Fundamentals of a Dynamic Cover Letter 

First Paragraph 

Do not waste this opening paragraph of your cover letter. It is essential that your first paragraph
sparks the employer's interest, provides information about the benefits the employer will receive from
you, and helps you stand out from all the other job-seekers who want the job.
Focus on your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) -- the one thing that makes you different from all the
other job-seekers -- and identifying two or three benefits you can offer the employer.

Weak opening paragraph: I am writing today to apply for the account manager
position you have posted on your company Website.

Better opening paragraph: I have increased the size and sales levels of my client
base in every position I have held, which in turn has increased the revenues and
profits of my employers. I want to bring this same success to the account position you
have posted on your Website.

Second Paragraph

Provide more detail about your professional and/or academic qualifications. Provide more information
about how you can provide the benefits you mention in the first paragraph. Be sure to stress
accomplishments and achievements rather than job duties and responsibilities. Expand on specific
items from your resume that are relevant to the job you are seeking. Use solid action verbs to
describe your accomplishments and achievements.
If you do not have a lot of solid experience in the field you are trying to enter, remember to focus on
key skills that can easily transfer from your previous work experience to the job at hand.
And if responding to a job posting or ad, be sure to tailor this paragraph to the needs described in the
ad.
 
Third Paragraph

Relate yourself to the company, giving details why you should be considered for the position.
Continue expanding on your qualifications while showing knowledge of the company.
You need to do your homework -- show that you know something about the organization.
 
Fourth Paragraph

The final paragraph of your cover letter must be proactive -- and request action. You must ask for the
job interview (or a meeting) in this paragraph. You must express your confidence that you are a
perfect fit for the job. You must also put the employer on notice that you plan to follow-up within a
specified time.

Weak closing paragraph: I hope you will review my resume, and if you agree with
what I have stated here, consider me for the position. I look forward to hearing from
you soon.

Better closing paragraph: I am eager to help advance the success of your company,
and I am convinced that we should arrange a time to meet. I will call your office in the
next week to schedule an appointment.

The Dynamic Cover Letters Formula for Job-Search Success

You have a maximum of 20 seconds to wow the reader of your letter, so you better maximize its
impact by making it dynamic!
There is a formula that can be followed as a guide to writing your cover letters. However, it is critical
that each cover letter be unique and specific to you and to the employer -- not one that any applicant
could have written to any employer.

Keep your cover letter brief. Never, Never more than one page, and it's best to keep it well under a full
page. Each paragraph should have no more than one to three sentences.

If you are writing cover letter that you plan to email, consider shortening the cover letter to just three
short paragraphs so that it runs no longer than about one screen.

Fundamentals of a Dynamic Cover Letter 

First Paragraph 

Do not waste this opening paragraph of your cover letter. It is essential that your first paragraph sparks
the employer's interest, provides information about the benefits the employer will receive from you, and
helps you stand out from all the other job-seekers who want the job.
Focus on your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) -- the one thing that makes you different from all the
other job-seekers -- and identifying two or three benefits you can offer the employer.

Weak opening paragraph: I am writing today to apply for the account manager position
you have posted on your company Website.

Better opening paragraph: I have increased the size and sales levels of my client base
in every position I have held, which in turn has increased the revenues and profits of
my employers. I want to bring this same success to the account position you have
posted on your Website.

Second Paragraph

Provide more detail about your professional and/or academic qualifications. Provide more information
about how you can provide the benefits you mention in the first paragraph. Be sure to stress
accomplishments and achievements rather than job duties and responsibilities. Expand on specific
items from your resume that are relevant to the job you are seeking. Use solid action verbs to describe
your accomplishments and achievements.
If you do not have a lot of solid experience in the field you are trying to enter, remember to focus on
key skills that can easily transfer from your previous work experience to the job at hand.
And if responding to a job posting or ad, be sure to tailor this paragraph to the needs described in the
ad.
 
Third Paragraph

Relate yourself to the company, giving details why you should be considered for the position. Continue
expanding on your qualifications while showing knowledge of the company.
You need to do your homework -- show that you know something about the organization.
 
Fourth Paragraph

The final paragraph of your cover letter must be proactive -- and request action. You must ask for the
job interview (or a meeting) in this paragraph. You must express your confidence that you are a perfect
fit for the job. You must also put the employer on notice that you plan to follow-up within a specified
time.

Weak closing paragraph: I hope you will review my resume, and if you agree with what
I have stated here, consider me for the position. I look forward to hearing from you
soon.

Better closing paragraph: I am eager to help advance the success of your company,
and I am convinced that we should arrange a time to meet. I will call your office in the
 next week to schedule an appointment.

Final Thoughts

One last piece of advice: Follow-up is key, so plan on making some phone calls or sending
some emails.

Don't Make These 10 Cover Letter Mistakes

Your cover letter shows employers how well you express yourself. It can also demonstrate that you
are savvy in the ways of marketing yourself and selling your best qualifications. A good cover letter
can entice the recipient to review your resume. A bad cover letter, on the other hand, can nip your
chances in the bud. Here are 10 mistakes that contribute to bad cover letters. To ensure that your
cover letter is effective, avoid these mistakes:

1. Sending your resume without a cover letter.

Sure, there are some employers that don't read them or place much importance on them. But since
you don't know whether the employer you're writing to reads and values cover letters or not, you must
include a letter.

2. Failing to address the letter to the specific name of the recipient.

Addressing the letter to "Dear Personnel Director/HR Director","To Whom It May Concern","Dear Sir
or Madam" (or worse",Dear Sirs") instead of a named individual are all lazy approaches that show the
employer that you were not concerned enough to find out the name of the person with the hiring
power. It's not always easy to find the name of the specific hiring manager, but try to do so if at all
possible. Usually, you can just call the company and ask who the hiring manager is for a given
position. Tap into your personal network to learn the names of hiring managers. Let's say a company
post an opening online. You know someone who works at the company. Ask your contact to find out
the name of the person hiring for that position. Also use a phone book, and Internet to track down
names of hiring managers.

The worst-case scenario is that your letter will begin "Dear Hiring Manager for [name of position]" It's
not the best approach, but if you absolutely cannot find a name, this salutation does at least provide
some specificity.

3. Telling the employer what the company can do for you instead of what you can do for the
company.

This mistake is particularly common among new college graduates and other inexperienced job-
seekers. In most cases, employers are in business to make a profit. They want to know what you can
do for their bottom line, not what they can do to fulfill your career dreams. Tell the employer how you
can meet his or her needs and contribute to the company.

4. Leaving the ball in the employer's court.

Too many cover letters end with a line like this: "I look forward to hearing from you." Proactive cover
letters, in which the job-seeker requests an interview and promises to follow up with a phone call, are
far more effective. Don't be vague about your desire to be interviewed. Come right out and ask for an
interview. Then, take your specific action a step farther and tell the recipient that you will contact him
or her in a specified period of time to arrange an interview appointment. Obviously, if you say you will
follow up, you have to do so. If you take this proactive approach and follow up, you will be much more
likely to get interviews than if you did not follow up. This follow-up aspect is another good reason to
obtain the specific name of the hiring manager. Here's a sample closing paragraph requesting specific
action and describing the writer's planned follow-up.

I would like to be considered for a sales position in which someone of my background

could make a contribution. I will contact you soon to arrange for an interview. Should
you require any additional information, I can be contacted at the phone numbers
listed above.

5. Being boring and formulaic.

Don't waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction. Use the first paragraph to grab the
employer's attention. Tell the employer why you are writing and summarize the reasons you are
qualified for the position, expanding on your qualifications in later paragraphs. Don't use such cliches
as "Enclosed please find my resume" or "As you can see on my resume enclosed herewith."
Employers can see that your resume is enclosed; they don't need you to tell them. Such trite phrases
just waste precious space. Write a letter that will make the employer want to get to know you better.

6. Allowing typos, misspellings, or incorrect grammar/punctuation into your letter.

Your letter reflects your ability to write and communicate. Be sure your document is letter-perfect
before sending it out. Proofread your letter. Put it down and proof it again a few hours later with a
fresh eye. Then enlist a friend to review it for errors.

7. Rehashing your resume.

You can use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the position,
but you're wasting precious space -- and the potential employer's time -- if you simply repeat your
resume.

8. Failing to specifically tailor your letter to the job you're applying for.

If you're answering an ad or online job posting, the specifics of your cover letter should be tied as
closely as possible to the actual wording of the ad you're responding to. The best letters written in
response to want ads are "Boomerang letters" because they "fly the want ad words -- the copy -- back
to the writer of the ad." This is "a compelling sales technique", letter writers should: "Flatter the person
who wrote the ad with your response letter. Echo the author's words and intent. Your letter should be
a mirror of the ad." When the recipient reads such a letter, the thought process will be: "This person
seems to fit the description. This person gets it."

A particularly effective way to deploy the specifics of a want ad to your advantage is to use a two-
column format in which you quote in the left-hand column specific qualifications that come right from
the employer's want ad and in the right-hand column, your attributes that meet those qualifications.
The two-column format is extremely effective when you possess all the qualifications for a job, but it
can even sell you when you are lacking one or more qualification. The format so clearly demonstrates
that you are qualified in so many areas that the employer may overlook the areas in which you lack
the exact qualifications.

9. Rambling on too long and telling the story of your life/career.

Keep you letter as brief as possible. Never, never more than one page. Keeping to four or five
paragraphs of no more than three sentences each is a good guideline. Using bullet points in the letter
is a good way to break up blocks of text and interest the reader. Some job-seekers tend to use their
cover letters to provide a narrative of their life or career. That's not what the letter is all about; it's a
marketing tool that should focus on the qualifications that will sell you to the employer. Your letter
should answer the question that the employer will be asking while reading the words you've written:
"Why should I hire this person?" Answer with your Unique Selling Proposition. Use simple language
and uncomplicated sentence structure. Ruthlessly eliminate all unnecessary words.

10. Using wimpy language.

Avoid such phrases as "I feel" and "I believe." Your statements will be much stronger without them.
It's best to either leave off the qualifier or use a stronger qualifier, such as "I am confident", "I am
convinced" or "I am positive"
Sample Letters
 

A Free Sample Cover Letter for an Internship

Tiara Complex, B-204,
Turner Road, Bandra,
Mumbai.

Mr. Amandeep Singh,
Balaji Telefilms,
C-13, Balaji House,
Dalia Industrial Estate, Andheri (West) , Mumbai
Dear Mr. Singh,
My unique mix of previous work experience and my status as a Wellingkars Institute
business student in my junior year studying marketing, make me an ideal candidate
for a summer internship with Prodigy Global Solutions.
My experience in sales and customer relationship management, combined with my
courses in marketing, have convinced me that hospitality marketing is a career option
I would like to explore.
More importantly, an internship with Prodigy Global Solutions would be mutually
beneficial. Your company has an excellent reputation for customer satisfaction, and I
know that the combination of my experience, education, and motivation to excel will
make me an asset to your marketing department.
I am sure that it would be worthwhile for us to meet. I will contact you within a week to
arrange a meeting. Should you have any questions before that time, you may reach
me via phone (2576 0145) or via email (amit@wellingkars.com).
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Amit Patel

A Free Sample Cover Letter for a New College Grad

227,New Jagruti CHS,
Central Market, Kidwai Nagar,
New Delhi.
Mr. Abhishek Agarwal
Tata Investment Corporation,
Garden Road, Colaba,
Mumbai, 400039.
Dear Mr. Agarwal,
My outgoing personality, my sales experience, and my recently completed education
make me a strong candidate for a position as an insurance broker
for Tata Investment Corporation.
 I recently graduated from the Symbiosis Institute of Management with a degree in
marketing, where I was president of both the Future Business Leaders of India and
the Indian Marketing Association.
Although a recent graduate, I am not a typical new graduate. I attended school
in Pune, Bangalore, and Mumbai. And I've put myself through these schools by working
such jobs as radio advertising sales, newspaper subscription sales, and bartending,
all of which enhanced my formal education.
I have the maturity, skills, and abilities to embark on a career in insurance brokering,
and I'd like to do this in Mumbai.
I will be in Mumbai at the end of this month, and I'd like very much to talk with you
concerning a position at Tata Investment Corporation. I will follow up this letter with a
phone call to see if I can arrange a time to meet with you.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Gaurav Choudhary

