Do you want to know a secret about resumes and cover letters? Employers sometimes put more emphasis on a cover letter than they do a resume, so not focusing on yours can significantly reduce your chances of landing a job. It’s easy to spend a lot of time crafting your resume and not focus on the other important aspects of a job application. An executive resume cover letter gives an HR manager a glimpse of who the person really is behind a resume, so it deserves some time and attention.
Another good reason for a cover letter is that even though you hear that many recruiters don’t read them, there are also many recruiters that WON’T read your resume without a cover letter. Here are some other reasons why your cover letter is important.
Cover Letters Make You Stand Out
Standing out is difficult to do when you think about the hundreds of resumes an HR manager has to sift through for any given job post. Your cover letter gives you the chance to fill in any blanks left in your resume, such as employment gaps, transitions, achievements or anything else. Instead of being a supplement to your resume, your cover letter should be an extension of it to tell your complete career story to your potential employer.
Cover Letters Show Your True Self
When writing cover letters for resumes, you have the opportunity to show your personality. Companies want to hire someone with the right skills and experience, but also someone who will fit culturally. Writing in a natural tone will show your true self and help an employer decide if you would be a good fit with the team. If it doesn’t seem like you would fit in well, then you’ll save time by not going to an interview or getting hired only to find out you simply don’t get along with your co-workers.
Sell Yourself With Your Cover Letter
Finally, your executive resume cover letter gives you the chance to sell yourself. You have a blank page to say whatever you want to about yourself, so don’t hold anything back. Let the employer know what you can offer them, how you’re best suited for the position you’re applying for and what your short-term and long-term goals are. Keep it concise, but get your point across clearly with the goal of making the HR manager impressed enough to want to meet you in person.
Professional Resume Services is here to help write resumes and cover letters for executives searching for a new job. We focus on all the details of a job search and know exactly what recruiters are looking for in a cover letter. To learn more about how we can help you enhance any aspect of your job search, feel free to contact us at any time.
Anyone who has applied for a job before should know the importance of having a quality resume. If you’re searching for your executive dream job, even the tiniest mistake on your resume can lead to you missing out on a great opportunity. Writing resumes that get you hired can be challenging, so you definitely need to take your time and focus on the details to prevent a mistake from happening. Here are our top five ways to give you a better chance at landing your dream job.
Highlight Relevant Achievements
Most executive resume writers have a knack for identifying the most relevant achievements pertaining to a job you’re applying for. The key here is to think about the achievements relevant to the job you want, rather than the job you have or had. Something you accomplished may have been great for your previous company, but if it doesn’t translate into potential success for your dream company, then it won’t strengthen your case.
Don’t Focus Solely On Previous Job Accomplishments
The best resume writing service will ask you for as many previous job accomplishments as you can think of. However, it doesn’t mean all of them should be included on your resume. Always keep the job you’re applying for in mind when writing a resume. Provide an important accomplishment from a previous job, but be sure to clearly indicate why the skills you used can help at their company as well.
Use Numbers and Statistics
Numbers and statistics are your friends when it comes to writing resumes that get you hired. In a page full of text, a number will stand out when an HR manager scans through the resume. Just make sure the numbers you put on your resume are important, since it will get their attention.
Don’t Get Too Wordy
You have about six seconds to impress an HR manager with your resume to keep it in the stack for consideration. If your resume is more than two pages and is filled with big blocks of text, it may not even get read. Keep it short and to the point, and only highlight the most important accomplishments to give yourself a better chance to be considered.
Keep Your Resume Simple and Clean
Finally, a simple and clean resume is better than a long and detailed one. And we can’t emphasize enough the importance of proofreading it thoroughly. Many people use professional executive resume writers to proofread their resume one final time before submitting it, just to make sure an important detail wasn’t missed.
Professional Resume Services takes great pride in helping executives land the job of their dreams. No matter where you’re at in the job search process, we will help you in any way we can. Be sure to contact us if you’re struggling with any aspect of your job search and we will do our very best to help you continue your career where you’ve always dreamed to be.
Have you heard you shouldn’t apply for jobs during the holidays, since companies aren’t hiring anyway? This is one of the most common myths we hear this time of year. Not only is the statement not true, but it’s actually the opposite in some cases. Companies always accept resumes and cover letters because they don’t want to miss out on a quality candidate. Here are some of the top myths about holiday hiring you may hear, but shouldn’t believe.
Myth #1: Companies Don’t Hire During The Holidays
In most cases, a company is going to hire a candidate if the perfect person walks into their office. The holiday season may be slower from a job seeker’s standpoint, but it rarely has an impact on whether a company is hiring. In fact, some companies prefer to hire at the end of the year because they know the candidates who apply will be serious since they are conducting a job search throughout the holidays. So choose the best executive resume writing service and send in your resume.
