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.

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?

A successful resume should make you stand out from the crowd and make the potential employer remember you, the same applies to attending interviews, you won’t be the only candidate but this is your chance to make sure that the employer sees you as the best one.

Pick out your best skills and achievements

By choosing your best skills and achievements in advance and focusing on these, you will be better prepared and when you are better prepared, you will appear more confident. Your objective during the interview is to get across to the interviewer that you have the skills for the job on offer, not only do you have the skills but you are the best candidate.

You should of course prepare first how you are going to get this point across, always highlight your strongest points during the interview and have your resume with you to back up these claims.

Define your strongest points

Your strongest points of course should match the job you are applying for, again make sure you do your homework and know not only what the position entails but also the particular traits or skills the company is looking for. For example if the job or company are looking for someone who has excellent skills in communication they make sure you highlight your skills in this area.

Your resume of course should always back up any claims that you make, and these should be highlighted as your key skills in your resume. By defining just a handful of key skills and your strongest points, you will be able to focus and so will a potential employer rather than being overwhelmed by a long list of skills which really don’t pertain to the position you are applying for.

Practice selling yourself

Another technique you can use is to practice; you can show your resume to your friends and family and ask them for advice and their honest opinion about it. You can practice your interview techniques in front of a mirror, while of course you won’t know what the interviewer is going to ask you, you can practice your manner of speech and your posture or body language. A confident well-spoken individual will always make a good expression in the interview room.

If you have done a good job with your resume and have impressed the interviewer enough to secure an interview, then you can include another weapon in your arsenal to back up any claims you made in your resume, a portfolio.

What is a portfolio?

Your portfolio can be as extensive as you want and it can include all your achievements in past work you have done, this could be work in the classroom, volunteer and internships, all neatly combined together and presented in a neat package.

You can then take your portfolio with you when attending the interview and present it to highlight and back up any claims you have made in your resume, or if the interviewer asks you questions relating to your achievements. A portfolio will also help to draw the attention directly from you as you can present it while answering questions which can greatly ease stress during the interview.

What should I include in my portfolio?

You can include any papers, certificates or presentations and DVD material which you have done relating to the type of work in your portfolio, a well-presented portfolio will highlight your organisational skills as well as your written communication skills.

Any brochures or advertising material you have worked on can also be included because your portfolio is only limited by your imagination and it is the perfect way to get a point across as you can include a lot more information in than you could in your resume.

Think of your portfolio as an extension of your resume and the same care and attention should be paid when designing and putting it together as you did with your resume.

While a portfolio is not essential, by taking the time and preparing one it will show that you are willing to go that one step further and put in the time and effort, which the interviewer will favour and it could mean the difference between getting the position and not.

1. failure to ask questions

Throughout the interview, the interviewer will usually ask if you have any questions, never say a plain no, this could lead the interviewer to think that you aren’t interested and it also cuts the flow of the conversation to a dead stop. Listen to what the interviewer is saying and make mental notes of questions to ask when given the opportunity.

2. switch off your mobile phone

There is nothing worse than getting half way through your interview and things are going well, then your mobile phone rings with that silly tune, then you have to fumble for it and end the call. This is a big no-no and with a little forethought, it can be completely avoided, if you must take your phone with you then remember to put it on silent or better still turn it off completely.

3. research the company beforehand

You have made sure you have your resume up to date; you have practiced for hours going through all different types of scenario that could happen during your interview. You are prepared for anything the interviewer could ask you, but then the interviewer smiles and asks you a question relating to the future goals of the company and how you could make a difference.

Your face and mind goes blank, you know nothing about the company’s goals for the future. You should always make sure you do a little research into the background of the company beforehand; most big companies have websites where information can be found on their background and the company’s goals for the future.

4. you are not under interrogation

While you might think that the interview is an interrogation it isn’t, although you will be asked questions and of course will have to answer, you should also ask questions yourself. You are not there to simply answer questions, you also have to ask your own, you have to make sure that the position you are applying for and the company is suitable for you as well as the interviewer making sure you are right for the position.

5. always try to turn a negative aspect into a positive

The interviewer will want to find your weaknesses, be honest and admit you do have them, no one is perfect and the interviewer will of course know this. While you have weaknesses, you should however turn them into positive rather than negative. Admit to your weaknesses and also explain what you are doing to improve in those areas which need it.

Your resume was a success

When you are preparing to walk through the door to come face to face with the interviewer remind yourself that your resume was a success and that because of this you are here right now.

Appear confident and relaxed

However you might feel inside try to project a sense of calm and self-confidence as you walk through the door to greet the interviewer, walk with your head up making eye-to-eye contact with the interviewer and shake their hand with a firm handshake. Maintain eye contact as the interview proceeds and answer with firm decisive answers which show you in the best light possible and which focus on your achievements and skills which relate to the position.

Turn negative into positive

Sometimes a spanner can be thrown in the works if the interviewer asks you something which you have no knowledge about, this could occur for instance if the interviewer asks about any experience you have using a specific piece of software. When this happens remain calm and try to turn this negative aspect into a more positive one, you could do this by explaining that you are more experienced in a different type of software which is of similar nature and that you pick up things very quickly and would have no problem changing software.

Highlight your major accomplishments

If you are asked about accomplishments in a specific area then start with your biggest accomplishments in that area first and if need be then go onto relating smaller ones. By getting the biggest out there first you will make sure the employer hears them in case time runs out or the interviewer moves onto another question.

Don’t be afraid to speak up to get a point out

If the interview is closing and suddenly you realise that you forgot to mention an important point which is relevant,then don’t be afraid to open your mouth and say something, you could simply say as you are shaking hands “before we part I would just like to mention that.” and proceed to get your point across.