An effective cover letter for first impression
Your CV should reflect all of your skills and career achievements and should not need to be changed each time you apply for a role; it is your cover letter that needs to be tweaked for each role or company you apply for to enable you to target your application to a specific role or organisation.
Structure
Your cover letter should be 4 or 5 paragraphs in length with approximately 4 or 5 lines in each of these. If applying to a company speculatively, make effort to get a name of someone to contact rather than a general approach to the HR Department; this will show better motivation and commitment to want to join the organisation.
Speculative Letters
When making a general approach to an organisation rather than applying for a specific role, your letter still needs to be targeted. Consider relevant industry events or facts specific to your target company and ensure you incorporate these to demonstrate awareness and motivation.
Consider your most relevant skills, experience and achievements to the target organisation to capture their attention and encourage the audience to want to read your CV. For example, if the organisation is fast-paced and dynamic or you know is setting up a new office, then draw out your contributions to start up environments or experience in a similar paced company.
Applying For A Specific Vacancy
Carefully read the vacancy notice and the requirements of the role and consider where you can demonstrate the skills and experience listed then ensure you cover these in your letter. Be specific and as in your CV, qualify where you have used certain skills and the successes these contributed to.
Remember, skills are generic to many applicants whereas the end results of these are usually unique to you:
If, for example, the vacancy is for a multi-site role and requires team leadership skills, then specify your experience of building and leading a successful team of 80 dispersed across 7 European locations.
If the role requires strong knowledge of Excel, then make sure you note how you have used this, for example, created spreadsheets and formulas to provide user-friendly tracking of over 500 clients, which was key to responding promptly to incoming queries.
Your CV should reflect your skills and achievements and the cover letter is the best opportunity to target your application to a role or organisation. Invest the time in ensuring your cover letter provides a strong introduction to entice the recipient to want to spend time in reading your CV.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Common Interview Questions and their Answering
Six Common Interview Questions and their Answering
While you'll never be able to anticipate every question you might be asked in an interview, you can get a head start by developing strong, concise answers to commonly used questions. Most interviewers will ask similar questions like these to gain knowledge about a candidate's abilities and qualifications and compatibility with the job and the company.
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is often the opening question in an interview. It's also one of the most difficult if you're not prepared. Remember, the interviewer does not want to hear about the football team you support or your unusual hobbies. This question calls for your one-minute advert that summarises your years of experience and skills and your personality in the context of the job for which you are being interviewed. Get to the point and sell your professional self. Develop a few brief sentences that demonstrate you have what it takes to do the job – experience, proven results and desire to contribute.
2. Why should we recruit you?
The key to answering any question about you versus your competition is using specifics. "Everybody is going to speak in generalities, so you need something that will make you stand out a bit," says Linda, a teacher in Sheffield. Give real examples that show them you are best-suited for the job. Linda says she would point out her achievements and accomplishments throughout her career that are relevant to the open position, as well as her experience in dealing with different types of students and teaching situations. Pinpoint the qualities you have that are truly valuable to the company.
3. What do you know about our company?
Peter, a G.P. in Edinburgh, says that research is important in answering these questions. "I would use this opportunity to show off what I know about the company and, more importantly, how I would fit in." Susan, a H.R. Manager in Manchester, says that she would address issues and challenges in the company to demonstrate the depth of her knowledge. "I usually talk about revenue, numbers of employees, and also challenges in their type of business and how my experience relates to that," she says. "I would point out things I have done in similar companies that could address their problems."
4. What are your weaknesses?
The secret to answering this question is using your weaknesses to your advantage. "I would turn my weaknesses into strengths," says Tara, a lawyer. "For example, if my weaknesses include my lack of patience I would then state that because of this, I have learned to take special measures to ensure that I remain calm and attentive." Just make sure that you do give a real answer to this question. None of us is without faults, so don't pretend that you do not have weaknesses.
5. What did you dislike about your last job?
Why did you leave your last job? You need to be cautious about these kinds of questions and make sure you do not end up sounding bitter. "I would never criticise my former company, the boss, or my former colleagues," Tara says. You need to have a good understanding about the job for which you're applying to turn this question into a positive one. It may be best to say that you really enjoyed many aspects of your job, then focus on how this new job will give you the opportunity to contribute more in a particular area that is key to the position.
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
An interviewer does not want to hear that your five-year aspiration is to be sailing in the Caribbean or working in a different industry. You need to talk about goals you have that relate to the job. This will demonstrate that you understand the industry, the company and are motivated to succeed there. Susan, a P.R. Manager at a major car rental company, says she would keep her answer specific to her field, such as stating that she sees herself as being responsible for corporate communications.
Preparation is the key to answering any question with poise and confidence. Always keep in mind – whatever the question is – that the interviewer is trying to find out if you are a good fit and can make a positive contribution in the job.
While you'll never be able to anticipate every question you might be asked in an interview, you can get a head start by developing strong, concise answers to commonly used questions. Most interviewers will ask similar questions like these to gain knowledge about a candidate's abilities and qualifications and compatibility with the job and the company.
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is often the opening question in an interview. It's also one of the most difficult if you're not prepared. Remember, the interviewer does not want to hear about the football team you support or your unusual hobbies. This question calls for your one-minute advert that summarises your years of experience and skills and your personality in the context of the job for which you are being interviewed. Get to the point and sell your professional self. Develop a few brief sentences that demonstrate you have what it takes to do the job – experience, proven results and desire to contribute.
2. Why should we recruit you?
The key to answering any question about you versus your competition is using specifics. "Everybody is going to speak in generalities, so you need something that will make you stand out a bit," says Linda, a teacher in Sheffield. Give real examples that show them you are best-suited for the job. Linda says she would point out her achievements and accomplishments throughout her career that are relevant to the open position, as well as her experience in dealing with different types of students and teaching situations. Pinpoint the qualities you have that are truly valuable to the company.
3. What do you know about our company?
Peter, a G.P. in Edinburgh, says that research is important in answering these questions. "I would use this opportunity to show off what I know about the company and, more importantly, how I would fit in." Susan, a H.R. Manager in Manchester, says that she would address issues and challenges in the company to demonstrate the depth of her knowledge. "I usually talk about revenue, numbers of employees, and also challenges in their type of business and how my experience relates to that," she says. "I would point out things I have done in similar companies that could address their problems."
4. What are your weaknesses?
The secret to answering this question is using your weaknesses to your advantage. "I would turn my weaknesses into strengths," says Tara, a lawyer. "For example, if my weaknesses include my lack of patience I would then state that because of this, I have learned to take special measures to ensure that I remain calm and attentive." Just make sure that you do give a real answer to this question. None of us is without faults, so don't pretend that you do not have weaknesses.
5. What did you dislike about your last job?
Why did you leave your last job? You need to be cautious about these kinds of questions and make sure you do not end up sounding bitter. "I would never criticise my former company, the boss, or my former colleagues," Tara says. You need to have a good understanding about the job for which you're applying to turn this question into a positive one. It may be best to say that you really enjoyed many aspects of your job, then focus on how this new job will give you the opportunity to contribute more in a particular area that is key to the position.
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
An interviewer does not want to hear that your five-year aspiration is to be sailing in the Caribbean or working in a different industry. You need to talk about goals you have that relate to the job. This will demonstrate that you understand the industry, the company and are motivated to succeed there. Susan, a P.R. Manager at a major car rental company, says she would keep her answer specific to her field, such as stating that she sees herself as being responsible for corporate communications.
Preparation is the key to answering any question with poise and confidence. Always keep in mind – whatever the question is – that the interviewer is trying to find out if you are a good fit and can make a positive contribution in the job.
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