A Free Sample Referral Cover Letter

13a/84,Wea, 
Karol Bagh, 
Delhi.
Mr. Akash Saxena
The Orient Litho Press
169-L, Mundaga Nadar Street,
Post Box No. 17, Sivakasi.
Dear Mr. Saxena,
Navin Shukla of City Advertising, suggested I contact you regarding the possible
public relations opening in your firm.
As an editor/writer for Delhi's city magazine, I've developed my talent and experience
as a public relations writer. Because the staff is very small, I've worn a number of
hats, including: developing the editorial format and individual story concepts, writing
numerous articles, editing copy, laying out the magazine, and supervising production.
Prior to my current position, I was highly involved in the public relations industry,
working for Studio Initials, where I prepared numerous press releases and media
guides, as well as managing several major direct mail campaigns.
My high degree of motivation has been recognized by my previous employers who
have quickly promoted me to positions of greater responsibility. I was promoted from
assistant editor to editor ofStudio Initials Monthly after only five months.
I am eager to talk with you about the contribution I could make to your firm. I will call
you the week of April 25th to see if we can find a mutual time and date to get together
and discuss the possibility.
Your consideration is greatly appreciated.
Cordially,

Madhavi Doshi

A Free Sample Cover Letter for a Cold Contact

No-12, Market,
Sector 8, R K Puram
New Delhi,
 December 12, 2007
Mr. Nirav Goel
Best India Research
1/88, M. M. Ghosh Road,
Flat No. 10, Kolkata - 700 074
Dear Mr. Goel,
As marketing companies are increasingly called upon to supply information on
magazine readership to publishers, there is a growing need for trained and
experienced professionals in the field.
Through my marketing/research experiences and my master's thesis, which have
particularly dealt with improving marketing research studies so they can better define
magazine audiences to potential advertisers, I am certain I could give you valuable
assistance in satisfying research demands, managing key projects, and improving the
marketing tools you currently use.
I will be completing my master's degree in April and would be interested in making a
significant contribution to Best India Research's profitability in a marketing/research
capacity.
I am sure my services would be useful to you, and I will call you in early March to
discuss an interview.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Saurabh Roy

A Free Sample Ad Response Cover Letter

6,Shanti Niketan
Dr Ambedkar Road,
Matunga.
Ms. Prema Nair
Bombay Scottish School
Opposite Hinduja Hospital, Mahim.
Dear Ms. Nair,
Perhaps I am the "multi-talented teacher" you seek in your "Multi-Talented Teacher"
advertisement. I'm a versatile teacher, ready to substitute, if necessary, as early as
next week. I have the solid teaching experience you specify as well as the strong
computer skills you desire.
I am presently affiliated with a highly regarded private elementary school.
Mr. Choudhary, the headmaster, will certainly give you a good reference. The details
of your advertisement suggest to me that the position will involve many of the same
responsibilities that I am currently performing.
In addition to the planning, administration, and student-parent counseling duties I
highlight in my resume, please note that I have a master's degree as well as a
teaching certificate from the state of Maharashtra.
Knowing how frantic you must be without a fifth grade teacher, I will call you in a few
days. Or if you agree upon reviewing my letter and resume that I am the teacher you
need, call me at my home number 2414-7327.
Thanking you most sincerely for your time and consideration.
Cordially,
 Sudha Gupta

A Free Sample Two-Column Cover Letter

Note: This letter does a great job of highlighting the match between the employer's requirements and
her skills and accomplishments. The two-column method is an attractive way of showcasing the
match.

Department of Human Resources

Rahul Upadhyay
59,Nariman Bhavan,
Nariman Point, Mumbai.
Re: Posting 101 Associate Director II
Dear Mr. Upadhyay:
When I read your ad for an Associate Director II on the Monster.com job site, I couldn't help noticing
how well your requirements align with my experience, education, skills, and background.
While my enclosed resume provides a good overview of my strengths and achievements, I have also
listed some of your specific requirements for the position and my applicable skills:
You require: I offer:
Ability to coordinate and oversee the work of Experience in supervising 25 office employees and
subordinates. ensuring staff efficiency as a public-health program
director.
Ability to strategically plan, develop and Experience developing and implementing treatment
implement programs and operations toward programs as a public-health program director.
achievement of team's mission, goals, and
objectives.
The analytical skills to perform needs Success in having brought order out of chaos at an inner-
assessments, evaluate current programs, city health clinic and vastly improving processes there.
and initiate changes or adjustments to
current systems and improve operations.
Problem-solving and decision-making Success in solving numerous problems at inner-city clinic,
abilities. such as reducing number of emergency and drug-seeking
patients; lobbying for HIV-information dissemination; and
increasing number of patients that could be given routine
care.
Financial and personnel management Expertise in both areas, through public-health and office-
expertise. management background.
Interpersonal and communication skills that Significant experience giving presentations, speaking
promote ability to serve as a liaison and persuasively, and interacting successfully with diverse
resource. individuals.

Since my experience and expertise fit your requirements so closely, I am clearly one of the people
you'll want to see. I plan to contact you to follow up on this letter and see if we can arrange a meeting.
In the meantime, please feel free to call me at my home number listed above. I look forward to our
meeting. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Sandeep Patil

A Free Sample Email Cover Letter

Date: Tues, 15 May 2007 19:52:59 -0700 
From: Manish Thakur [mthakur@yahoo.com] 
Subject: Seasoned Sales Rep With MBA Ideal for Regional Sales Manager (mtt-01/3439)
To: subhash.mhatre@hyattregency.com 

Dear Mr. Mhatre,
Having broken sales records and exceeded sales quotas in all my previous positions and recently
completed my MBA in marketing from the Symbiosis Institute of Management at Pune, I am an ideal
candidate for the regional sales manager position at Hyatt Regency.
As the leading sales representative for the club at Royal Palms Country Club, I developed key sales
material, trained new sales reps, and reinvented the way club memberships are sold. My team's
revenue was more than double the average for the entire operation.
The vacation club industry is a dynamic and growing industry, and I am convinced I can help Hyatt
Regency grow its reputation and dominant position in the industry.
We should meet to discuss the position. I will contact you in the next 10 days to arrange an interview.
Should you have any questions before that time, please feel free to call me at 2765-1156 or email me.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
 
Cordially,
 
 
Manish Thakur
 

A Free Sample Cover Letter to Recruiter

Prasad Kotian
359 3rd Floor,
Uco Bank Building
Flora Fountain, Mumbai.
E-Mail: pkotian@yahoo.com
Mr. Rahul Gupta
Midas Consultancy Services
403 B Lokhandwala
Andheri W, Mumbai.
Dear Mr. Gupta:
If you have a client seeking a brand strategist who can deliver bottom-line results, I'd
like to make a strong case for myself. My track record in business-to-business
international branding and marketing has helped enhance the reputations of such
firms as Bank of India, Global Telecom, and Intel, to name a few. I am contacting you
as I believe it is time for a change. My employer is in the process of merging with
another company, so the time seems right to move on.
Of particular interest to your client firms:
         I have demonstrated my strategic ability through successfully launching
companies, communications departments, Web sites, PR programs, ad
campaigns, branding programs, and more.
         I have consistently contributed my leadership skills in a corporate setting,
while managing the creative process, motivating and empowering team
members, fine-tuning marketing plans, and juggling multiple projects. I am a
proficient top manager and profit-minded leader.
         Time and again, my initiatives have resulted in increased awareness and
press coverage, successful advertising campaigns, and winning branding
strategies.
I am particularly interested in positions in the Mumbai area that start at a salary range
of Rs. 40000 to Rs. 50000, in the following categories: marketing partner at a venture
capital firm, entailing leveraging marketing opportunities for the portfolio companies
and advising them on branding and marketing strategies; brand strategist and global
head of marketing for a service-oriented preferably global business; senior-
management role in a mid-sized integrated agency specializing in advertising, PR,
 and interactive services; marketing and communications head for a high-end financial
services boutique; high-end headhunter or right-hand in a large philanthropic
organization.
I'd like to meet with you to discuss adding value to one of your client firms as I've
done for my previous employers. I'll contact you soon to arrange a meeting. Should
you wish to contact me before then, I can be reached during the day on my direct line
(2261-1942) or at home most evenings (2261-9125).
Sincerely,

Prasad Kotian
 

Four Cover Letters for Four Job-Search Strategies

If you are like many who have resolved to move your job search into high gear, don't forget the
importance of the cover letter as part of your self-marketing materials. The cover letter is essential for
creating a positive first impression. Additionally it answers questions such as: font

"Why should I bother reading one more resume?"

"What's this applicant's interest level?"
"How is this prospective candidate unique?"

Cover letters should be customized according to each of the four basic job-search strategies:

1. Responding to job postings.

2. Resume distribution to employers of your target market.
3. Contacting recruiters or headhunters.
4. Networking among your professional contacts.

Each strategy requires a different type of cover letter.

1. Cover letters responding to job postings. The Invited Cover Letter

Responding to ads/job postings is the most common (though not necessarily most effective) job-
search activity. Rather than respond with a canned message, take the time to write a brief cover letter
that maps your work experience to the job qualifications.

Here are a few tips on writing a cover letter when responding to job postings. font

 Whenever possible, address the letter to a specific person rather than "Dear Sir or Madam" or
"To whom it may concern." Don't be afraid to call the company for the name of the hiring
manager. The worst they will do is not give you the name.
 Match your letter to the job description by using the key words and phrases found in the ad.
Where applicable, list point by point how you match the requirements of the position.
 Provide accomplishments that illustrate the level of your qualifications, but do not repeat word
for word from your resume. Avoid redundancy.
 Avoid overuse of the word "I." Translate "I" sentences into "You" or "Your" sentences. For
example, turn "I am interested in the position..." into "Your company will benefit from my
experiences as..." font

A little practice at customizing your cover letters will help get you through the screening door and on
your way to career-changing interviews. font

2. Cover letters proactively sent to your target market of employers. Uninvited or Cold Contact
Cover Letter .
The savvy job-seeker does not wait to hear about openings -- he or she looks for openings before
they become public knowledge. One way to find unpublished job leads is to conduct your own target-
market search. This strategy involves first defining a group of companies or organizations most likely
interested in your background and expertise then contacting hiring managers to let them know of your
availability. The reference librarian at your local library is a valuable source of information on how to
research your target companies. Below are a few hints on writing effective cover letters for your target
market.

 Whenever possible, address your letter to the hiring manager rather than Human Resources.
Again, you may need to make a phone call to sleuth out the information, but you could yield
great results.
 Start the letter off indicating your knowledge and interest of the company. Give the reader
reason to believe that you haven't just pulled the employer's name out of a hat.
 List briefly your qualifications and accomplishments and the position you're offering to fill.
 Again, use "I" sparingly.
 End your letter with a promise to call by a certain day. Since this contact is proactive, it is up
to the job-seeker to initiate phone communication. font

While the target-market strategy is time-consuming it often yields surprising results. A job lead
discovered through proactive methods means little or no competition from other job-seekers.

3. Cover letters sent to recruiters and headhunters.

Most recruiters and headhunters specialize by industry or job type. For maximum effectiveness, target
only headhunters who specialize in your field. Since the best way to contact them is through email,
your letter will take the form of an email note accompanying your attached Word-formatted resume. A
brief cover letter (or note) is essential to make sure the recruiter opens and reads your resume before
storing in an electronic resume storage database. For best results:

 Keep the note short. One or two paragraphs should suffice. Most recruiters are paid on
commission and work under heavy production quotas; they don't have the time or patience for
lengthy letters of introduction.
 Your note should read somewhat like a resume summary statement full of keyword
qualifications. An example might sound something like, "My background includes 15 years of
VP-level management in the telecom industry specializing in start-up of new divisions and
building consensus across departments."
 Don't end your note with a promise to call. The recruiter will call you when he/she has an
available position. As a former headhunter, I can testify that nothing annoys a recruiter more
than unsolicited phone calls from job-seekers. To get your relationship with recruiters off to
the right start, let them contact you.

Working through headhunters is a numbers game. The more qualified recruiters you contact, the
better your chances are of finding great job leads. Don't minimize your efforts by contacting only those
in your geographic area. Recruiters and headhunters who specialize in a given industry usually work
nationally and sometimes internationally. Investing in a resume-distribution service that allows you to
target recruiters by specialty increases your efforts exponentially.

4. Contacting your professional network. Referral Cover Letter.

Most job-search surveys indicate that a majority of people find jobs through networking -- someone
they knew told them of a job lead and introduced them to the hiring manager. An effective method of
contacting those in your circle of influence is through a special form of written communication called a
resume-letter.

A resume-letter combines the elements of both a cover letter and a resume. A resume-letter allows a
job-seeker to get the word to his or her professional network without sounding desperate to find a new
job. This letter is especially nice for those conducting a confidential search while still employed.
Usually this letter is send as an email. A hard-copy resume-letter may seem too stiff and formal for
networking purposes.

A few pointers on writing a great resume-letter are:

 Keep the tone casual; after all, this letter is sent to people with whom you have a first-name
relationship, but be careful not to relax your grammar and spelling.
 This letter should contain all the selling points of your resume without sounding like a
commercial.
 Ideally, the recipient will pass your letter on to others who may be interested in your
qualifications, so write the letter with other readers in mind.

