It should be well written and laid out and just a few paragraphs long, your cover letter could mean the difference between your resume being read and you being considered or invited to attend an interview or not.

Tips for writing a successful cover letter

Everyone that writes a resume should include with it a cover letter, the cover letter is usually the first thing an interviewer will look for, a well planned cover letter will tell the recruiter if you are worth considering and if they should read your resume to learn more about you.

The cover letter should be tailor made for the specific company whose interview you are attending and you shouldn’t be tempted to write a general cover letter and just keep re printing it. Important things to consider when writing your cover letter are:

* Show interest in a particular aspect of the company.

* Keep it clear and concise, summarising and detailing your most relevant skills, achievements and any experience for the job in question.

* Leave clear contact details including your full name, your mobile and landline phone numbers.

* Read and re read your cover letter making sure there are no mistakes, first impressions count for a lot, so double check for spelling and typing errors.

* Always make sure you spell the name of the person you are addressing your cover letter to correctly, using their correct title and making sure the spelling of their name is correct.

* Use the correct title for the person you are addressing the letter to, for example Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr or Professor.

* Use your own initiative and don’t be tempted to copy cover letters from websites or friends, use your own style and wording and keep it personal.

* Make sure that you include information showing that you have researched the company and that you know their past achievements and their goals for the future.

* Make sure that you include phrases and words that are meaningful to the company and the field of work while keeping things clear and concise.

The resume

The resume should be relatively short, preferably no longer than one page and should clearly outline your achievements, your education and your previous work experience.

The CV

Your CV should be more detailed and as such longer than your resume, it should include all the vital information in detail relating to your educational background. Your experience, any achievements you have gained, awards you have gained relating to the type of work you are applying for and any other information you think which relates to the position you are applying for.

When would I use a resume?

You would usually give your resume when you apply for a position and fill in an application form, your resume will give the prospective employer a rough idea of what you are capable of achieving and will help you get your foot in the door by securing you an interview.

When would I use a CV?

You can use your CV during the actual interview to help back up any claims you make during the interview regarding your experience . It would also be used chiefly when you were applying for academic, research, educational or scientific positions.

What should I include in my CV?

Besides the obvious of your name, address and contact numbers, you should include any skills, education and experience relating to the position you are applying for. Before writing your CV, you should take time to prepare properly and make sure that everything relating to the position you are applying for is listed on your CV.

Tips for writing your CV and resume

Your CV and resume plays a key role in whether you are successful in your job hunt and interview and as such great care and time should be taken when writing them, several points worth remembering when writing your CV or resume are

* Keep them well organised and make sure information is clear and are listed in specific categories or grouped together.

* Don’t just rattle on and on, keep them organised using only the relevant and necessary information.

* Double check to make sure you have listed all the relevant information.

* Never use a mixture of fonts or very fancy fonts, stick with the standard ones.

* Always re write your CV and resume keeping them up to date.

Employers can search resume banks looking for criteria which meets that which they are looking for and can lead them straight to you, making your quest for work a lot easier. The quality of resume banks differs, with some offering only a very basic service free of charge when posting, while others offer a more complete service but charge.

The biggest challenge when trying to decide whether or not to go with a resume bank is choosing the right one for your needs and also one which is successful and has a good track record in matching prospective employers with candidates, in the type of work you are looking for. To help you on your quest find listed below some helpful hints and advice in what to look for when choosing the right resume bank.

* Does the resume bank specialise in certain areas or do they have a broader scope? – there are some resume banks which specialise in certain fields more than others, make sure the resume bank has a wide and varied scope when it comes to attracting employers.

* How big is the talent pool for the resume bank? – does the resume bank have a large or small pool of resumes, resume banks with larger pools will attract more employers than will smaller ones, also employers are much more likely to check larger pools on a regular basis than they are the smaller pools.

* What is the estimated number of employers in your field of work who have searched the bank? – obviously the larger the amount of employers who regularly use the resume bank looking for candidates in your field of work, the better the chance of you finding a position.

