cover letter

Bravado Cover Letters Don't Work

Bravado Cover Letters Don’t Work | No BS Job Search Advice Radio

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EP 1009 I received a cover letter and resume from someone that exuded such bravado . . . a signal that the person is not qualified for the job they applied for.  Make your case.

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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, all as well as executive job search coaching and life coaching. He is the host of “Job Search Radio,” “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.

Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Visit www.TheBigGameHunter.us and click the relevant tab on the top of the page.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.  

Connect with me on LinkedIn. Like me on Facebook.

Join and attend my classes on Skillshare

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle on Amazon and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.” If you are starting your search, order, “Get Ready for the Job Jungle.”

Don’t forget to give the show 5 stars and a good review in iTunes

If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.

Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.

Do you have questions or would like advice about networking or any aspect of your search. Order and schedule time with me.

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For more about LinkedIn, order “Stacked: Double Your Job Interviews, Leverage Recruiters and Unlock LinkedIn.”

Jeff’s Kindle book, “You Can Fix Stupid: No BS Hiring Advice,” is available on Amazon.

To Whom Do You Address Your Cover Letter? (VIDEO)

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSvrXCPgkE0[/svp]
This is a trick question. Let me explain why.

[spp-transcript]

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves life coaching, as well as executive job search coaching and business life coaching.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

START A 7 DAY FREE TRIAL

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

Don’t forget to give the show 5 stars and a good review in iTunes

Are you interested in executive job search coaching, leadership coaching or life coaching from me?  Email me at JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us and put the word, “Coaching” in the subject line.

Do Recruiters Read Cover Letters?

Do Recruiters Read Cover Letters? (VIDEO)

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spXd3F4RSfc[/svp]
Things have changed since the days of old and now hope someone questions whether recruiters actually read cover letters. Here is my answer.

[spp-tweet tweet=”Most cover letters are fluff. No one will read fluff.”]
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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is an executive job search and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

NOW WITH A 7 DAY FREE TRIAL

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

The Format of a Perfect Cover Letter

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter discusses how to create a perfect cover letter.

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I want to talk with you about effective cover letters, getting to the point very quickly and demonstrated (if you are submitting your resume for a role) that you fit the job that you are applying for. Here’s the basic format of a cover letter:

Paragraph/Sentence one: I’m forwarding my resume to you because I understand you are trying to hire for a (fill in the blank). That can be the job title with some of the details of the position. For example, a software engineer with C++ in a pharmaceutical environment. I noticed a few major points of in the description; let me show you how a matchup.

Then you go through the requirements of the job, as well as the functionality of the position and how you match up. Next, you set up columns. Toward the left, you have a requirement; for example, C++. To the right, you have how long and how recently he worked with it. Again, let’s say it C++, you might write, “four years. Current.” The line might have the next point of the requirements. The next line would say, “three years. Current.”

Eventually, you get to the functionality that they are asked to perform. Again, you do the same thing.

Thus, in your cover letter, you’re making the case for how you fit the requirements and functionality that the company is asking for and that you will be performing. From there, you have to make sure that some of these points, if not all these points, or mentioned in your resume because if it is inconsistent, it will cause the employer to hesitate. This is where resume tailoring comes in handy.

Again, the format is very simple: I’m forwarding my resume to you because I understand you’re trying to hire for such and such. This is how my background matches up with what you’re looking for and what you be asking someone to do. Flush left. Flush right.

If you conclude by saying something to the effect of, “I look forward to hearing from you and meeting with you to discuss the opportunity with you,” or “I’ll follow up with you in the next few days if I don’t hear from you.” Something along these lines that ties the bow. Then you sign it.

Now, to be real clear, you don’t send this as a separate attachment. Put in the body of your email because no one wants to open up a second file with a know your resume is there. Laid out right in front of them so that when they open up the message and, trust me, will read it

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Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Cover Letter or No Cover Letter?

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiT61TFdscI[/svp]
Should you use a cover letter?

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Cover letter or no letter? Should you use a cover letter?

The fact is they cover letters are anachronistic if you think of it, what a cover letter was was something that was placed on top of the resume to explain to the reader what they were going to be reading. It explained what you did and how you did it and it preceded the resume.

We’re not dealing with that these days. We’re not receiving resumes delivered to us through the mail these days. We’re sending emails so the notion of putting something on top doesn’t work anymore. Some people even make the mistake of sending them as a second attachment. No one opens it up. They look for the document file name and lets them know that that one is your resume.

What do you do instead? I do believe that there is a place for you to explain to a reader what it is they will be reading.

What I want you to do is use the message area of your email like the old cover letter. In effect, that covers your resume.

Instead of saying the Monday of, “I’m forwarding my resume to you for the position of such and such (That’s paragraph one). Paragraph two says, “I believe my experience with such and such demonstrates my… You know are going with this.” These things don’t say anything and no one cares about them.

Here is what you do instead.

Start off with the same introduction and then continue on by saying, “let me show you how my background fits with the role.”

If saw an ad or been told by someone about the position, you put those qualifications in the left-hand column. In the right column, you tell them how long and how recently you’ve done that which they are looking for. In other words, you’re making it obvious to them in your “cover email” how your background fits the role. Follow that?

You can go into a little bit of detail. This is the one time I believe you should use tables in presenting credentials; not in the resume but in the cover email because you can make the fit obvious to the reader.

The final paragraph says, “if I haven’t heard from you in a few days, I will give you a quick call to see if you have any questions or whether you would like to arrange for an interview.”

It’s very simple! It also gives you permission to follow up because you giving yourself permission to follow up.

It forces you to do a little bit of work by forcing you to demonstrate how the background actually fits the requirements of the position but it will go a long way toward helping you actually get in the door.

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Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

The Right Way to Use a Cover Letter

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains exactly how you should be using your cover letter as a teaser for your resume.

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

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