With competition for good jobs at an all-time high, job-seekers can't afford to cut corners in their
written communication. The extra time and effort taken to customize your cover letters goes a long
way toward placing you at the top of the candidate pile.

Cover Letters Count!

How frequently I am asked the questions, "Do cover letters really count?" or "Does anyone ever really
read cover letters?" My answer is always the same, "Some do, some don't!" But what I can never
answer is how any one recruiter or hiring individual will react to an applicant's letter and/or resume.
The fact is that you can never know. It is a very individual response. We do know that recruiters react
negatively to poorly written and poorly edited, proofed, or formatted documents. We know that you
must make your documents reader-friendly and to the point, clearly expressing what that
reader needs to know about you as a candidate. Fluff, cliches, and generalities do not pass muster.

So you -- as writer and job-seeker -- must give employers what counts: a letter that complements your
resume, serves as your first writing sample, and focuses the reader on what you have to offer, what
you bring to the position, and why you are a suitable candidate. It elaborates, clarifies, or adds
material in clear language that is compelling and sharp. A terrific resume might never get read if the
cover letter doesn't hook the reader. Make a strong case for why you are a good fit for the job,
providing specific examples matched to the employer's needs as stated in the job description. Point
the reader to qualifications and experiences that clearly show your fit.

Here's what counts:

1. Use the Job Search/Interview Prep Sheet

o 1st column: Use bullets to list the employer's requirements for the job by pinpointing
key words or phrases from the job description.
o 2nd column: Matched to each bullet point from the 1st column, list your specific
qualifications and experiences for the position.
o Use the first two columns only. The third column is for interview preparation.

2. Think about the answers to key questions

o What do you most want the reader to know about you?

o What information is most germane to the employer's needs and to his/her decision-
making?
 o What do you bring to this employer? (quality education, relevant courses,
experiences, or internships, leadership, community service, special knowledge, skills)

3. Contents

Write the letter covering the most pertinent points from the 2nd column. Carefully choose
experiences that will be most relevant to the employer, but select examples that clearly
illustrate your suitability for meeting his/her needs. Be discriminating -- you cannot address
everything in the letter,

4. Format

Be brief, appropriate, and professional.

o Length: No more than one page; generally no more than four paragraphs.
o Tone: Professional, not too stuffy or too casual. Read the letter aloud or to someone
else to check for tone.
o Appropriateness: Avoid extraneous cliches, fillers, and superfluous information --
but be honest and sincere.

Your application for a position is rarely evaluated on the basis of the resume or cover
letter alone. But as an applicant, you have no way of knowing what the reader wants
to know and/or how he/she prefers it presented. To enhance your chances for
consideration, be certain that both documents are perfect -- no errors in spelling,
grammar, tone, or content.Hook that reader immediately and you may
have hooked yourself a job! This is what surely counts!

The Job Interview as Sales Call: Three Essential Interview Skills

With competition for good jobs at an all-time high, candidates who conduct their job search as a sales
campaign consistently win out over those who don't. When job-seekers practice the skills of sales
experts, they learn to apply the strategies of a sales presentation to their job interviews.

To get to the top of the candidate list, you'll need these three essential sales skills:

1. Pre-interview preparation
2. Finding and using the interviewer's "Hot Buttons"
3. Closing on the next step of the interview process

1. Pre-interview preparation

Every great sales presentation starts with pre-sales preparation, which includes client research, and
product analysis. Job-seekers prepare for interviews similarly: research on the prospective employer
and a thorough catalog of their own accomplishments to illustrate their potential contribution and
worth to the employer.

Thanks to the Internet, company research is relatively easy, especially on publicly held firms. A few
good sources include Yahoo India as well as company Web sites. Information on privately held
companies is often readily available as well. One of the easiest ways to get such information is simply
enter the company name into your favorite search engine and see what pops up.

Minimally, you'll want to find out company size, products or services, major competitors, branch or
headquarters and any recent news items. Time allowing, it's also very helpful to know some of the
major players in their organization; a little history of the organization and future products, markets, or
growth objectives.

Once you've done the research, prepare to communicate your value through your accomplishments.
Examine your career for examples of how you have solved problems, saved money, increased
revenue, or created revenue opportunities for your former employers. As much as possible quantify
your contributions. Do not depend on your ability to "wing it" through your interviews. Ask any high-
producing sales profession, and he or she will tell you that it is impossible to wing your way to
success. It takes preparation and practice.

Once you've prepared for the interview, don't forget the next essential sales skill:

2. Finding and using the interviewer's "Hot Buttons"

An interviewer's hot button is his/her unspoken concerns or wishes, and it's your job as the
interviewee to uncover the interviewer's hot button. If you don't ask, he or she probably won't tell you.
Two magic questions that will reveal the interviewer's hot buttons:

 "What do you see as the greatest challenge for this position?"

 "What qualities do you see as most important for this position?"

Once you've asked the all important questions, shut up and listen!

After the interviewer has revealed his or her hot buttons, use the information to frame your answers to
his or her questions. You'll connect with the interviewer much faster once you sell yourself based on
his or he

Now that you have the interviewer's attention, don't forget the most important sales skill:

3. Closing on the next step of the interview process

"Closing" is a sales term that means influencing one to agree to take certain action (such as signing a
contract or writing a check.) A complex sale involves a number of small closes before the ultimate
closing purchase. The interview process is a series of closes leading up to the final job offer.

If you've purchased a car lately, you know that the sale starts with the test drive and moves forward
through a series of carefully crafted questions such as: "Do you prefer silver or black?" "Which of you
will be the primary driver?" "Shall we park this in the sale-pending area?" "Do you wish to trade in
your car, or shall we finance this 100 percent?" The effective salesperson knows what closing steps
must take place; attempt to skip the steps and he or she may lose the sale altogether.

As a clever salesperson identifies the small closing steps needed to move the sale forward, so must
the job-seeker understand the closes necessary to keep the interview process moving forward toward
a job offer. Those steps look something like this:

a. The cover letter must entice the reader to read your resume.
b. The resume must motivate the reader to call you in for an interview.
c. The first interview should prompt the interviewer to invite you to a second interview, so ask for
it:
o "When would you like to schedule our next meeting?"
o "Is there any reason you wouldn't consider inviting me back for second interview?"
o "Who will I meet in the second interview?"
 d. In the second interview, ask to speak with the decision-maker:
o "Who, besides yourself, will make the final hiring decision?"
o "When is convenient for Mr./Ms. Decision-Maker to meet with me?"
o "Is there any other presentation materials I should bring when I visit with Mr./Ms.
Decision-Maker?"
e. When speaking with the decision-maker, ask for the job offer:
o "Are there any objections that prevent you from extending an offer?"
o "When would you like me to start?"
o "What challenges would you have me tackle first?"

Asking for the next interview or the job offer may seem bold, but try it. You'll find yourself invited back
more often and feel much more in control of the interview process.

Once you've mastered and applied the three essential sales skills for effective interviews, you'll see
your job-search efforts accelerate and your confidence soar.

Avoid These Ten Interview Bloopers

We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but who were
absolute disasters in person. With fewer and fewer interview opportunities available in this
competitive market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression. You can learn
from the mistakes of others and avoid the top ten worst interview blunders.

Poor handshake

The three-second handshake that starts the interview is your first opportunity to create a
great impression. But all too often an interview is blown right from the start by an
ineffective handshake. Once you've delivered a poor handshake, it's nearly impossible to
recover your efforts to build rapport. Here are some examples:

 The Limp Hand (or "dead fish"): Gives the impression of disinterest or weakness

 The Tips of the Fingers: Shows lack of ability to engage.

Even if you're a seasoned professional, don't assume you have avoided these pitfalls.
Your handshake may be telling more about you than you know. Ask for honest critiques
from several friends who aren't afraid to tell you the truth.

Talking too much

In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates. So did most of my client

employers. Over-talking takes a couple of forms:

 Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just
can't get to the point.

 Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is

outright lying.

To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct

manner. Avoid nervous talking by preparing for your interview with role-play.
Talking negatively about current or past employers/managers

The fastest way to talk yourself out of a new job is to say negative things. Even if your last
boss was Ravana, never, never state your ill feelings about him/her. No matter how
reasonable your complaints, you will come out the loser if you show that you disrespect
your boss because the interviewer will assume that you would similarly trash him or her.
When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are
prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

Showing up late or too early

One of the first lessons in job-search etiquette is to show up on time for interviews. Many
job-seekers don't realize, however, that showing up too early often creates a poor first
impression as well. Arriving more than 10 minutes early for an interview is a dead
giveaway that the job seeker has too much time on his or her hands, much like the last
one picked for the softball team. Don't diminish your candidate desirability by appearing
desperate. Act as if your time were as valuable as the interviewer's. Always arrive on time,
but never more than 10 minutes early.

Treating the receptionist rudely

Since the first person you meet on an interview is usually a receptionist, this encounter
represents the first impression you'll make. Don't mistake low rank for low input. Often that
receptionist's job is to usher you into your interview. The receptionist has the power to
pave your way positively or negatively before you even set eyes on the interviewer. The
interviewer may also solicit the receptionist's opinion of you after you leave.

Asking about benefits, vacation time or salary

What if a car salesman asked to see your credit report before allowing you to test drive the
cars? That would be ridiculous, and you'd walk away in disgust. The effect is about the
same when a job-seeker asks about benefits or other employee perks during the first
interview. Wait until you've won the employer over before beginning that discussion.

Not preparing for the interview

Nothing communicates disinterest like a candidate who hasn't bothered to do pre-interview

research. On the flip side, the quickest way to a good impression is to demonstrate your
interest with a few well thought out questions that reflect your knowledge of their
organization.

Verbal ticks

An ill-at-ease candidate seldom makes a good impression. The first signs of nervousness
are verbal ticks. We all have them from time to time -- "umm," "like," "you know." Ignore
the butterflies in your stomach and put up a front of calm confidence by avoiding verbal
ticks. You can also sometimes avoid verbal ticks by pausing for a few seconds to gather
your thoughts before each response.

One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate them is through role-play. Practice sharing
your best success stories ahead of time, and you'll feel more relaxed during the real
interview.

Not enough/too much eye contact

Either situation can create a negative effect. Avoid eye contact and you'll seem shifty,
untruthful, or disnterested; offer too much eye contact, and you'll wear the interviewer out.
 If you sometimes have trouble with eye-contact balance, work this issue out ahead of time
in an interview practice session with a friend.

Failure to match communication styles

It's almost impossible to make a good first impression if you can't communicate effectively
with an interviewer. But you can easily change that situation by mirroring the way the
interviewer treats you. For instance:

 If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt to loosen him/her up with a
joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike

 If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his/her interests. Often the items on
display in the office can offer a clue.

 If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more

information is needed.

Allowing the interviewer to set the tone of conversation can vastly improve your chances of
making a favorable impression. You can put the interviewer at ease -- and make yourself
seem more like him or her -- by mirroring his or her communication style.

Final Thoughts

Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview, strong interview skills will
win you consideration for the job. You already know that you won't earn an interview
unless your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Similarly, you should know
that polishing your interview skills can mean the difference between getting the job offer --
and being a runner-up.

Start your job search with a resume that creates a stellar first impression, then back those
facts up with your extraordinary interview skills. You will have made yourself a better
candidate by avoiding these ten interview pitfalls. And no one will have to talk about you as
the candidate who "almost" got the job.

Job Interview Damage Control

Sometimes, interviews go badly. Perhaps the interviewer thinks you are too good looking for the job,
or that red ties should be worn only on Tuesdays. There's very little you can do to salvage an
interview under these conditions. However, arriving late, having a huge run in your stockings, and
calling the employer by the wrong name are all recoverable errors. Stay calm, don't panic and read
on.

Damage: Can't remember the name of the person you are meeting.

Control: Crawl around on the company's Web site. Try the staff directory and see if
your memory is jogged by what you see.
 Control: Call ahead and throw yourself upon the receptionist's mercy. Explain who
you are, that you are coming in for an interview for the Network Engineer position and
that you were so excited about the job that you forgot to write down the name of the
person you are meeting. Generally speaking, this will work, but be careful --
receptionists and hiring managers do talk to each other!

Damage: Can't pronounce the interviewer's name

Control: Ask the secretary/receptionist.

Control: Give it a shot and then ask, "Am I pronouncing your name correctly?"

Damage: The interviewer is mispronouncing your name

Control: Correct, but gently. "My name is actually pronounced A-roar-ah"

Damage: Running late

Control: Call as soon as you know you will be late. If you are going to be under
seven minutes late, let the employer know when you will be there. If it looks like more
than 10 minutes late, ask if you should reschedule or come in. Make sure you
express respect for the interviewing schedule and reiterate your commitment to the
position.

