Cover Letter A Cover Letter is like a preface of a book. It gives you an opportunity to catch the readers attention.

What is a Cover Letter? Cover letters are one page documents. It is an introduction and a proposal all in one. It differentiates your resume from others and personalizes the same. A cover letter also demonstrates your writing skills, personality and clarity on career goals.

Why do you need a Cover Letter? A cover letter helps the prospective employee to understand the following

Your ability to express Your level of professionalism Your Personality Why they should consider you

Why do you need to know before you write a Cover Letter?

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What does the prospective employer need? Which qualifications, experience, skills, personality traits of yours will be required in the job you are applying? What is the purpose of this cover letter? Why do you want to work/take up this job?

Structure of a cover letter (the 4 sections):

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The opening - Introduce yourself in brief. Mention why you are writing and how you came to know about the job opening. Keep this section short (Max s-6 statements) Your strengths - Mention why they should take you-in statements or in bullet points, elaborate on your qualifications, skills, experience etc. Why you want to join them - Offer honest & logical reasons why you want them. Next step of Action - Express your expectations from them, what you want them to do after reading the letter/resume.

Resume Resume is an advertisement of the applicant, disguised as story of his professional life. What is a Resume? Resume is a prescription for the job-hunters to create impressive Curriculum Vitae that book a ticket to the interview board. Developing a High Power Resume:

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Perform a self SWOT This will help you to identify your Skills, Qualifications, Personality and you will be able to identify the right kind of job which will give you satisfaction, rewards and growth. Focus on your target job; freeze on what type of job you are looking for; without a clear target it will be virtually impossible to write a good resume. Understand the job Acquire information on the industry, job prospects, skill requirements and the company you are applying. Without this, it will be difficult to offer strong logics which will sell your resume. Moreover, you may land up wasting your time & money on a job which you will not enjoy.

Structure Your Resume:

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Write the job objective This is one crisp statement which will allure the employer to read your resume. Be specific and to the point. Divide the objective in three parts the position, the type of the organization and the skills / experience you can offer; then blend them all in one power packed statement. This will have an immediate impact on the employers mind. Career Summary It is a brief summary of your experience and accomplishments. It sells your candidature for the position. Experience & Accomplishments Focus on specifics and use examples to support your career summary. Highlight skills and achievements which are relevant to the position. Include learnings from projects in case if you are a fresher. Education - Offer reverse chronological format starting with highest degree. Do not detail % achievements if the scores are not high. Do not mention year of passing if there is a gap in education. Personal Details Keep this section in the end. Include full address, e-mail & contact number(s), you may also use a single line on your personality traits / hobbies.

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Right Resume Tips:

The most important objective of a resume is to get an interview call. It is not an autobiography. It is like a sales brochure. Attractive concise and should communicate the main message in shortest time. The composition should be clear with easily readable fonts/formats. E very word used in the resume is important-so check well. Edit your resume. Check and recheck for grammatical errors. Focus on skills, qualifications, experience and most importantly achievements! Use reverse chronological order of writing.

Do not repeat information and waste your employers valuable time. Delete irrelevant topics like...

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References (they should only be produced upon request) Family Particulars (details can be given during interview) Salary (pay is variable and negotiable) Photograph (selectors may also have bias; this may reduce the probability of an interview) Reason to leave past job. Keep Changing

Some employers might view your long-term employment as an indication that skills have stagnated. Prove them wrong by constantly refreshing your skills through formal education and self-study. Participate regularly in professional development courses and seminars/workshops. Create a professional Development section on your resume to develop a Killer Resume.

Remove outdated Skills and Credentials

Obsolete skills are a sure sign of a dinosaur, so omit them. If you arent sure, ask a trusted colleague of potential hiring manager whether or not a particular skill is in vogue.

List Different Positions Separately

Promotions illustrate that your company realized your worth and offered you more responsibility. Even lateral moves indicate your employer recognized your diverse talents. Instead of grouping all of your positions under one heading, give your positions individual descriptions along with distinct time periods. Highlight your internal mobility with terms such as promoted to or selected by CEO to assist with a new department. If youve been in the position for your entire tenure, show how youve grown in this position and made a difference to the organization. To write this, think about how your current job duties differ from when you first started.

