let's start by looking at one of the most common problems with the professionally-written summary examples for resume, and that is the use of too much information. This is where most people find themselves - they have several items in their resume, but it doesn't make any sense to you because it is just too much information. Even if you choose to skip the details that are really irrelevant, you will still need to use too much detail to convey the information effectively.One of the examples of professionally-written professional example resumes that I found did a fantastic job of dealing with this issue. The s ummary was very concise, which made it easy to skim and understand the major points. In addition, the examples included pictures of real employment applications, making it easier to understand the information that was presented. For example, the application used by a corporate executive was accompanied by a slide show of the executive's accomplishments, giving the impression that this was a real application that he had worked hard to get through the hiring process.Another example of a well-written professional summary was provided by the corporate executive. He was careful to include the types of awards and certificates that he was most proud of, and did not state the certificate of accomplishment in the summary. He was also careful to include all of the qualifications and accomplishments that were relevant to the job in the summary.One professional example resume also had a great deal of information included in the summary. It included both resumes of the applicant, a brief biograp hy of the applicant, his current position, and his highest grade from the school in which he attended.As you can see, the information presented in these samples was very important and well-chosen. I also appreciated that the summary included an overall idea of the accomplishments of the applicant and explained what his career goals were. This is a great way to bring the reader in and explain why you are the perfect person for the job.Another benefit of professionally-written summary examples for resume is that they show us how important the person who writes them is. I know that I can trust my resume to the people who wrote the resume, because I've seen the results. And when you are talking about someone's career, that is very important.professionally-written summary examples for resume is one of the best ways to present yourself and your accomplishments. By using a good example of professionally-written professional resume examples for resume, you will be able to express yourself c learly and effectively, and in a way that will help you convey exactly what your job is all about.

10 Things You Need to Know about Law Careers with a non-Law Degree University of Manchester Careers Blog

10 Things You Need to Know about Law Careers with a non-Law Degree University of Manchester Careers Blog It All Starts in Final Year of your Degree Start your research as soon as possible into Semester  1 of Final Year. A legal career is open to ALL degree disciplines, and employers are positively encouraging a broader range. Don’t be put off thinking you need a law degree. You usually still need the 2:1, but there are exceptions so come and discuss these with the Careers Team at The Atrium. Ask yourself: ‘Why be a lawyer?’ Be honest with yourself and be able to answer these questions very early on: â€" Why, specifically, do I want to be a solicitor or Barrister? What, exactly, attracts me to this career? â€" What sort of work am I drawn to, and why? What clients? Why, specifically?If you can answer these 2 points, please read on to point 3. If not, then stop right here. Have a really long think about what attracts you to a career in law, and whether you might want to explore other options alongside law options. There is no rush and it is important you make a decision that is right for you. Come and have a chat with a Careers Consultant to chew over your thoughts. Be aware of the Timetable to Qualification Generally speaking, you will need to do a further 2 years of study. First comes the GDL, which is essentially a qualifying Law degree over one year. After that comes the LPC which is the professional course, or the BPTC for Barristers. After this, comes the 2 years ‘on the job’ training, commonly known as a Training Contract (or period of recognised training). A word about cost â€" there are no student loans available for either the GDL, BPTC or LPC so funding is either privately funded, or sponsorship through the firm you have a Training Contract with. Time-wise it looks a bit like this:   Semester 1 of final year onwards:   â€" Research Law firms; attend any Open days with law firms/ organisations. Meet firms on Campus â€" Start making applications for work experiences over the Christmas, Spring and Summer vacations (known as Vacation Schemes/Placements) â€" Start researching Training Contracts and note all the deadlines for Applications By July 31 after graduation, you will have: â€" submitted all your Training Contract applications and â€" be ready for interviews from September September after graduation:  start the GDL and hopefully have a Training Contract in place    There are many variables on this and it need not look so rigid, depending on your thoughts on Question 2 above. Meet Employers Start looking around for all the employers who are on Campus from September/October onwards. Make the effort to go and see them, even if you don’t fancy working for them â€" they are very useful sources of info and a good chance to get some networking practice in. Attend employability sessions that will give top tips on how to write a CV or application form. All visitors and events can be found listed on Careerslink and look out for (and read!) School emails detailing employer events. The Law Fair held here in Manchester every November and any Open Days at individual law firms are a must-do. Work Experience Start planning some work experience for the vacation time over Christmas, Spring and Summer vacations in your Final year. These are often referred to as Vacation Placements and run for 1-2 weeks. Many employers use these as a gateway to find their Trainee Solicitors, so if you treat the applications as a serious pre-Training Contract step, it will serve you well. Your Careers Team run CV and applications advice appointments throughout the Semesterâ€" so book an appointment to discuss any aspect of your applications. Non-Legal Work Experience counts Really, it does. When you consider that lawyers have clients, and those clients tend to be in retail, hospitality, finance, marketing, insurance, sales etc, then if you have had jobs in any of these sectors, it gives you a commercial outlook, an understanding of selling stuff to people who want to buy it, whether that’s beer, coffee, insurance or shoes. ‘2 years in advance’ rule for Training Contract Applications For historical reasons, applications are made for Training Contracts usually 2 years in advance of the start date. This means that for non-law degree undergraduates, applications are submitted before July 