If you are in a major newsworthy traffic snafu, blame the traffic. With any other form of transportation
problem, blame yourself. You can try something like "I'm so sorry. I underestimated the morning
(evening, afternoon, 10 a.m.) traffic. I'm never late to anything and am really embarrassed."

Always apologize again once you arrive, and then let it go. Understand that your interview may be
truncated or rushed.

Damage: You have a run in your Punjabi dress or a spot on your tie

Control: First, try to stop and hide the run or get the spot out.

Control: Acknowledge it briefly to the interviewer if it will make you feel better.

Something like "Of all days to spill coffee on my tie on the way over..." Everyone's
been there, and acknowledging it is a better strategy than leaving the interviewer with
the impression that you didn't know you were wearing spaghetti sauce.

Damage: The interviewer seems to hate you (doesn't smile or nod).

Control: Stay calm. Many interviewers like to see how people react under pressure.
Is this the best way to test interviewees? Probably not -- but it happens. Ask
questions and answer them fully. The most important thing to do is to smile and
project confidence. Many times, we unconsciously mirror the facial and nonverbal
expressions of the interviewer. It's important to counteract this natural tendency.

Damage: You spill something.

Control: Good manners prevail here. Apologize, clean up (the interviewer as host

should really offer to do it for you) and move on.

Damage: You flub an answer.

 Control: Start again. Say "Well, that wasn't a good answer at all. What I should have
said/meant to say was..."

Damage: It becomes clear that you are totally unqualified for the job

Control: Answer the questions to the best of your ability. Although possible, it is rare
that a completely unqualified person is called into an interview. The interview team
may have seen something in your application that was intriguing. Don't waste your
time with negative self-talk. Concentrate on selling your skills and experience. If
you're convinced after the interview that the job is not a good fit, mention in your
thank-you letter that you'd like to be considered for other positions.

If you don't realize what damage has occurred until after the interview, use your thank-you letter to
address -- carefully -- anything that went wrong in interview. You can do damage control as long as
you don't draw too much attention to the low points of the interview. Damage control may be as
simple as assuaging the employer's doubts about your qualifications for the job.

You can also use this follow-up to bring up anything you thought of after the interview that is pertinent
to the employer's concerns. Did you smack your palm against your forehead as you left the interview
realizing something important you forgot to say? The thank-you letter gives you the chance to say it

How to Stand out from the Crowd in a Competitive Market

To stand out from the crowd, conduct your job search like a marketing campaign. The traditional
picture of job-seeking is that you look for open positions posted somewhere and follow a formal
application procedure to be considered for them. But with thousands of job-seekers applying for only
those positions that are advertised, the competition can be overwhelming. 

The only way to beat the odds and the competition is to actively market yourself and locate positions
before they are advertised. Marketing yourself as a job-seeker means locating the people who can
offer or lead you to opportunities and telling them what you are capable of, over and over. You do
have to seek them out-you can't wait for them to find you. There are many ways of telling them what
you can do -- in person, in writing, by phone -- but you must tell them. And you have to tell them over
and over. No one will remember you if they hear from you only once. 

Just as any company selling a product or service works from a strategic marketing plan with proper
tactics to put the plan into action, so should you. In this case, you are the product. Finding job
opportunities takes a disciplined approach using strategies that are proven to work.

There are six different approaches to conducting your job search like a marketing campaign. Here
they are, listed in order of effectiveness:

1. Networking and referral-building

2. Contacting potential employers directly
3. Informational interviewing
4. Employing recruiters and agencies
5. Searching specialized job listings
6. Using help-wanted ads

Networking and referral-building will provide you with the maximum number of contacts, referrals, and
leads, so this approach is almost always the most effective. Contacting prospective employers and
informational interviewing are about equal in terms of their potential payoff, but contacting employers
is more likely to lead directly to a job.

Employing recruiters and agencies will give you more contacts looking out for you and more leads to
pursue, but they are unlikely to refer you to others. Using job listings and want ads can provide you
with leads, but no new contacts or referrals, so these approaches are much less effective
Ten Sticky Job Interview Situations and How to Handle Them
Job interviewing can be an unnerving experience, but if you know how to handle some of the stickiest
situations encountered in interviewing, you can be that much more confident. Here are 10 of the
stickiest.

1. The Bad Interviewer

Not every professional who conducts job interviews with candidates knows how to conduct an
interview effectively. In fact some are downright lousy at it. A bad interviewer might be
unfocused, disinterested, unprepared. He or she might dominate the interview by doing all the
talking or might ask inappropriate and illegal questions.

The unfocused, unprepared interviewer probably hasn't read your resume and maybe can't
even find a copy. This hapless soul doesn't even know what to ask you. Be sure to offer this
disorganized interviewer a copy of your resume while asking, \"May I take you through some
highlights of my career?\"

While the bigmouth interviewer is holding forth, make as many mental notes as you can (or jot
them down if you've brought a small notepad). Don't show your exasperation; instead be an
attentive listener and hang on the interviewer's every word. Try to get a word in edgewise by
leaning forward and opening your mouth slightly. If that doesn't work, even a nonstop talker
will likely eventually ask if you have any questions. At that point, you can ask questions or
describe your fit with the company and the position based on the mental notes you've been
making.

For inappropriate and illegal questions, see No. 6 below and try your hardest to keep the
interview focused on your qualifications for the job.

2. The "Tell Me about Yourself" Question

Of course, this question is not a question at all but a request for a command performance. It's
the most commonly asked interview question, yet it frequently still rattles interviewees. The
trick is to make your response a succinct summary of information that is specifically targeted
to the job you're interviewing for. (Sell yourself!) For example:

"My background to date has been centered around preparing myself

to become the very best financial consultant I can become. Let me
tell you specifically how I've prepared myself. I am an undergraduate
student in finance and accounting at ___________ College. My past
experience has been in retail and higher education. Both aspects
have prepared me well for this career."

The interviewer is not looking for your autobiography and probably is not interested in your
personal life unless aspects of it are relevant to the job you're interviewing for.

3. The "Weakness" Question

The conventional wisdom about responding to \"What are your weaknesses?\" used to be that
the candidate should spin a weakness into a strength. For example: \"I'm a perfectionist and
don't believe anyone can do the job as well as I can, so I sometimes have a hard time
delegating.\" That type of response has, however, worn out its welcome with interviewers.
Other approaches include offering a weakness that is inconsequential to the job (such as
being a poor speller and relying on spellcheck) or denying that you have any weaknesses that
would stand in the way of your performing the job effectively. The former approach may work
but be seen as shallow, while the latter sometimes lacks credibility. After all, everyone has a
weakness.
 An approach that seems to work well is to talk about an area that was once a weakness but
that you have worked to improve. Here's how you could frame the perfectionist example
above in terms of professional growth: "I tend to be a perfectionist who has had trouble
delegating tasks to others, but I've come to see that teamwork and capitalizing on everyone's
strengths is a much more effective way to get the job done than trying to do it all myself."

4. The "Why should I hire you?" Question

The unspoken part of this question is: \"Why should I hire you [above all the other
candidates]?\" This is your chance to shine, to really make a sales pitch for yourself. Use your
Unique Selling Proposition to describe what sets you apart from other candidates. The
employer will make a significant investment in hiring and training you, so tell the interviewer
that this investment will be justified. For example, you could say: "I sincerely believe that I'm
the best person for the job. Like other candidates, I have the ability to do this job. But beyond
that ability, I offer an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job -- my
drive for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself
into achieving it. Throughout my career, I have consistently strived to become the very best I
can become. The success I've attained in my management positions is the result of
possessing the qualities you're looking for in an employee."

5. "Off-the-wall" Questions, also known as "Wild Card" or "No-Right-Answer" Questions

Occasionally you'll be asked an interview question that's just downright weird and certainly
doesn't seem to have anything to do with the job -- for example, a question like this: "If you
were an ice-cream cone, what flavor of ice-cream would you be?" Interviewers often ask
these oddball questions to see how quickly you can think on your feet and whether you can
avoid becoming flustered. Others, unfortunately, ask them because they enjoy seeing
interviewees squirm. Still others are amused by the range of creative -- and not-so-creative --
responses they receive.

Don't let an off-the-wall question rattle you. Take a moment to gather your thoughts and
respond the best way you can. There is rarely a wrong answer to this type of question, but
quick-thinking candidates can turn the response into an opportunity to impress the employer.
A response given by one of my former students has always stuck in my head as being a
standout answer. The question was: "If you were a superhero, what would be your super
powers, and why?" His response: "I think I would prefer to be a superhero like Superman,
who doesn't have superpowers per se, but who relies on his intelligence and use of the right
tools to get the job done."

6. Salary Questions

As a screening device, interviewers often ask early in the interview what salary you are
looking for. If you ask for more than the employer is willing to pay (or occasionally, on the flip
side, undervalue yourself), the interviewer can eliminate you before spending a lot of time with
you. That's why the best tactic for salary questions is to delay responding to them as long as
possible -- ideally until after the employer makes an offer. Try to deflect salary questions with
a response like this: "I applied for this position because I am very interested in the job and
your company, and I know I can make an immediate impact once on the job, but I'd like to
table salary discussions until we are both sure I'm right for the job."

7. Questions about Being Terminated from a Previous Job

It's always uncomfortable to be asked your reasons for leaving a job from which you were
terminated. Don't lie about it, but don't dwell on it either. You could explain that you and the
company were not a good fit, hence your performance suffered. Or that you and your
supervisor had differing viewpoints. Emphasize what you learned from the experience that will
prevent you from repeating it and ensure that you will perform well in the future.
 8. Questions about Reasons for Leaving a Current Job

This question is similar to the previous question, even if you haven't been fired. Responses
about fit with the company and differing views from your supervisor can also work here, but
remember never to trash a current employer. Always speak positively about past and present
employers even if your experience has not been positive with them. Another good response in
this situation is to say that you determined you had grown as much as you could in that job
and you are ready for new challenges.

9. Questions about the Future

Interviewees are often asked, "Where do you see yourself in five (or 10) years?" Strike a
delicate balance when responding to this kind of question, with just the right mix of honesty,
ambition, and your desire to be working at this company long-term.

Avoid responses such as starting your own business, running for elections, which suggest
that you don't plan to stay with the company.

It's not totally inappropriate to mention the personal (marriage, family), but focus mainly on
professional goals. Mention your career and company goals first, and tack on any mention of
marriage and family at the end.

Your response could be: "I'm here to let you know that I am the best person for the job. If in
the future you feel I would be a candidate for a higher level position, I know I wouldn't be
passed up."

OR: "I hope to stay at the company and expect that in five years, I'll make a significant
advance in the organization."

OR: "I would like to become the very best ______________ your company has."

And then there's my personal favorite, which a student told me a friend had used. Asked by
the interviewer, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" The response: "Celebrating the
five-year anniversary of your asking me this question!" While the response probably made the
interviewer laugh, it's probably not the best answer.

Final thoughts

Job-seekers need to think of each interview question as an opportunity to showcase an

accomplishment or strength. Every response should build momentum toward convincing the
interviewer that you deserve to advance to the next level, whether that level is another round
of interviews or a job offer.

Do's and Don'ts for Second (and Subsequent) Job Interviews

It's gratifying to be called for a second or subsequent interview because you are another step closer
to the job. Don't blow it now! Read our second-interview do's and don'ts.

 Do take a practice run to the location where you are having the interview -- or be sure you
know exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there.
 Do pat yourself on the back for being called for a second interview. While some career
experts say your chances are 1 in 4 to get the job at this point, others say you have as much
as a 50 percent chance. Even with the field narrowing, it's important to distinguish yourself
and ensure that you stand out above your competition.

 Do remember these three words: More, More, More. Compared to the first interview, a
second interview will likely involve more preparation, more people, more questions, more
intensity, and more pressure -- in addition to more likelihood that you will land the job.

 Don't neglect to review your performance from your first interview. Note any questions or
situations that caused you difficulty and plan how you will handle those aspects better in the
second interview. Derive confidence from knowing that if you hadn't performed well in the first
interview, you wouldn't have landed the second. Think about what made you shine in the first
interview, and plan to do more of the same. Further, brainstorm new information you can
bring into the second interview -- new accomplishments, new examples, new evidence of how
much you know about the employer.

 Do prepare -- even more than you did for the first interview. Presumably you researched the
company before the first interview. Some experts suggest that talking with company insiders
is one of the most productive ways to prepare for a second interview. Before your second
interview, consider conducting informational interviews with company folks who aren't the
ones who'll be interviewing you. If you are a college student, particularly seek out alumni from
your school or sorority/fraternity who work for the employer. Also be sure you're up to date on
developments in your field or industry by reviewing trade publications.