* Are the employers allowed direct access to the resume bank? – some resume banks use third party recruiters to search the resume bank on behalf of the employer, if you can you should choose to go with a resume bank that allows employers to do a direct search for potential employers.

* What kind of feedback does the resume bank offer? – resume banks that offer feedback which tell you how many times your resume has been viewed are preferable to those who don’t give you feedback. By giving you feedback you know that employers are looking even if you haven’t got a position yet.

* How successful has the resume bank been in the past? – of course there is no guarantee that any references the site puts on show to give you an indication of how successful they are, are true but look for one that gives recent facts and figures giving you guidelines.

* What kind of support does the resume bank offer – look for customer services with telephone numbers and e-mail addresses where you can contact them with any queries you might have. Preferably choose a resume bank which offers a good service and includes giving you feedback by way of e-mail reports on a monthly basis.

Therefore, the interview should be a two-sided process with you answering and asking relevant questions; the interview is also your chance to sell yourself and show yourself in the best possible light. You should do this by answering all questions briefly and honestly in a relaxed and confident manner while inputting your own thoughts and questions.

You should have researched the company beforehand in preparation for the interview and you can use this knowledge to your advantage during the interview and it can be the basis for your questions.

By asking questions of your own during the interview you are showing that you have done your homework and are taking an active interest in the company and what the company has achieved or intends to achieve in the future, this will be your opportunity to show how you could be a benefit to the company in the future. Questions you could ask during the interview are:

* What qualities are they looking for in the ideal candidate?

* What training opportunities does the company provide?

* What are the realistic advancement opportunities in the company?

* When will the company be making a decision about the chosen candidate?

* What is the working environment like within the company?

* What expectations are made of employers?

* What criteria does the company use to measure success?

* What are the expectations of the company’s growth in the near future?

* What incentives does the company offer staff to achieve sales targets or goals?

* What is the single biggest challenge the company will face in the coming months?

* Are promotions offered and if so how frequent are these?

* What is the workspace like is staff given adequate space?

* Is the position open because it’s a new position or did someone leave, if so why did they leave?

* What is the relationship between higher staff members and the general workforce?

* What duties and obligations must be met by staff?

Of course, these are only a few of the many questions you could ask the interviewer and they should be tailored to meet the individual situation, they do however show you ways which you can converse with the interviewer and give you guidelines to work from.

Well It is a clear give away if the interviewer looks you in the eye and says with a smile “so tell me about a time when you.”, depending on how you answer, will determine if you get the position or if you will be considered for the job. Tips for successfully surviving the behaviour technique interview are:

Answer consistently and elaborate on your achievements

When asked about past achievements don’t be afraid to speak out and give clear concise examples of your past achievements, there is no getting around the fact that getting the job depends on your past experiences so elaborate on them. If you are lacking in experience then relate questions the interviewer is asking to something close to which you achieved, but above all be honest, don’t forget you have to be able to back up any claims you make.

Prepare yourself beforehand

Of course, you might not know what type of interview you will be attending, in fact this will happen more often than not so be prepared for anything beforehand. Do a little homework and write down all aspects you can think of that might relate to the position you are applying for and which will show you in the very best of light.

Write down everything you have achieved in the past, what the problem was and what part you played in determining the outcome. Be prepared to answer any questions and give clear concise answers how you made your achievements happen and the benefit the company gained from having you in their employment.

Common questions asked during behavioural interviews

Of course no one can tell what questions the interviewer will ask, if we had this insight we could all sail through interviews and get the job every time, however here are some examples of the types of questions that are commonly asked during behavioural interviews.

* Tell me about a time when a decision you made, made a huge difference.

* Tell me about a time when you had to carry most of the workload, what did you do about it, how did you handle it?

* Tell me about a time when you made a wrong decision, what did you do to put things right?

* Tell me about a strategy you had to meet a particular deadline?

Career centres/job centres

The career centre will offer a wide variety of jobs from all industries and are always worth checking on a regular basis as listings or postings are usually updated on a daily basis, depending on the size of the centre. Staff working in the office is there to help you in any way they can and are able to match your criteria with jobs that are on offer.