Display Accomplishments

Your employment description should go beyond merely listing job duties. To get noticed in this competitive job market, your resume should feature a track record of accomplishments. If you feel stuck in your current position, volunteer for a project thats outside your core competency to experience new challenges and develop new skills.

Use Your Experience to Your Advantage

Use longevity, dedication, commitment, loyalty and perseverance as selling points, both on your resume and in interviews. You also have the advantage of having seen your accomplishments through from beginning to end.

Highlight Experiences/Accomplishments Related to Your Goal

If youve been with a company for many years, chances are that you boast a long list of achievements. However, your resume should only present the experience, skills and training that relate to your current

goal. Since a resume is a marketing piece rather than a career history, dont feel that your resume must cover every detail of your career. Edit down your experience so that you are armed with a powerful resume that is tailored to your current job target.

Develop SMART Goals o S-Specific o M-Measurable o A-Achievable o R-Result oriented o T-Time Bound

Remember your resume is a written snap-shot of your work, education & professional life. Critique your resume in two parts-Over all appearance & Specific attributes. It is best to put a specific objective rather than insert a vague one. If you dont have past working experience try to give emphasis on details about your Projects & part Time Assignments.

Interview It is a direct conversation between authorities who are empowered to employ and the potential candidate. It is a dialogue, which explores characters, needs and benefits which both the parties can offer to each other for a professional association. With thoughtful preparation, practice and by learning the effective interview techniques, a candidate can increase the potential of being successful in interview. Pre-Interview Preparation:

Analyse your strengths and area of improvements personality, technical knowledge, education and other soft skills (like communication, leadership etc) Visualize your dreams, aims, aspiration. Determine your core values and principles. Create a balance between the above and develop a perfect career plan. Draw the characters of an ideal job/employer and benefits that you expect. Check if the expectations are realistic and achievable. Set a timeframe to achieve the same. Think about your potential employer, what will they expect out of you? Can you deliver the same? What other skills/knowledge do you need to develop? Are you competent to fulfill their needs? Develop a practical approach to the subject. Always take feedback from others. Success is a matter of skillful, planned approach and believing that one can do it!

Interview Etiquettes/Techniques:

Dress professionally. Be punctual and arrive before time. Keep additional resume copies. Keep copies of our certificates etc. Great with SMILE. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Listen attentively during the interview. Understand the questions clearly; clarify if you are in doubt. Think why this question is asked (the propose). Think before you respond. Answer slowly and clearly. Focus on what you can do than who you are. Offer new ideas and thoughts that may increase the job productivity. Use examples to demonstrate a point. Be crisp and to the point. Maintain a positive approach. Be persuasive, but do not argue. Develop rapport with the interviewers. Avoid being personal or political and avoid controversies. Always be truthful and have faith on your moral values. Respect others opinion. Be enthusiastic

Group Discussions GDs are a common tool used by employers to screen potential candidates. Normally, GDs are conducted among a group of 8-15 candidates. In most cases, a topic of relevance is provided by the recruiters and candidates are requested to discuss, offer ideas and exchange thoughts within a given timeframe. The panel of judges would normally evaluate based on the content as well as the process of the GD

Success Factors:

Do you possess adequate knowledge on general subjects and how you perceive relevant matters? Focus and understanding on the core subject - Do you focus on the real subject and offer solutions? Logical reasoning ability Are you picking up positive clues for argumentation? Behavioral and personality skills - Are you able to build rapport fast? What are the other personalities which you demonstrate? Communication skills Are you effectively communicating your thoughts to the group? Clarity of thoughts Whether you are able to compose your comments clearly? Body language and eye contact.

Tips:

Think and speak Be natural and proactive. Listen carefully and be optimistic. The arguments should be for/against the topic and not for/against any individual. Scribble the ideas in a piece of paper and offer constructive ideas. You must ensure that you speak and contribute. Do not allow your emotions to influence you.