 Don't be surprised if the second interview is actually a series of interviews -- in both individual
and group/panel formats -- making for a long day. You may interview with managers, senior
executives, department heads, and prospective team members. You may also get a tour of
the workplace and be taken out to eat. For college students, this second-interview day may
represent the first time the student has been interviewed in the employer's workplace. Plan to
bring ample copies of your CV for all the people you may be meeting with.

 Do try to find out in advance exactly what the agenda will be and whom you can expect to
interview with. If you aren't given this information when the interview is set up, contact the
assistant of the main person with whom you'll be meeting to see what you can find out. If you
see that a workplace tour is not included on the agenda, ask if someone can show you
around as time permits.

 Don't forget the cardinal rule of panel interviews: As you respond to a question, maintain eye
contact with everyone on the panel -- not just the panelist who asked the question.

 Do be up on business dining etiquette if you are asked to dine with representatives of the
prospective employer.
 Do get a good night's sleep the night before this potentially grueling day. Also look for
opportunities to refresh yourself during the interview day. If there's a break in the action,
splash some water on your face or take a brisk walk to rejuvenate. You might want to take
along a pocket- or purse-sized snack in case there is no lunch break. Breath spray or a mini-
bottle of mouthwash is also not a bad idea. Be careful not to run out of steam toward the end
of the day. Maintain your energy, confidence, and enthusiasm.

 Do be aware that you might be asked to complete psychometric tests dealing with such things
as skills, intelligence, and personality. There's not a lot you can do to prepare for them -- but
that good night's sleep will help.

 Don't slack off with your interview attire. A second interview generally doesn't denote a more
casual interview.

 Do remember these three more words: Fit, Fit, and Fit. A major reason for the second
interview is so the employer can see how well you fit in with the company culture. Put yourself
inside the employer's head and realize that the interviewers at your second interview want to
learn how well you will get along with other team members with whom you'll be interacting
with every day. Deploy your very best interpersonal communication skills. Keep in mind the
idea of showing your fit -- but remember that it's OK not to fit. If you aren't a good fit with the
employer, you probably wouldn't be happy working there anyway. And remember, that this
interview is also your opportunity to determine whether the company is a good fit for you.
Think about whether you would accept if the employer extended an offer.

 Don't neglect to talk to other people beyond those you are interviewing with. Chatting up --
not too excessively -- the receptionist and prospective co-workers serves the dual purpose of
giving you a better feel for how much you'd like to be part of this workplace culture, as well as
making a positive impression on as many people as possible.

 Do expect to be asked some of the same questions you were asked in the first interview, but
some new ones as well. Second-interview questions may delve more into your personality, or
they may be more targeted toward specific technical skills -- or both. Plan to keep your
responses fresh yet consistent for each person you meet with during the second-interview,
and don't worry about repeating yourself since you will likely have a different audience every
time you give roughly the same response. If you've followed the advice above to obtain the
full list of interviewers, a good way to keep your answers fresh is to try to find out something
about each interviewer and tailor your response specifically to that person. You can also vary
your delivery to freshen your responses. Interviewing experts suggests that a good way for
the interviewer to get to know about your personality is through the quotes of others; for
example, tell the interviewer what your boss would say about you if asked.

 Do expect behavioral questions, which are commonly asked in second interviews, even if
they haven't been in asked in the first interview. Watch out also for off-the-wall questions. The
second interview is also a likely venue for case questions, especially in consulting firms.
 Do listen for clues that get at the heart of what the employer seeks in the person hired for this
position and key into the needs, concerns, issues, and problems that you would be expected
to handle.

 Do prepare for as many kinds of questions as possible. You've already interviewed with this
employer, but it wouldn't hurt to do a mock interview with a friend, family member, or career
counselor/coach to prepare for the second interview.

 Don't be shocked if some of the people you meet with aren't very competent interviewers.
While managers trained in interviewing often conduct first interviewers, the array of people
who might talk with you during the second-interview experience may include people lacking
skills and training in how to conduct an interview.

 Do be prepared with lots of questions to ask. You will likely have more opportunity to ask
questions in the second interview and will be expected to make more sophisticated inquiries
than you did in the first interview.

 Do get a feel for what second interviews are like.

 Don't be caught off guard if an interviewer raises the subject of salary and benefits. Be
prepared to negotiate. You may also be asked about your willingness to travel and relocate,
so be ready with your responses.

 Don't necessarily give an answer immediately if the employer makes an offer. Ask for a few
days to think about it.

 Do ask about the next step in the process if you don't receive an offer. How soon will a
decision be made, and how will they let you know?

 Do try to collect the business card of everyone you meet with. Keep a small notepad handy to
write down names in case there's someone from whom you can't get a card.

 Don't forget the send a thank-you note or e-mail to everyone you meet with. That's right --
every single person. Aren't you glad you collected those business cards? You can write the
same basic message to all, but vary it a bit in case they compare notes.
  Do realize that you have some degree of control if the interview process drags on. A job-
seeker who had gone on six interviews with one employer and still had not heard a decision
recently sought advice from an expert whose advice was that the first-choice response was to
simply ignore the indecisive company and pursue other opportunities. But he also noted that
the job-seeker could offer a polite ultimatum: "I appreciate that you have internal reasons for
this taking so long. However, I need to make decisions about some other commitments I'm
facing. I'd like to set a deadline for us both, say, two weeks? If your team can't make a
decision by that point, I need to withdraw my candidacy for the job and move on. I want you to
know how much I've looked forward to working with you. I know I can do this job profitably for
you, and I want to join your team."

 Do remember that most of the guidelines that apply to first interviews also relate to second
interviews.

Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Vitas and resumes both have similar purposes -- as marketing documents that provide key
information about your skills, experiences, education, and personal qualities that show you as the
ideal candidate. Where a resume and a curriculum vitae differ is their use, format, and length. This
article will help with your writing and preparing your vita.

A curriculum vitae -- often called a CV or vita -- tends to be used more for scientific and teaching
positions than a resume. Thus, vitas tend to provide great detail about academic and research
experiences. Where resumes tend toward brevity, vitas lean toward completeness.

Unlike resumes, there is no set format to vitas.

While vitas do not have the one-page rule of resumes, you need to walk the line between providing a
good quality of depth to showcase your qualifications and attract potential employer interest and
providing too much information thus appearing verbose and turning off potential employer interest.

Ready to Begin Preparing Your CV?

Typical vita categories or headings may include some or all of the following:

 Personal/Contact Information

--name
--address
--phone number(s)
--email

 Academic Background

--postgraduate work
--graduate work/degree(s), major/minors, thesis/dissertation titles, honors
--undergraduate degree(s), majors/minors, honors

 Professional Licenses/Certifications

 Academic/Teaching Experience
 --courses taught, courses introduced
--innovation in teaching
--teaching evaluations

 Technical and Specialized Skills

 Related/Other Experience

--other work experience

 Professional/Academic Honors and Awards

 Professional Development

--conferences/workshops attended, other activities

 Research/Scholarly Activities

--journal articles
--conference proceedings
--books
--chapters in books
--magazine articles
--papers presented/workshops
--ezine articles
--work currently under submission
--work in progress

 Grants

 Service

--academic
--professional
--community

 Academic/Research Interests

 Affiliations/Memberships

 Language Abilities/Skills

 Consulting
 Volunteer Work

 References
 Resume Critique Worksheet for Job-Seekers
 While it is always a good idea to get numerous people -- career professionals, former bosses
and colleagues, mentors, and the like -- to review and evaluate your resume, you might want
to first consider reviewing and critiquing your resume using this simple table. The most
important thing to remember is to be sure you totally understand each criterion -- and then be
completely honest on how your resume rates. (If you feel you cannot possibly be honest with
yourself, then get a professional critique.)

 Remember the purpose of your resume -- to create enough interest from the employer to
invite you to a job interview. A resume is a statement of facts (using keywords and action
verbs) -- that highlights your accomplishments, skills, and education/training.

 Here's a review of the ten factors you should use to evaluate your resume.

 Appearance/Style

For traditional formatted \"print\" resumes, appearance and consistency are critical. Your
resume must be professional. Stick to using only one to two \"normal\" fonts. Use font sizes
no smaller than 10 point. Keep colors to a minimum. Be consistent in the use of color, font,
size, and style (bolding, italicizing, underlining). Use normal (3/4-1\") margin widths. Don't use
resume templates; develop your resume from scratch -- with your own unique style. Use
bulleted phrases to describe your accomplishments, rather than lengthy (and hard-to-read)
paragraphs.

 Completeness/Length

A resume should give a complete picture of why you should be called for an interview;
however, that does not mean you need to include every job you have ever worked at in your
life. Indian resumes should rarely be longer than two pages (although you can have
supplemental pages for things such as grants, consulting, references, and the like), and for
entry-level positions, really no longer than one page. Some senior executives with exceptional
work experiences are sometimes deserving of a three-page resume.

 Content/Layout

Use standard resume headings. All resumes must include certain critical information, such as
contact information, experience, and education. Other sections include job objective,
professional profile, honors and awards, professional interests and memberships, and
keyword summary.

 Focus

Perhaps the most critical element of any resume is its focus. Your resume must have a
specific theme -- related to the position (and employer) you are seeking. Do not include
extraneous information on your resume. Whether you use a job objective or not, always keep
that objective in mind when writing the rest of the resume. Your resume must be written in
such a way that your job/career objective, as well as what you're good at, is obvious to
anyone reading your resume.

 Format/Approach

There are three types of resume formats: standard chronological, functional, and combined
chrono-functional. Job-seekers with a steady employment history in one field looking to
advance within that field should use a chronological resume that focuses on employment
history (starting with most recent). Recent college grads with a variety of work experiences
and job-seekers changing careers sometimes use a functional or chrono-functional resume.

 Perspective

Review your resume from the perspective of a hiring manager with just a few seconds to
review your resume. Your resume must be attention-getting, good-looking, and sharply
focused. Your resume should provide the employer enough reasons to invite you for an
interview.

 Professionalism/Integrity

There's simply no excuse for resumes to have any kind of misspellings or typos. Employers
often toss resumes with even just one error in the trash. The other issue is honesty. Your
resume is a statement of facts, so do not fudge your dates of employment, job titles,
certifications, or educational achievements. It's not only wrong, but more and more employers
are conducting background checks.

 Use of Accomplishments

In terms of job-hunting, nothing is more important than documenting all your

accomplishments. It's even better if you can quantify those accomplishments. Employers want
job-seekers who are problem-solvers with a proven record of success. Do not describe your
experiences in terms of duties and responsibilities.

 Use of keywords and action verbs

Action verbs are verbs that make your experience jump from the page. And while more
important in the days before e-resumes, action verbs are still important today. Keywords and
keyword phrases are vital because as more and more resumes are placed into large
databases, employers search for job-seekers the same way you use Google to search a topic
-- with one or more keywords.

 Versions

Job-hunting today really requires more than one version of your resume. You still need your
traditional \"print\" resume, but you'll also want to develop one or more electronic versions of
your resume. E-resumes come in a number of versions, including Rich Text, Text (ASCII),
Portable Document Format (PDF), and Web (HTML). Each type of e-resume has a different
benefit, a different use.
 Evaluate your resume. How well does your resume perform? Have you followed all the rules
and guidelines of good resume writing?

 Resume Critique Worksheet

Not
Yes No
Sure

Appearance/Style      
 Is your resume visually appealing?

Completeness/Length 
     
Is your resume complete, but not too long?

Content/Layout
Does your resume contain all the relevant      
information?

Focus
Is your resume sharply focused to your job      
objective?

Format/Approach 
Are you using the proper format -- and do you      
need more than one format -- for your situation?

Perspective 
Does your resume have what it takes to get      
noticed by employers?

Professionalism/Integrity 
     
Is your resume free of errors?

Use of Accomplishments
Have you identified one or more      
accomplishments for each experience?

Use of Keywords/Action Verbs

Have you included keywords and action verbs in      
your resume?

Versions
Do you have both print and electronic versions      
of your resume?

What Resume Format is Best for You?

Chronological. Functional. Chrono-Functional. Hybrid. Combination. Print. Formatted. RTF. Electronic.
Text. Scannable. PDF. Web-based. All of these are terms that are tossed around when people talk
about resume formats. How is a job-seeker supposed to know the best resume format i n any given
situation? Do you need more than one format? Just how many formats do you need?
First, it's important to note that the term "format" has a couple of different meanings. When people talk
about resume "format" they may be referring to:

 The way the content of the resume is organized.

 The technological approach to the resume's preparation according to how it is intended to be
delivered to its recipient.
 Both of the above.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of different types of resumes? What are the common
elements of all resumes? This article addresses these issues, giving you all the information you need
to write the best resume for you -- given your job history and job-search strategy. We primarily focus
here on the ways resume content can be organized but also touch on technological approaches to
resume preparation based on intended delivery method, which we expand on in our article [title and
link].
The Purpose of Resumes 

Your resume is a key job-hunting tool used to get a job interview. It summarizes your
accomplishments, your education, as well as your work experience, and should reflect your special
mix of skills and strengths.