Job centres are much like the career centre but usually focus on the younger person under the age of 21, they will usually have jobs aimed more at the younger person, though some do now extend this to help anyone, however quite a few of the postings only offer minimum wage.

However, it is a good place to start if you’re looking to get your foot in the door or return to work after a break. Younger people can very often go on training courses to further their choice of career and most job centres hold registers on computers where jobs are matched to your particular skills and requirements.

Employer’s premises

It is worth checking the premises of the type of work you are looking for as many will post job openings on notice boards within the premises, larger stores such as DIY or food retailers will have notice boards and help desks where you can pick up forms to apply for openings. Some companies will take your name and number even if they don’t currently have any openings and will call you for interviews when positions open.

Newspapers

Local newspapers will advertise positions on offer listed by category, there are a lot of smaller local companies who will only list job openings in newspapers instead of using job centres so it is worth checking these on a weekly basis. If you are using newspapers for a source of job hunting then it is worthwhile checking out your local library, most libraries will have several daily newspapers and these can be checked free of charge.

The World Wide Web

The internet can be an invaluable source for those looking for work, local companies will usually list job openings on their websites, as do most of the larger retail stores. Recruitment agencies can also be found online with a popular choice being monster.com, jobs will be listed by industry and most of them offer posting of CV`s or resumes. Advice can also be found on sites such as these when looking for work and some great tips can be gained with many positions giving you the opportunity to apply online for the position.

Employment agencies

This type of third party recruiter will have a number of organisations on their books and will get a set fee for every successful candidate that they match successfully with a position. This fee can be paid by the successful candidate or the employer who offers the position and the candidate should be aware that they might have to pay the fee. If the employer will be paying the fee then it will normally be listed with the offering as “fee paid”, if not then it’s a good indication that the candidate will have to cover it.

Resume referral firms

This type of third party recruiter will gather information on those looking for positions and forward it to potential employers with positions open, the information gathered is usually by means of resumes which are then submitted into data forms which employers can access. The candidate, employer or both might have to cover the cost of the fee.

Search firms

Employers sometimes have contracts with search firms whose job is it to find and screen candidates for positions, the employer will usually pay the fee for this.

Important questions you should always ask

While third party recruiters can help students who are looking for work, you must be very careful when using them; you should read all material presented to you thoroughly and if given any contracts to sign make sure that you understand the content in full before signing. Here are some important questions that you should always ask the third party recruiter.

* How many positions are open?

You should always ask about the number of positions there are available and those being filled in relation to the position you are applying for, the reason this is so important is that some third party recruiters might not actually have the amount of job openings that they are claiming to have. Some might just be trying to impress candidates in order to get them on their books; they might also be stock piling resumes for future openings or to prove to employers that they have a wide range of people signed up with them.

* How do they use the information they gather?

Legally a third party recruiter is allowed to share your information and resume with employers, however they are not allowed to use that information with anyone other than the potential employer. They also cannot use it for any other purpose than with the company they stated at the time that you signed up.

* Who is to pay the fees charged by the recruiter?

You should always ask outright and not just assume that the employer will be applying the recruiters fees, before you sign up or agree to anything make sure you know who is responsible for paying them.

1. Excellent communication skills

Excellent communication skills is the number one criteria that employers and interviewers look for in candidates, being able to carry yourself confidently and be able to relate to others around you is essential whether it by verbal or written skills.

2. Integrity and honesty

Honesty is essential and it is wise to remember this during your interview, always give honest answers to questions that are asked during the interview. Many interviewers often ask the same question again in a roundabout way if they think you might have been elaborating a little about something and getting caught out in a lie is the quickest way to fail at interviews. Also, remember that any claims you make during the interview will have to be backed up on your resume or CV.

3. Teamwork skills

Most employers will class teamwork skills as essential so you should be able to show examples of your previous skills on your resume and when asked to describe scenarios during the interview process.

4. interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills include being able to work alongside others efficiently, being able to accept responsibility, making teamwork more efficient and being able to deal efficiently and successfully when dealing with conflicts.

5. A strong work ethic

Employers and interviewers look for those who are willing to make commitments to their work and always give 100% on any project, they will look for those who will go that little bit further and put in that little bit more than others.

6. Motivation and initiative

You should be able to show examples of how you can be motivated and the methods that you use to motivate others around you; also showing initiative is a good trait and one which most interviewers and employers will regard as a good quality when choosing a candidate.

7. Flexible and adaptable

You should be able to give examples of how you adapted to situations in previous positions and show that you are flexible when needed to be, any examples you give you should of course be able to back up on your resume or CV.

8. Analytical skills

Back up any claims you make by using your resume or CV which show off your analytical skills, being able to analyse and identify problems is an essential requirement.

9. Computer skills

Having skills in computers and popular software is an essential requirement with today’s modern technology, any particular skills that you have in this area should be high lighted on your resume with notes highlighting your skills in any particular software you are capable of using.

10. Organisational skills

You should be able to show and back up your organisational skills, you should show that you are not afraid to tackle any situation and organise others and yourself to find the best solution to a particular problem using any resources available to you.

While the chronological resume is the one which is more widely used than other forms, your particular situation might warrant another type. Once you have decided which resume is the right type for your situation then comes the hard part writing your resume and getting it onto employer’s desks. Here are the five different formats which are used.

The targeted resume

This type of resume is suited for those of a particular industry or a specific career objective, the contents of this type of resume should focus on your skills, qualifications and any experience you have which relates to a particular field or career objective.

The inventory resume

This type of resume is a more general resume in that it doesn’t need to target a specific industry or career objective; it should highlight your achievements, skills and qualifications in a more general way and can be reused by re-printing several copies for distributing to more than one company.

The chronological resume

This is the most frequently used type of resume and should be easy to read and should list your achievements, skills and qualifications in order from most recent to older, it is one which most employers prefer as all the newest information should be at the top of the resume and this is what employers usually look for first. If you are unsure of which format to go with then this resume usually suits most needs.

The functional resume

This type of resume will have your achievements, skills and qualifications listed at the very top of the resume regardless of whether they were in the past or present and are used to highlight your achievements and show what you are capable of; it is one format which isn’t highly regarded by employers.

The combination resume

This type of resume takes the best from all the above listed formats and combines them. You should list your skills, achievements and qualifications in chronological order at the top of the resume and then follow up this information with your employment history and any other statements or information which you think are relevant to the position on offer.

Resume writing software

If you can afford it then choose a good resume writing software package, the more costly packages are a full job-hunting tool. The software will allow you to write you resume, distribute to online banks, keep track of where you posted it and when, write cover and thank you notes, an address book and have virtual reality built in which allows you to practice for interviews.

Use a resume writing service

For a more professional resume then you could choose a resume writing service, a full service will write your resume for you while some will go over a resume you have written and correct any mistakes or point out areas in which you could do better.

Remember which banks you submit too

If you are submitting your resume to several resume banks then write down or bookmark where you have submitted too, by keeping track you wont be submitting to them again which will save time and effort and you will be able to go back to the sites and check, modify or remove your resume if and when needed.

Remember to update your resume on a regular basis

If your resume is continually being overlooked then the reason it may be overlooked is because it is older, regularly check sites you have submitted your resume and update it. If you haven’t got any new information to put on the resume then just alter the wording around a little. Most sites should have an edit option and this will then flag the resume as being updated or new which could attract an employer’s eye more than one which has been sitting around for a while.

Never use abbreviations

Never be tempted to use emoticons, shorthand or abbreviations in your resume, always make sure the resume looks clean and professional looking, never highlight words by using italics, bold or capitol letters and leave spacing between paragraphs.

Choose one of the more well known sites

There are a lot of websites offering to post your resume online for you but some are more successful than others, always choose the more well known and popular sites which advertise their services widely. Employers are more likely to visit those sites which advertise on radio broadcasts, newspapers and TV than the smaller ones.