Job Seekers: Include a Solid Cover Letter to Have a Bigger Impact

“Please send your résumé and a cover letter.”

Ugh.

There it is. The dreaded second ask. Here you were hoping that you could get away with just sending a résumé, and now you have to scrape together a cover letter … and you hate cover letters.

Sound familiar? Because I hear it often.

I haven’t met too many people who actually enjoy writing cover letters, and I can understand why. However, a cover letter can serve as a great opportunity to stand out from other applicants if you choose to take advantage of writing an effective one.

So, how do you make one effective?

Keep it really simple; two-thirds to three-quarters of a page max. Whoever gets your cover letter will not want to read a long letter but will more likely than not read a concise and compelling one.

The first two items on the page are your address and the date. Place those in the upper left-hand corner followed by a space and then the hiring manager’s name and job title (if you can find it) followed by the company’s address; just like with any formal business letter.

The first paragraph (which is one sentence long) states who you are and why you are writing to them. This can be in response to a specific job posted or because you simply have an interest in the company even if there is no job posted. Yes, you can (and should) do that if you’re really interested in a particular company.

Next paragraph (which is separated by a space), two or three lines about the company and any recent news you’ve uncovered in your research. For example, a congrats on their new product line that you’ve seen in your local store or maybe a recent acquisition that you read about.

Then, two or three lines on what you think the pain points are for the hiring manager. They all have them, especially when they are looking to fill roles. Get out in front of it and make a guess based on the job description. If you can tie it back to the previous paragraph, great; if not, that’s okay. In either case, you’ll likely either be right on the money or really close with your assumptions.

For example, “Given the recent acquisition of XYZ Inc. and its vast assortment of products, I have to imagine there is a need to not only integrate the products into your company’s larger portfolio, but also to develop and execute a cohesive marketing strategy to build awareness of this new-look product line.”

Next, illustrate a personal business achievement of yours that has some parallels to the pain point you just mentioned in the previous paragraph.

When I say illustrate, I mean tell a (very brief) specific story of how you achieved or accomplished something that made your current or previous role better in some way. It’s so much more interesting for the reader and also allows you to infuse a little personality into these typically dry letters.

Finally, express your interest in wanting to learn more about the role and the company.

End it.

That’s it. Interesting and to the point. You are putting a majority of the focus on the hiring manager and not yourself. Most job seekers do just the opposite; they just talk about themselves and their skill sets.

Don’t do that.

A hiring manager is not going to take the time to piece your experience together to determine if you could possibly be a good fit. He or she will do the easier thing instead and move onto the next résumé.

Do the work and SHOW them that you’re worth speaking to about the role.

Okay, I got all that, but these still take time and I’m busy. Can’t I just use a generic cover letter instead?

HR professionals and hiring managers can sniff out generic cover letters in two seconds. It’s a wasted opportunity and, more importantly, could actually make your first impression a negative one.

Take the time to do a little research about a company to show your interest and then make the majority of the cover letter about the company and the hiring manager.

This approach will help you stand out from dozens (if not hundreds) of other applicants.

How Far Back Do I Need to Go on My Résumé?

The reality is, there are no “rules” when it comes to résumés; and this is a great thing. Clients always tell me that they want to stand out. Well, the only way to stand out is to write your résumé differently than everyone else.

The point of a résumé is to help you land an interview. That’s it. It therefore needs to highlight achievements and accomplishments. Also, it does not need to be a full list of every position that you've held over your career.

It is neither necessary nor required to go back to the very beginning of your work history on a résumé. In fact, in some cases, it can actually be detrimental. For example, I work with clients of all different ages. Many job seekers in their 50s are very concerned about ageism, which sadly, is a real issue in many companies. An interviewer is not allowed to ask someone how old they are and a job seeker has no obligation to disclose that information on their résumé. A job-seeker’s first or second job 25 or 30 years ago is not relevant to the job they are seeking in 2018. Yes, that job helped form them into the professional they are today, but that does not mean that it still belongs on a résumé.

Additionally, if you are at least 10 years removed from college, take your graduation dates off of your résumé and your LinkedIn profile. A degree is a degree; the date is irrelevant.

As a general guide, if you have been working for 10 years or less, keep your résumé to one-page max. For all others (with the exception of academic CVs, etc.), keep your résumé to two-pages max. I've worked on plenty of résumés and this can be quickly accomplished by either eliminating weaker bullet points within a position or by simply eliminating older jobs from your past.

Your résumé is your marketing document, not a legal document. It should be accurate but also simply relevant to what you have accomplished and how those accomplishments can best serve you in your next opportunity.

For more information on writing an effective résumé, please visit my résumé page here.

jeffmagnusonconsulting.com

Easily Bring Confidence to Any Job Interview

There are various tactics that you can use to reduce your nerves and bring confidence to job interviews. I want to focus on two in this article.

The most important tactic is to change your mindset about the interview itself.

So many job seekers put a tremendous amount of pressure on themselves for interviews, and rightfully so. Many interviews are conducted with the candidate having no insights into the personalities of the people he or she will be meeting with or what questions he or she will receive. Everything about that is unnerving.

The main thing that you can do is to realize that interviews are a two-way street. You are interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing you. So many candidates give their power away by assuming that a company has all the control in these situations.

They do not.

Let’s take a moment to look at job openings from a company’s perspective.

Companies hire based on their needs, not their wants. Every legitimate job opening needs to be discussed and approved beforehand as new hires are a significant expense for a company. Once a position is approved, the company then has the task of finding the right candidate.

Companies typically get a ton of résumés to sift through but that does not mean that the right candidate is included in the stack. Furthermore, finding new employees can be stressful for companies and especially the hiring managers; particularly if they are desperate for help.