A resume -- even the best resume -- will not get you the job; you'll need to convince the employer
during the job interview. The resume is simply a marketing tool to get you into the door.

A resume is a statement of facts designed to sell your unique mix of education, experience,
accomplishments, and skills to a prospective employer. Never lie or stretch the facts; do not get
creative when identifying your job titles, dates of employment, or accomplishments. On the other
hand, do not be modest; be clear about successes and accomplishments -- and quantify whenever
possible.

Key Attributes of All Resumes 

Regardless of the type of resume you create, a number of key elements overlap all successful
resumes.

1. Contact Information. Since your goal is for an employer to contact you -- either for a first
interview or for a follow-up interview -- you must give employers as many ways to reach you
as possible, including postal mailing address, email address, home phone number, cell
phone, etc.

2. Accomplishments. Focus the descriptions of your experiences on accomplishments, not

duties and responsibilities. Accomplishments, especially those you can quantify, will sell you
to a potential employer.

3. Education/Training. Include all the pertinent information regarding education, degrees,

training, and certifications. Spell out names of degrees. Include the educational institution's
name and location. If currently enrolled in an educational program, list expected graduation
month and year. Graduates should list graduation year if within the last 10 years.

4. Appearance. The first impression of your resume -- and of you as a job-seeker -- comes from
your resume's appearance. Your resume should be well-organized with consistent headings,
fonts, bullets, and style. Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some "white space" so that
important points can stand out; and try to make your margins between .75 \"and 1\" on all
sides. For print resumes, use subdued color paper, such as white, ivory, beige, light gray.

5. Avoidance of Typos/Misspellings. Take the time to carefully write, rewrite, and edit your
resume. Be sure to meticulously proofread your resume for misspellings and typos. Resumes
with errors get filed in the trash can.
 6. Targeted and focused. Tailor your basic resume to specific jobs and specific employers.
There is simply no excuse for having one generic resume anymore. Tweak each resume you
submit to the specific job you are seeking or to the specific employer.

Which Organizational Format? 

One of the first decisions job-seekers must make when preparing their resumes is how to organize the
resume's content. Today's resumes generally are:

 Chronological (actually reverse chronological, listing all your experience from most to least
recent).

 Functional, which lists experience in skills clusters.

 A combination or hybrid of those two types, sometimes known as a chrono-functional format.

Chronological Resumes 

The traditional, default format for resumes is the chronological resume. This type of resume is
organized by your employment history in reverse chronological order, with job titles/names of
employers/locations of employers/dates of employment/ accomplishments, working backwards 10-15
years.

A standard chronological resume may be your best choice if most/all of your experience has been in
one field, you have no large employment gaps, and you plan to stay in that same field.

The chronological resume is preferred by the widest variety of employers, as well as by recruiters and
many of the Internet job boards. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to like this resume format
because it's easy to read and clearly demonstrates your job history and career advancement/growth.
This format is also recommended for all conservative career fields (such as accounting, banking, law,
etc.) and international job-seeking.

Functional Resumes 

The resume format preferred by job-seekers with a limited job history, a checkered job history, or a
job history in a different career field, is the functional resume.

Job-seekers who take a functional approach organize their resumes by skills and functions clusters. In
a purely functional resume, company names, employment dates, and position titles are intentionally
omitted. The functional resume can work for homemakers returning to the workforce, for example, or
for new graduates entering the job market. The purely functional resume has very limited uses but can
be an excellent marketing tool if well done.

This resume format is the least common and least preferred by employers -- and most Internet job
boards do not accept this resume format.
Combination (Chrono-Functional, Hybrid) Resumes 

Because the purely functional format has become the subject of employer backlash in recent years,
some job-seekers have learned to structure their resumes in a mostly functional format but to also
include a bare-bones work history in reverse chronological order, creating what is variously known as
a chrono-functional, hybrid, or combination format.

The work-history section need include only job title, name and location of employer, and dates of
employment. You don't need to list what you did in each job because that information already is listed
in your functional sections.

The chrono-functional/hybrid/combination resume highlights outstanding skills and achievements that

might otherwise be buried within the job-history section while simultaneously presenting, yet
deemphasizing, the chronology of jobs. The focus is on clusters of transferable skills and the
experiences that are most relevant to the position for which you are applying. If you are open to more
than one type of job, you can reconfigure the functional skills clusters to emphasize the skills most
relevant to the particular job you seek.

Chrono-functional/hybrid/combination resumes suit a variety of job-seeker needs, such as a diverse

job history that doesn't add up to a clear-cut career path and situations where the job-seeker has work
experience that is related but not an exact link to desired position. Job-seekers who have large
employment gaps or many short employment stints prefer this format because it downplays
employment history. This type of resume also works well for older workers, career changers, and job-
seekers with academic deficiencies or limited experience. While the chrono-
functional/hybrid/combination resume is more acceptable to employers than the purely functional
format, some employers are unaccustomed to functional formats of any kind, finding them confusing
or even annoying. Some employers like to know what exactly you did in each job.
Recruiters/headhunters particularly disdain functional formats, so this approach should never be used
if you are primarily targeting recruiters with your job search. As noted, employers in conservative
fields are not big fans of functional formats, nor are international employers. Functional formats, even
chrono-functional, also are not acceptable on many online job boards.

More than One Format? 

Your resume is one of the most fundamental tools of job-seekers, so take the time and care to
develop the best resume based on your previous work experience and job-search aspirations. For
some job-seekers, this process may result in both a chronological resume and chrono-functional
resume. For example, our subsidiary, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, recently had a
client with a strong background as a product manager in banking. Unfortunately, she had moved to an
area where few banks had their corporate headquarters, so opportunities in her field were limited. She
had to be open to other jobs that used her transferable project/product management, marketing, and
customer-service skills. For those jobs, she used a chrono-functional format to emphasize
transferable skills and position her for a possible career change. But she hadn't given up on
approaching banks in her new locale, whether as a potential product manager or in a closely related
position. Therefore, she still needed a traditional chronological resume, both because banking is a
conservative industry and because a chronological format was still her best bet for obtaining a job
similar to her previous positions.

Which Technological Format? 

Once you developed your resume, your final step is to determine whether you need multiple versions
of your resume based on how you will deliver your resume to recipients.

More than 80 percent of employers are now placing resumes directly into searchable databases and
an equal percentage of employers prefer to receive resumes by e-mail. That means that it's an
absolute must these days to have:
  A formatted, "print" resume in document form that you can send as an attachment to an e-
mail message to the employer.

 A text-based (ASCII text) e-resume stripped of most formatting and pasted directly into the
same e-mail message sent to the employer (can also be pasted into application/resume
submission forms on online job boards).

Sending your resume in text-based format directly in an e-mail message removes all obstacles to an
employer's placing your resume right into a searchable database. If that's the case, why do you still
need the formatted, "print" resume in document form sent as an attachment? Because the employer
may want to print out your resume to review it, especially once the database search has narrowed
down the candidates. The formatted, print version will be more reader-friendly than the text-based
version. You'll also want to have a print version of your resume on hand to take to interviews and
career fairs and for occasions when employers request resumes in "old-fashioned" ways -- by mail or
fax.

Some employers still prefer the formatted document version of your resume attached to an e-mail
message, while others won't open attachments because of concerns about viruses and
incompatibilities among word-processing programs.

A dizzying alphabet soup of delivery formats comprise other options to consider. Scrutinize employer
instructions carefully to see which format is preferred for any given opportunity to submit your resume.
If in doubt, contact the employer and ask about submission preferences. Here's a quick rundown:

 Text (ASCII) resume, which removes all formatting and allows the resume to appear the same
in all email systems -- and allows for easy placement into employer resume databases.

 Rich Text (RTF) version, sometimes used for online job boards (such as Monster, FlipDog,
HotJobs) or for sending as an attachment that is reasonably compatible across platforms and
word-processing programs.

 Portable Document Format (PDF) resume that is also highly compatible and consistent in
appearance across platforms, though difficult to place directly into databases.

 Web-based resume in hypertext markup language (HTML) to make your resume available
24/7 on the Web. Easily expandable into a Web portfolio.

 Scannable resume, which is similar to a text resume although used increasingly less often
these days since e-mailed resumes can go directly into databases and don't require the extra
step of optical scanning.
As you might imagine, any number of versions of your resume are possible, including both
organizational formats and technical formats. You could, for example, have both chronological and
chrono-functional versions of your resume in print, text, RTF, PDF, HTML, and scannable file formats,
for a total of 12 versions of your resume! Add to these the tweaks you make to target your resume to
specific jobs/employers, and the possibilities are virtually endless.

In the end, the most important lesson here is that the days are gone when a job-seeker developed
one resume format and printed 100 copies of it on high-quality paper. In today's job market, resumes
need to be modified and fine-tuned at a drop of the hat, as well as available in multiple versions. In
fact, electronic resume versions are taking over as the most popular formats for resumes. Still, there
will probably be a need for years to come for attractive, eye-catching print resumes with appropriately
organized content.

Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume

You probably have about 30 seconds to convince a potential employer that you deserve an interview.
A resume summarizes your accomplishments, your education, and your work experience, and should
reflect your strengths.

What follows is an outline of a typical chronological resume -- best suited for entry-level job-seekers or
those who have stayed in the same field. Career changers and those job-seekers with varied work
experiences and accomplishments may want to utilize a functional resume style.

Here are the key components of a standard chronological resume:

Identification

It is essential that a potential employer can reach you.

This section should include your name, address, phone number(s), and e-mail address.
If a college student, this section might also include a school address and a permanent home
address.

Job Objective

A job objective is optional and should only be included for new college grads and those
changing careers. Otherwise, use your cover letter to show your career interests and job
objective.
If you do use an objective, make sure your objective explains the kind of work you want to do,
and keep it between two to four typed lines.

Key Accomplishments

Some resume experts are suggesting adding a section that highlights your key
accomplishments and achievements. Think of this section as an executive summary of your
resume; identify key accomplishments that will grab the attention of an employer.
This section should summarize (using nouns as keywords and descriptors) your major
accomplishments and qualifications
This section can also be labeled "Professional Profile," "Summary of Accomplishments," "Key
Skills," "Summary of Qualifications," or "Qualifications."

Education

For new college grads, this entry should be your next. For others with full-time work
experience, this section should follow your experience section.
 This section should include school(s) attended (including years of attendance),
majors/minors, degrees, and honors and awards received.
For new grads only: There appears to be a growing trend of employers wanting your scores in
this section. If you decide to do so, make sure to use the scores that puts you in the best light
-- either overall score, school or college score, or major score.

Professional Experience

This section can also be labeled "Experience, "Work History," or "Employment." We like using
experience -- especially for new college grads, because experience is broader than work
history, allowing you to include major school projects that showcase your skills and abilities.
This section should include company name, your job title, dates of employment, and major
accomplishments. List experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with your most
current experience.
List your accomplishments in bullet format (rather than paragraph format). Avoid discussing
job duties or responsibilities.
If you don't have a lot of career-related job experience, consider using transferable skills to
better highlight your work experience.
Finally, make sure to make use of action verbs when describing your accomplishments.

Affiliations/Interests

This section is optional; include only if you have room on your resume for it. Items from this
section are often used as an ice-breaker by interviewers looking to start an interview on an
informal basis.
This section should only include professional memberships and non-controversial
activities/interests.

References

Many experts say this section is passe, but if you have room, include it. If nothing else, this
section signals the end of your resume.
This section should only include a statement saying references are available upon request.
Do not include the names of your references on your resume.

Avoid These 10 Resume Mistakes

This article describes the ten resume mistakes seen often. All are easy to fix.
Don't make these resume mistakes:

1. Resume lacks focus.

A sharp focus is an extremely important resume element. Given that employers screen resumes for
between 2.5 and 20 seconds, a resume should show the employer at a glance what you want to do
and what you're good at. In a recent study employers wanted resumes to show a clear match
between the applicant and a particular job's requirements. A "general" resume that is not focused on a
specific job's requirements was seen as not competitive. In an even more recent study, 71 percent of
hiring managers preferred a resume customized for the open position.

One way to sharpen your focus is through an objective statement. Your objective statement can be
very simple and straightforward; it can be simply the title of the position you're applying for, which can
be adjusted for every job you apply for. Or you can embellish your Objective statement a bit with
language telling how you'll benefit the employer. Something like:

Objective: To contribute strong ________ skills and experience to your organization

in a _________ capacity.
In this day of being able to manage our own computer files, you could have several versions of your
resume that are essentially the same except for the objective. A specific objective is always better
than a vague or general one.

