Cover letters can be a great way to get your foot in the door at a company that you want to work for.  A cover letter is usually sent in the body of your email with an attached resume when applying for a job.  They tend to be of great importance in this stage of your job search because it highlights your qualifications, skills, and why you would be an asset for the company.  Career Columnist Eve Tahmincioglu, says that cover letters are even more important for social media and tech job seekers. “Today companies want tech employees who are critical thinkers, well-rounded and do more than just tech speak, these things are hard to convey in a résumé.” 

Hiring managers prefer a customized cover letter for a position, because it shows that you are actually applying for thatposition.  Often, job seekers blindly send their resumes out , so taking the time to write a cover letter specific to the job you are applying for shows that you are truly interested in that position!  Also, a lot of times, the first person to see your application is a human resources manager, who may not know much about the computer programs and technical projects on your résumé.  The cover letter can be an opportunity to draw them in with a personal touch.

Cover letters are more important now than ever before because of all the social media platforms out there.  A study shows that 45% of employers are screening social media profiles, and another 11% plan to do the same in the near future.  According to this study, roughly 35% of candidates have not been hired due to content found on their social networking sites.  Due to these statistics, many career experts think sending a cover letter is a crucial step in landing a job these days. 

Mark O’Connor, staffing manager at oil company Tesoro, says he doesn’t read much into cover letters, particularly for tech jobs — but adds that it doesn’t mean applicants shouldn’t bother to send them. “They should be short functional summaries of their relevant experience,” he says.  O’Connor’s team of recruiters focuses on developing relationships with candidates via social networks.  From there, they’re more concerned about the details that lie within the résumé and try to learn more about their past experience.

Here are a few cover letter tips:

• Make sure it’s brief and to the point
• Tell all about your accomplishments
• Be creative and don’t just summarize your resume
• Your letter should serve as an introduction to your resume

In my opinion for all you job seekers, whether you are looking to get a job doing Social Media, IT, or in any other industry, it is important to set yourself apart from everyone else.  Although it’s not necessary to send a cover letter, I do think that is important that you sell yourself by sending a cover letter and tailor it to the specific job you are applying for.  A cover letter is still valuable and can help you by setting you apart from everyone else trying to get an interview for the same position.  Make sure you take the time to research writing a cover letter and do it the right way! 

 If you are interested in career opportunities, make sure to check out our website.

Sources:  http://mashable.com/2011/02/05/cover-letter-tech-jobs/#

                  http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/#

Age is nothing but another number in the job seeking game!

It seems older job seekers are in limbo during the current economic and hiring landscape. Recent reports from the U.S. Labor Department earlier this month show that unemployment rates are lower for older workers than other age groups. However, that being said, the same report shows that it actually takes these individuals longer to find a new job than any other age group. What does it all mean for the older job seeker in today’s employment landscape?

Older, mature professionals are now job seekers for a number of reasons. Some older job seekers may get discouraged and lose confidence because of their age. However, if you are an older job seeker, stay positive! In today’s evolving job market, not only have the types of jobs out there changed, but so have the individuals who make up the current workforce. Remember that as seasoned professionals, older job seekers are great resources for any company, filled with loads of information and experience!

There are several steps an older job seeker can take to make the most of their job search. First and foremost, take a career inventory. Make a list of all the positions previously held. What tasks were completed? What accomplishments were made? One of the biggest obstacles for older workers is that they may be overqualified for jobs they’re applying to, so try to narrow down experience to what’s really important. Completing this exercise will help get your job search in gear by identifying potential opportunities and serving as a reminder of accomplishments achieved over the years.