If a hiring manager’s team is already stretched thin, a larger attrition risk could be a possibility if the personnel openings are not addressed promptly. If that should happen, then the department could be at risk as very few managers will want to have to both rebuild and retrain a brand new team while also trying to move the business forward. Finally, if a company does not act relatively quickly once a headcount is approved, then there is a risk of that allotted headcount being withdrawn because of a frozen or cut budget.

Therefore, if you approach interviews with the understanding that a company does not hold all of the cards in the meeting, because of its own needs and potential risks, then you can be more confident and therefore more relaxed.

Also, interviews are just discussions and nothing more. You have to be impressed with the company just like they need and want to be impressed with you.

The second main thing is to prepare. This may seem painfully obvious but there are candidates out there who do not take the time to learn about the company and its competitors. If the company is public, read their annual report and their 10-K to learn about the highlights as well as the main issues facing the company. Additionally, have a set of answers for standard interview questions that you will very likely get. Showing that you did your homework will go a long way, especially if you feel like you stumbled or gave a weak answer to a question. In the end, the more prepared candidate will stand out.

By changing your mindset and taking the time to learn about a company, you will be able to relax, be confident, and even enjoy the interview process.

And remember, if you don’t like what you’re hearing about the role or the company, or if an interviewer is unprofessional in any way, then you can simply say thanks, but no thanks…and look elsewhere.

You have more power than you realize.

Current First-Year MBA Students: Yes, You Can Still Change Careers

Before we get into this topic, let me address one thing. Anytime is really the best time to switch careers, whether you’re in business school or not. However, this post is specifically for those folks who are in their first-year of business school. I was in your position 8 years ago and want to pass along some insights that can potentially help you navigate an uncertain road ahead.

For those of you who started in your first year of business school thinking that you’d pursue Career Path ABC and are now rethinking whether Career Path ABC is REALLY what you want – AND/OR – if you’re definitely sure that Career Path ABC is not what you want but you’re wondering if it’s too late to switch careers since 25% of business school is already completed; I’m here to tell you that it’s not too late to switch.

There is a lot of work that you’ll need to do as well as some short-term concessions that you MAY need to make and accept in order to pull this transition off, however.

Before we get into this further, let’s discuss why switching career paths would even be considered ‘late’. It has to do with the structure of many business schools and the timing of company representatives who come onto campus to visit. Many, if not all, initial company visits take place in the fall semester and if you didn’t meet them initially (like I didn’t), then you’re potentially at a slight disadvantage when it comes to competing for the upcoming summer internships.

But all is not lost. Not even close.

The good news is that you most likely have a couple of more weeks to organize yourself and refocus your efforts before school starts up again in mid-January.

If changing career paths is something that you’re considering, you’ll need to make this a priority for your second semester and have a plan.

Below are some tips on how to make the switch, based on my personal experiences from a few years ago.

1. Go to your school’s career center

Immediately. Let the person in charge of the section for your NEW career direction know your situation. In fact, if they are already back in school while you’re still on break, set up time to speak to them before you get back to school. Simply ask them what you need to do in order for them to best help you. For example, your résumé will very likely need a refresh.

Your career center will absolutely be a great resource for you but really, the best people who can help you are current second-year students so…

2. Set up time to speak with several second-year students

Take the guess work out of the transition and talk to second years. There are plenty of them who will be happy to help you. Who knows, maybe one, two, or several of them have also decided to switch when they were first-year students and can therefore help you navigate the road ahead.

3. Filter all new information and listen to YOU

Getting advice and talking to friends and others about your decision is a great idea but just be ready for a flood of opinions. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, their advice will be valuable but don’t let someone try and talk you out of anything. We’re talking about your professional future here. This is not some trivial decision. Weed out the speculative opinions and most of all, trust your gut with everything. It’s your best guide.

4. Make a company list and try to set up informational calls and/or meet ups.

If you didn’t get a chance to speak to company representatives at the career fair or during company presentations, don’t sweat it. Try and find someone who is on the ‘recruiting team’ for the school and see if he or she is willing to speak to you. If they are, make sure that you are prepared with your story and solid questions. Keep the call to 30 minutes max and take a ton of notes.

More importantly, don’t limit yourself to just the companies who visited your school. Reach out to other companies that you have an interest in. What’s the worst that will happen? They don’t return your email? So what. There are plenty of companies out there looking for motivated business school students.

5. Think longer term because the short-term may not be so smooth

I had to take an internship a year after I completed my MBA in order to switch careers to marketing (You can read about that in this article). This is what I mean by concessions. Your friends may be on the ‘standard’ track where they have internships lined up that may lead directly to full-time offers. Great! This isn’t about them. It’s about YOU, so stay focused on what YOU want out of your professional life and realize that switching now may simply mean that your career path will look a little different than someone else’s career path.

It doesn’t matter how it looks. It’s all good.

6. Smile – this is awesome

If you feel deep down that this new direction is EXACTLY what you want, that is a really big deal! Don’t take the easy way out because, before you know it, business school will be over and trying to change direction AFTER that will be even more challenging. Business school is set up for you to change your life, but you have to put in the work to make it happen.

7. Relax and be confident

You’ll encounter skeptics along the way; including people who you’re interviewing with. Shoulders back, smile, and own your decision. You have your reasons – share them. There are plenty of hiring managers who want to hire passionate people who aren’t guided by fear. If people try to dissuade you or tell you some horror story, just smile and nod. You can tell them that you actually know someone who changed careers and he considers it to be the best professional decision of his life. That someone would be me, and that’s why I’m sharing this.

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The time earning your MBA is special and unique. It’ll be over before you know it but if you take the steps now, even if it means more work with several rejections along the way, trust me, it will all be worth it a couple of years from now when you’re doing something that you truly enjoy.

jeffmagnusonconsulting.com