To sharpen your focus, you can also add a section called something like "Summary of Qualifications,"
"Profile," or the like. Such a section can contribute to powerful resume opener that draws the reader
in; it can be part of the top third of your resume that showcases your best selling points, catches the
prospective employer's attention, and immediately demonstrates your value as a candidate. "Think of
this section as an executive summary of your resume. Identify key accomplishments that will grab the
attention of an employer."

You can use your Profile/Summary section to position yourself for each job you target by tweaking the
wording to fit each type of position.

2. Resume is duties-driven instead of accomplishments-driven.

Resumes should consist primarily of high-impact accomplishments statements that sell the job-
seeker's qualifications as the best candidate.

Never use expressions such as "Duties included," "Responsibilities included," or "Responsible for."

That's job-description language, not accomplishments-oriented resume language that sells. After all, if
you were an employer and wanted to run a successful organization, would you be looking for
candidates who can perform only their basic job functions, or would you want employees with a
proven track record of accomplishments? In these days in which most resumes are placed into
keyword-searchable databases, you won't find employers searching resumes for words like
"responsibilities," "duties," or "responsible for."

Instead, focus on accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates. In each job, what
special things did you do to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else? What
did you do to make it your own? What special things did you do to impress your boss so that you
might be promoted? What were the problems or challenges that you or the organization faced? What
did you do to overcome the problems? What were the results of your efforts? How did the company
benefit from your performance? How did you leave your employers better off than before you worked
for them? How have you helped your employers to:

 make money

 save money

 save time

 make work easier

 solve a specific problem

 be more competitive
  build relationships

 expand the business

 attract new customers

 retain existing customers

Accomplishments are the points that increase reader's interest, stimulate a request for a job interview,
and really help sell you to an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties. Content elements
that propel employers to immediately discard resumes include a focus on duties instead of
accomplishments, while documented achievements were highly ranked among content elements that
employers look for.

Some job-seekers list accomplishments in a separate section or isolate accomplishments from

duties/responsibilities when describing their job functions. I don't support this practice because
everything on your resume should be accomplishments-driven. If you label only certain items as
accomplishments, the reader's assumption is that the other things you did were not accomplishments.

Be sure also that the accomplishments you list support your career goals and that you tailor them to
the job you're targeting with this resume.

3. Resume items are listed in an order that doesn't consider the reader's interest. 

The Resume Ingredients Rules say that information on a resume should be listed in order of
importance to the reader. Therefore, in listing your jobs, what's generally most important is your
title/position. So list in this preferred order: Title/position, name of employer, city/state of employer,
dates of employment. I can't tell you how many resumes I've seen that list dates first. Dates can be
important to some employers, but they're generally not as important as what your position was and
whom you worked for.

Education follows the same principle; thus, the preferred order for listing your education is: Name of
degree (spelled out: Bachelor of _____) in name of major, name of university, city/state of university,
graduation year, followed by peripheral information, such as minor and score. If you haven't
graduated yet, list your information the same way. Since the graduation date you've listed is in the
future, the employer will know you don't have the degree yet.

By the way, the Resume Ingredients Rule is also the reason that experience and education are listed
in reverse chronological order on your resume; it's assumed that your most recent education and
experience are most important and relevant to the reader.

Also consider whether your education or your experience is your best selling point and which should
therefore be listed first. Generally, brand-new graduates list education first, while job-seekers with a
few years of experience list experience first. When job-seekers add value to their education by
attaining an MBA or other graduate degree, they often switch education back to the more prominent
position because it now becomes the hot selling point

4. Resume exposes the job-seeker to age discrimination by going too far back into the job-
seeker's job history.
The rule of thumb for someone at the senior level is to list about 15 years worth of jobs. Age
discrimination, unfortunately, is a reality, and even more likely, employers may think you're too
expensive if you list too much experience on your resume. Similarly, don't provide the date of your
college graduation if it was more than about 10 years ago.

5. Resume buries important skills, especially computer skills, at the bottom.

There are few jobs today for which computer skills are not important. Yet many job-seekers, even
those in technology fields, tend to tack a "Computer Skills" section to the end of their resumes. If
computer skills are relevant to your field, list them in your Summary or Profile section. That way,
they'll catch the reader's eye in the first third of your resume. If you are in the technology field, list your
technical skills in a separate section called something like "Systems Proficiencies," but be sure it's on
the first page of your resume.

Similarly if language and international-business skills are important in the type of job you seek, list
them in your Summary or Profile section, not at the end of your resume.

6. Resume is not bulleted.

Use a bulleted style to make your resume more reader-friendly. In the above-cited study by Career
Masters Institute, use of bullets was the 2nd-highest ranked preference by employers, and density of
type (paragraphs rather than bullet points) was ranked highly as a factor that would inspire employers
to discard a resume.

Use bullets consistently. Some job-seekers bullet most of their resume but don't bullet the
Profile/Summary section, for example. Or they will list the overall scope and responsibilities for each
job in an unbulleted section before beginning a bulleted section describing accomplishments. Given
that the reader can't easily discern a rationale for why some material is bulleted and other material
isn't, it's best to bullet consistently throughout the resume.

7. Resume uses a cookie-cutter design based on an overused resume template.

Most resumes created from a Microsoft Word template are instantly recognizable to employers as
such. There's nothing wrong with that except that employers have seen a million of them, so they
don't stand out. The employer immediately senses a certain lack of imagination in the job-seeker.
These templates are also somewhat inflexible and contain problematic formatting. Using a template or
any kind of boilerplate to demonstrate your value to a company is the worst thing you can do to
yourself when job hunting.You're supposed to be uniquely qualified so the company will choose you
instead of some cookie-cutter drone -- right? Do you really want a template?

8. Resume lacks keywords.

Job-hunting today increasingly revolves around the mysterious world of keywords. Employers'
reliance on keywords to find the job candidates they want to interview has come about in recent years
because of technology. Inundated by resumes from job-seekers, employers have increasingly relied
on digitizing job-seeker resumes, placing those resumes in keyword-searchable databases, and using
software to search those databases for specific keywords that relate to job vacancies. Most Fortune
1000 companies, in fact, and many smaller companies now use these technologies. In addition, many
employers search the databases of third-party job-posting and resume-posting boards on the Internet.
More than 80 percent of resumes are searched for job-specific keywords.

The bottom line is that if you apply for a job with a company that searches databases for keywords,
and your resume doesn't have the keywords the company seeks for the person who fills that job, you
are pretty much dead in the water.

9. References are listed directly on your resume.

Never listed specific references directly on your resume. List them on a separate sheet, and even
then, submit them only when specifically requested by an employer.

Even the phrase, "References: Available upon request," is highly optional because it is a given that
you will provide references upon request. If you couldn't, you would have no business looking for a
job. The line can serve the purpose of signaling: "This is the end of my resume," but if you are trying
to conserve space, leave it off.

10. Resume's appearance becomes skewed when sent as an e-mail attachment and/or resume
is not available in other electronic formats.

Have you ever noticed that when you send a resume (or any document) as an attachment from your
computer to someone else's computer, it sometimes doesn't look the same on the other person's
computer as it did on yours? Maybe it has more pages on the other computer, or maybe Page 2 starts
at the bottom of Page 1, or maybe the fonts are different.

If you are regularly sending your resume as an e-mail attachment, you may want to experiment with
sending it to friends' computers to ensure that the formatting appears consistently from computer to
computer.

Beyond a resume that can be sent as an e-mail attachment, it's crucial these days to have at least
one type of electronic version of your resume for sending via e-mail and posting to Internet job
boards. It's an absolute must these days because, as noted earlier, 80 percent of resumes today are
placed directly into keyword-searchable databases.

The Top Ten Things You Need to Know about E-Resumes and Posting
Your Resume Online
The e-resume, short for electronic resume, is a vital tool for today's job-seeker. But what exactly is an
electronic resume? Even among career experts, opinions vary about what is or is not an electronic
resume. It's a broadly used term that covers several types of resumes. What ties these resume types
together is mode of delivery. Rather than traditional modes of resume delivery -- snailmail, faxing, and
hand-delivery -- e-resumes are delivered electronically -- via e-mail, submitted to Internet job boards,
or residing on their own Web page. Then there are sort of middle-tech cousins of e-resumes,
scannable resumes -- used less and less frequently these days -- that are in print format but are ready
to become electronic resumes through optical scanning. Learn the 10 things you truly must know
about e-resumes.

1. You absolutely MUST have one.

A job-seeker simply cannot succeed these days with just the traditional formatted resume intended to
be printed out as a visually pleasing marketing piece. The formatted "print" resume is still important,
but it can no longer be the only resume tool in your kit.

More than 80 percent of employers are now placing resumes directly into searchable databases and
an equal percentage of employers prefer to receive resumes by e-mail. Eighty percent of Fortune 500
companies post jobs on their own Web sites -- and expect job-seekers to respond electronically. All
these stats mean that you need at least one other version of your resume that can go directly into a
keyword-searchable database with no obstacles. Formatting that needs to be removed before the
resume can be placed in a database is an example of such an obstacle.

Sending your resume in text-based format directly in the body of an e-mail message removes all
barriers to an employer's placing your resume right into a searchable database. Some employers still
prefer the formatted document version of your resume attached to an e-mail message, while others
won't open attachments because of concerns about viruses and incompatibilities among word-
processing programs. And since the formatted version of your resume is often delivered electronically
as an attachment, it too can be considered a type of e-resume.
The formatted "print" resume is still vital because the employer may wish to visually review your
resume, especially once the database search has narrowed down the candidates, and the formatted,
print version will be more reader-friendly than the text-based version. You'll also want to have a print
version of your resume on hand to take to interviews and career fairs and for occasions when
employers request resumes in "old-fashioned" ways -- by mail or fax.

It's nearly impossible to conduct a job search these days without some type of e-resume -- whether
plain-text, formatted, or Web-based. In fact, it's a safe assertion that the only job-seekers who won't
need an e-resume are those who want to work for an employer that does not own a computer.

So, at the bare minimum, you need a formatted, print version of your resume and a text-based (ASCII)
e-resume. To cover every contingency, you might also want to have a Rich Text (RTF) version, a
Portable Document Format (PDF) version, a Web-based (HTML) version, and a scannable version.

2. Your e-resume must be loaded with keywords.

This advice really relates to all resumes in the era of the keyword-searchable database, but it's
especially important for e-resumes. Job-hunting today increasingly revolves around the mysterious
world of keywords. Employers' use and eventual dependence on keywords to find the job candidates
they want to interview has come about in recent years because of technology. Inundated by resumes
from job-seekers, employers have increasingly relied on digitizing job-seeker resumes, placing those
resumes in keyword-searchable databases, and using software to search those databases for specific
keywords that relate to job vacancies. Most Fortune 1000 companies, in fact, and many smaller
companies now use these technologies. In addition, many employers search the databases of third-
party job-posting and resume-posting boards on the Internet.

The bottom line is that if you apply for a job with a company that searches databases for keywords,
and your resume doesn't have the keywords the company seeks for the person who fills that job, you
are pretty much out of luck.

3. Your e-resume must be accomplishments-driven.

Again, this advice applies to all resumes. Accomplishments are the points that really help sell you to
an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties. In fact, there's a direct relationship between
keywords and accomplishments in that keywords can be tied to accomplishments rather than job
duties, so a good way to make the leap from keyword to a nice, contextual bullet point is to take each
keyword you've identified as critical to the job and list an accomplishment that tells how you've used
the skill represented by that keyword.

4. Technically speaking, an e-resume is not too difficult to create.

It's surprisingly easy to create an e-resume once you get the hang of it. There's more that one way to
create a text-based e-resume, but the most common method involves saving your word-processed
(usually Word) resume in text (.txt) format, re-opening it in a text editor program, such as Wordpad,
Notepad, or Mac's Simple Text, and then making a few adjustments in it. Even a Web-based HTML
resume is not that hard to craft.

5. Text-based e-resumes are the ugly ducklings of the resume world, but you can dress them
up a bit.

Job-seekers and resume writers have strived for years to develop ways to make resumes visually
appealing and graphically interesting -- through font choices, bold and italic type, rule lines, bullets,
centering, indents, and more -- only to have all that formatting thrown out the window in the e-resume
world. Text-based e-resumes are the antitheses of the gorgeous documents that job-seekers hand to
employers at interviews and career fairs. The fact is that most e-resumes aren't intended to be
visually attractive because their main function is not to be seen but to be searched in keyword-
searchable databases.
Still, they may be seen at some point. Employers may see the resume you've posted on an online job
board. Their primary interest is whether the content of your resume (indicated largely by keywords)
shows you to be qualified for the opening you've applied for and/or for which the employer is
searching the database. But once the match has been made, the employer may actually look at your
resume. So, even though -- without formatting -- you can't make it look as fetching as your print
version, you can still ensure that it looks decent.