31 in the vacation following graduation. Start your research early and combine with Vacation Schemes at the same time. A useful Guide to start you off is the Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook â€" free copies at the Careers Service at the Atrium. Set aside time for applications â€" they take ages You need to factor in a lot of time in your schedule for application forms. Seriously, they will take you much longer than you expect and need considerable thinking time before you even start typing. There are numerous support teams in place to help you learn how to apply, including Careers Service Starting Point Guides, Applications Advice appointments and Careerslink will signpost you to additional workshops. Deadlines R Us Deadlines dictate the pace in law applications, and can be as early as mid-October of your Final year, so do act fast if you want to look at larger firms, and some smaller. Remember to start with the application deadlines in your diary and work backwards. A good timeline guide can be found at  LawCareers.Net. Don’t Panic If you miss deadlines, then move on and either resolve to re-apply next year, or turn your attention to other ways of gaining work experience. Keep it positive. Want to find out more? Download our Law careers for non-law students guide All Careers advice Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted career planning Law Options work experience 10 Things You Need to Know about Law Careers with a non-Law Degree University of Manchester Careers Blog It All Starts in Final Year of your Degree Start your research as soon as possible into Semester  1 of Final Year. A legal career is open to ALL degree disciplines, and employers are positively encouraging a broader range. Don’t be put off thinking you need a law degree. You usually still need the 2:1, but there are exceptions so come and discuss these with the Careers Team at The Atrium. Ask yourself: ‘Why be a lawyer?’ Be honest with yourself and be able to answer these questions very early on: Why, specifically, do I want to be a solicitor or Barrister? What, exactly, attracts me to this career? What sort of work am I drawn to, and why? What clients? Why, specifically?If you can answer these 2 points, please read on to point 3. If not, then stop right here. Have a really long think about what attracts you to a career in law, and whether you might want to explore other options alongside law options. There is no rush and it is important you make a decision that is right for you. Come and have a chat with a Careers Consultant to chew over your thoughts. Be aware of the Timetable to Qualification Generally speaking, you will need to do a further 2 years of study. First comes the GDL, which is essentially a qualifying Law degree over one year. After that comes the LPC which is the professional course, or the BPTC for Barristers. After this, comes the 2 years ‘on the job’ training, commonly known as a Training Contract (or period of recognised training). A word about cost there are no student loans available for either the GDL, BPTC or LPC so funding is either privately funded, or sponsorship through the firm you have a Training Contract with. Time-wise it looks a bit like this:   Semester 1 of final year onwards:   Research Law firms; attend any Open days with law firms/ organisations. Meet firms on Campus Start making applications for work experiences over the Christmas, Spring and Summer vacations (known as Vacation Schemes/Placements) Start researching Training Contracts and note all the deadlines for Applications By July 31 after graduation, you will have: submitted all your Training Contract applications and be ready for interviews from September September after graduation:  start the GDL and hopefully have a Training Contract in place    There are many variables on this and it need not look so rigid, depending on your thoughts on Question 2 above. Meet Employers Start looking around for all the employers who are on Campus from September/October onwards. Make the effort to go and see them, even if you don’t fancy working for them â€" they are very useful sources of info and a good chance to get some networking practice in. Attend employability sessions that will give top tips on how to write a CV or application form. All visitors and events can be found listed on Careerslink and look out for (and read!) School emails detailing employer events. The Law Fair held here in Manchester every November and any Open Days at individual law firms are a must-do. Work Experience Start planning some work experience for the vacation time over Christmas, Spring and Summer vacations in your Final year. These are often referred to as Vacation Placements and run for 1-2 weeks. Many employers use these as a gateway to find their Trainee Solicitors, so if you treat the applications as a serious pre-Training Contract step, it will serve you well. Your Careers Team run CV and applications advice appointments throughout the Semesterâ€" so book an appointment to discuss any aspect of your applications. Non-Legal Work Experience counts Really, it does. When you consider that lawyers have clients, and those clients tend to be in retail, hospitality, finance, marketing, insurance, sales etc, then if you have had jobs in any of these sectors, it gives you a commercial outlook, an understanding of selling stuff to people who want to buy it, whether that’s beer, coffee, insurance or shoes. ‘2 years in advance’ rule for Training Contract Applications For historical reasons, applications are made for Training Contracts usually 2 years in advance of the start date. This means that for non-law degree undergraduates, applications are submitted before July 31 in the vacation following graduation. Start your research early and combine with Vacation Schemes at the same time. A useful Guide to start you off is the Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook â€" free copies at the Careers Service at the Atrium. Set aside time for applications â€" they take ages You need to factor in a lot of time in your schedule for application forms. Seriously, they will take you much longer than you expect and need considerable thinking time before you even start typing. There are numerous support teams in place to help you learn how to apply, including Careers Service Starting Point Guides, Applications Advice appointments and Careerslink will signpost you to additional workshops. Deadlines R Us Deadlines dictate the pace in law applications, and can be as early as mid-October of your Final year, so do act fast if you want to look at larger firms, and some smaller. Remember to start with the application deadlines in your diary and work backwards. A good timeline guide can be found at LawCareers.Net. Don’t Panic If you miss deadlines, then move on and either resolve to re-apply next year, or turn your attention to other ways of gaining work experience. Keep it positive. Want to find out more? Download our Law careers for non-law students guide All Careers advice Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted career planning Law Options work experience