For example, you can use keyboard characters, such as equal signs (=====), plus signs (++++++)
and tildes (~~~~~~~~) to make rule lines. You can use asterisks (*****), hyphens (-----), lower-case
letter o's (ooooo), and carats (>>>>>) to make bullets. You can use UPPER CASE for emphasis in
headings.

Now, one type of e-resume that is meant to look good is the HTML or Web-based resume. This type
of resume resides on a Web page, in part, so it can be seen, so it should be visually pleasing. While
it's not too difficult to make an HTML resume look attractive, the more you know about Web design,
the better you can make the resume look. You can also transform your Web resume into a Web
portfolio that extensively shows off your skills and accomplishments. If you're not confident of your
skills, you might want to enlist a Web designer or resume writer in this process.

6. E-resumes are highly versatile.

Once you have a text-based e-resume, you can do a lot with it, including:

 Post it in its entirety on many job boards.

 Paste it piece-by-piece into the profile forms of job boards that have a rigid setup and don't
allow resumes to be posted as is.

 Paste it into the body of an e-mail and send it to employers.

 Convert it to a Web-based HTML resume.

 Send it as an attachment to employers, although you'll probably also want to send your
formatted version.

 Print it out and use as it a scannable resume.

7. You must tailor the use of your e-resume to each employer's or job board's instructions.
As you might have guessed from what you've read so far in this article, there is no universally
accepted way to submit your e-resume to an employer. Some employers want your resume as an
attachment, usually as a Word document (but if no format is specified, and you can't find out, RTF is
the safest bet). Others want your resume as text pasted into the body of an e-mail message. Still
others want you to paste your resume into an online form.

If you absolutely cannot find out an employer's preference, the following is a fairly safe bet:

 A formatted, "print" resume in document or RTF form sent as an attachment to an e-mail

message to the employer. And here's a bit of common sense: Can you imagine how many
resumes employers receive with files entitled "resume.doc" or "resume.rtf?" Use your name
as part of the file name for your resume. Example: RaviGupta.rtf.

 A text-based e-resume stripped of most formatting and pasted directly into the same e-mail
message into which your print resume is attached. Since the employer has this text-based
resume, he or she can choose whether or not to open the attached version, based on
compatibility, virus protection, and company policy on opening attachments. For a truly
complete e-mailable, electronic package, add a text-based cover letter stripped of formatting
and pasted directly into the same e-mail message into which your print resume is attached.
Your cover letter can contain verbiage that points out the e-resume options you're providing:
"I have attached an MS Word version of my resume, as well as pasted a plain-text version
below. (If the plain-text version is sufficient for your database, it is not necessary to download
the formatted attachment.)"

The same lack of universality goes for job boards. Some enable you to paste your resume into a form
in any format, but the board automatically converts it to text. Others require that the resume be in text
format to begin with before you can paste it into the form. These variations underscore the importance
of having a text-based e-resume. We learned that a text-based e-resume is not only vital for boards
with a text-resume requirement -- but also extremely helpful when the boards convert any resume to
text. Just because a job board turns your resume into text doesn't mean it will look decent; it's better
to have a text resume to begin with so you know it will look appropriate when pasted in.

Also note that some job boards/employers limit the number of words or the size of the file that you can
paste into any one field. Others have a very rigid format for constructing your resume/profile that does
not allow for functional or chrono-functional resume formats, for example.

8. Take advantage of job-board features to protect yourself and get the most out of posting
your e-resume on the boards.

Most reputable job boards have features that enable you to protect your own privacy and
confidentiality, control who sees your resume, mask the identity if your current employer (so your
employer doesn't know you're looking), and easily edit and delete your resume or change it from
active to inactive.

These privacy and confidentiality issues are more important than ever these days in light of recent
revelations of identity theft of resume information.

Many boards also enable you to create multiple profiles for yourself so you can look for various types
of jobs. Some permit you to submit a list of your top skills. Resume submission forms generally have
questions in addition to a place to submit the actual resume. Some questions are mandatory; others
are optional. When a question is optional, consider whether it is to your advantage to answer it.
Answering questions about salary or location requirements, for example, may be too limiting.
9. A few finishing touches can increase your e-resume's effectiveness.

Here are a few tips from the experts for getting more out of your e-resume:

 Use the "Properties" feature in MS Word to boost the keyword searchability of your attached
Word resume, advise Kendall and Whitcomb. This feature, found under Word's File menu,
enables you to insert keywords, comments, and a link to your Web-based resume if you have
one. You can use the "Comments" field to enter geographic and relocation preferences.

 A similar trick applies to using HTML commands called meta tags in creating a Web-based
resume. The "description" command, for example, gives you up to 150 characters to provide
a description of your document. Make sure you use words that highlight your experience and
skills. The "keywords" command gives you limited space to enter critical keywords. Be sure to
use keywords that you think employers and recruiters might use in searching for the position
you are seeking -- and make sure those keywords are also listed at least once (perhaps in a
"key accomplishments" section) in your resume.

 Do some test runs of the formatted print resume you intend to send to employers as an
attachment by sending it to the computers of a few friends to see if the formatting is
consistent from computer to computer. Try to find testers who each have different versions of
Windows (95, 98, 2000, XP), as well as a tester or two using Mac OS.

 It's best to include your cover letter in the body of your e-mail rather than as an additional
attachment because some systems can't handle multiple attachments.

 Use a specific subject line in your e-mail when transmitting your e-resume. The subject line
might include the reference number for the job, your name, the name of the position, and a
concise keyword-oriented selling point about you.

Professional Resume and Samples

We\"re pleased to present our professional resume (and CV) samples, which showcase just a few of
our most popular resume formats, layouts, and designs.

We\"ve categorized the more than 20 professional resume samples as follows:

 For Established Job-Seekers

 For Senior-Level Professionals
 For IT Professionals
 For MBA-level Professionals
 Curriculum Vitae (CV)
 For New Graduates
  Text Resumes

I. For established job-seekers:

Sample Chronological Resume 

A standard chronological resume may be your best choice if most/all of your experience has been in
one field and you plan to stay in that field. Note the "Areas of Expertise" and technical-skills keyword
sections in this sample.

Sample Chronological Resume: Cosmopolitan Design 

This sophisticated chronological resume really stands out, yet is dignified enough to complement most
professions. This sample contains a keyword summary.

Sample Chronological Resume: Creative Design 

This chronological resume design -- which boasts a bit of pizzazz -- works well for creative
professions, such as marketing and advertising.

Sample Chrono-Functional Resume: Classic Design 

Chrono-functional resumes suit a variety of job-seeker needs, such as a diverse job history that
doesn\"t add up to a clear-cut career path.

Sample Chrono-Functional Resume: Conservative Design 

A chrono-functional resume, like this sample, is often the best choice if you\"re a career-changer who
wants to transition to a new field that is different from what all your previous experience points to.

Do you need both a chronological and chrono-functional resume?  

You might if you are targeting different types of jobs. Perhaps you are open to one type of job that is
very similar to your professional background, but you\"re also open to jobs that represent a shift in
your career focus.

II. For Senior-Level Professionals:

Executive Keyword Resume: 2-page Chronological 

Our most popular design for senior-level executives, this resume format substitutes eye-catching
keywords for the traditional objective statement.

Sample Chronological Resume: Corinthian Design 

We maximize your credentials and skills with the keyword section (Areas of Expertise) in this
chronological resume.

III. For IT Professionals:

Sample Chronological Resume for IT Professionals with Projects: Executive Keyword Design 

A keyword section showcasing skills can be very important for job-seekers in the information-
technology field, as in this chronological example that shows several consulting engagements for
various clients under one employer. Note that numerous consulting projects of relatively short duration
may require a 3-page resume.

Sample Chronological Resume for IT Professionals: Modular Design 

This eye-catching style features a keyword section showcasing technical skills.

IV. For MBA-level Professionals:

Sample Chronological MBA Resume: Executive Keyword Design 

We spotlight your MBA credentials and skills in this Executive Keyword chronological resume.
Sample Chronological MBA Resume: CleanLine Design 
Your MBA credentials and skills are highlighted in this attractive chronological resume.

V. Curriculum Vitae (CV):

In the U.S., a curriculum vitae (CV) is often used for medical and scientific positions, as well as
positions in higher education. 
Outside the U.S., the CV is the more widely used job-seeking document.

Sample Curriculum Vitae for Medical Professionals 

Sample Curriculum Vitae for Academic Professionals 
Sample Curriculum Vitae for Science Professionals 

VI. For New Graduates:

Sample Chrono-Functional New Graduate Resume: Copperplate Design 

A design variation on the chrono-functional resume for college students and new grads. Note that
while college students should strive for 1-page resumes, those with exceptional experience can have
a second page.

Sample Chronological New Grad IT Resume: Classic Design  

This design for new grads in the information-technology field contains our reader-friendly keyword
section showcasing computer skills. Note that while college students should strive for 1-page
resumes, those with exceptional experience can have a second page. This resume style is also
available in a chrono-functional format.

VII. Text Resumes:

Sample Chronological Text Resume: Text Design 

Text resumes are by necessity not as attractive as their print counterparts, but we employ a few tricks
to dress them up, as in this IT sample.

How to Obtain and Use References and Recommendation Letters

As a job-seeker, one of your most important assets is your stock of professional references. Both
letters and phone recommendations can elevate a good candidate to a top choice and drop a good
candidate down to the no-longer-considered pile. It's important that you manage your
recommendations carefully to leverage them in the best possible way.

The most important thing is to ask people who have good things to say about you to be your
references. This advice seems to be obvious, yet there are a number of times that checked
references have given mixed reviews. When you ask for references, it is recommend doing so via an
indirect method, such as email. Indirect approaches allow a recommender to decline much more
easily than a direct approach. Again, you want a good reference, so if you are not sure if you will get
one, give the recommender an out by phrasing your inquiry this way: " Mohan, I plan to begin a quiet
job search in the next two weeks. Do you feel you know me well enough to provide a reference about
my leadership/basketball/conflict management/accounting skills?" If the recommender declines, don't
be angry -- be thankful. Unless the reference is glowing, you don't want it -- even a lukewarm or I-
don't-really-know-her-very-well reference can be damaging.

Collect letters of recommendation from colleagues and supervisors at every position. Today's job
searches go quickly, and a fast search timeline may make it difficult to secure letters of
recommendation. Avoid this scenario by asking for letters of recommendation for your "file." About two
weeks before you leave a position, but after you have given your notice, ask for a letter that you can
keep on file for any future job searches, grant applications, or fellowships. If you are consistent, you
will have a number of recommendations ready to go at any time they are needed. Don't just ask
supervisors for recommendations, however, think of colleagues you've worked well with, and if
possible, try to get a letter from someone who has worked for you.
It's OK to be directive with your referees (nicely of course). Assign each a role: "Asha, I'd like your
reference to focus on my leadership skills;" "Shilpa, please focus your discussion on how well I work
in teams;" "Mrs. Mukherjee, can you emphasize my ability to work on short deadlines?" In this way,
your recommendations can be tailored not only toward the type of work you did with the referee, but
the skills that stood out the most.

Keep in touch with your references. As you progress in your job search, keep your references up to
date. It is always helpful for them to have a copy of the job description and the company. Make them
aware that they may be called and give a timeframe for the contact. You may also want to give your
reference some direction at this time. For example: "During the interview, the director of HR, Ms.
Ramaswamy, kept asking me questions about my ability to prioritize tasks. I get the feeling this skill is
a big deal for them. When you talk to her, can you work that in?"

As important as keeping your references up to date during the search is thanking them afterwards.
Regardless of the outcome of the search, let your references know what happens, and be sure to
extend your thanks for their efforts, particularly if they had to produce a letter quickly for you.

Tips for Obtaining Stellar Recommendation Letters 

Always give your reference-writer plenty of time. Nothing is worse than a rushed letter.

Make sure that asking someone to write you a letter or recommendation and giving them the materials
to do so are separate processes. If you aren't sure you can withstand rejection, send an email to you
a potential reference. Always provide your reference a copy of the position description (for a job) or
the program description (for graduate school) and a current copy of your resume. No one can know
everything about you, and it's very helpful to have the entire picture.

Ask your reference to address specific skills and competencies in his/her letter. Dividing
responsibilities in references is a very smart strategy. One reference can address not only your great
personality, but also your event-planning skills. Another can address your super personality but
highlight your counseling and disciplining skills.

Always, always, always thank your reference-writer. The writer took time to compose a letter for you -
you should at the very least return the favor. Similarly, keep your reference writer in the loop -- did you
get the job? Get into the program? When you do, write another thank-you note.