Myth #2: People Are Too Busy To Network
This is actually the opposite during the holidays for most companies. The end of the year rush can be intense for some people, but there’s always time to network and be social. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated and reach out to business connections when you have a chance. This is a great time of year to connect or reconnect, and you never know when it could lead to an opportunity.
Myth #3: Jobs Posted During The Holidays Are Temporary
Some jobs are only temporary to get through the holiday rush, but it’s not fair to make this a general statement. And besides, temporary jobs can sometimes end up being a permanent job if you do the job well. You can always ask the employer if you’re concerned with the type of job being offered, but if it’s not specifically stated, you should assume the opening is for a full-time position.
Myth #4: Budget Constraints Prevent Hiring During The Holidays
Sometimes a company has extra money to invest at the end of the year, but sometimes it doesn’t. You shouldn’t refrain from writing resumes and cover letters just because you think a company won’t hire you during the holidays. Many companies leave room in their budget for an end-of-year hiring so then they have their staff in place to begin the new year.
Professional Resume Services is here to help you develop your LinkedIn profile, craft the perfect resume or cover letter or assist with any aspect of your holiday job search. If you’re planning to look for a new job to start the new year, you shouldn’t delay any further. Feel free to contact us to learn more about holiday hiring myths and why you should update your resume today.
Being aggressive with an executive job search doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be pushy or demanding. Aggressiveness actually means spending a significant amount of time developing the best resumes and cover letters tailored to the job and company you’re applying for. There’s still a time and place for a follow up after you’ve applied for a position, but the vast majority of your work should be done beforehand. Here are some tips to consider throughout your job search.
Tailor Your Resume Specifically For The Job
Writing general resumes and cover letters won’t get you very far. One of the best things you can do is look at the details of all the requirements and insert the keywords you identify into your application papers. You may think an HR manager or recruiter won’t be able to know you’ve sent in the same resume to multiple different companies, but they’ve likely filtered through thousands of resumes in their career to know the difference between a general and specific one.
Read The Job Application Thoroughly
Missing a critical detail in a job application is a guaranteed way to be removed from consideration. For example, if a specific work sample is required for the application, not including one shows your lack of attention to detail. No matter how much you follow up, they will remember you didn’t follow directions from the application, so what makes them think you can follow directions if they hire you?
Make Connections
Once you’ve put together your best executive resume biography and filled out the job application perfectly, wait a week or two before following up. In the meantime, feel free to make connections with the HR manager or other company personnel via LinkedIn or other networking platform. Just be sure to optimize your LinkedIn profile before your reach out so it helps your case instead of hurting it.
Follow Up At Appropriate Times
Following up on a job application is important and effective if done at the right time. As mentioned, wait at least one week after you submit your application before you follow up. There’s sometimes no way to tell if your resume and cover letter get lost in the shuffle, so sending a quick email displaying your interest is recommended. A follow up email is an aggressive way to move your job search forward, but be sure to draw the line between being aggressive and being pushy.
Professional Resume Services wants to be involved with all aspects of your executive job search. We can help you optimize your LinkedIn profile, craft the perfect cover letter or resume or even provide tips on how to show the right amount of aggressiveness during your job search. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re in need of assistance at any point during your job search.
There’s always a good time and a bad time to change jobs, but most of the time it isn’t dependent on the time of year. Your own personal situation should play a larger role in determining when the time is right to make a job change. With that being said, there are some advantages to making a job switch during the holidays, if you’re looking to do so. Many professional executive resume writers have their busiest weeks right now, as executives are looking to find a new employer before the end of the year. Here are some things to consider if you’re considering making a job change this holiday season.
Companies Are Definitely Hiring
Don’t put your job search on hold just because you think companies aren’t hiring. Companies today rarely stop hiring, and if they do, it’s not because of the holidays. Writing resumes that get you hired can be challenging if you haven’t had to craft yours much over the years, so you can always seek out a professional resume writer this time of year. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity this holiday season, so don’t delay in sending in your resume and job application to companies who interest you.
A Change of Scenery Can Boost Morale
The holidays should be a joyous time of year for many reasons. If you’re not feeling the joy, it could be because of your job situation. Sometimes a change of scenery in the workplace is all you need to boost your morale. Spend a few days on LinkedIn profile writing so you have an up-to-date profile if a potential networking opportunity arises. Reaching out to other professionals and executives via LinkedIn can lead to potential job opportunities during the holiday season and beyond.
Don’t Miss Out On Great Opportunities
Any time you put a job search on the back burner, you’re potentially missing out on a great job opportunity. Continuing to write resumes that get you hired during the holiday season could give you a better chance to land a job than you would have otherwise. Many times the competition level will be lower during this time of year, since other potential candidates put their job searches on pause. Take advantage of this by staying active in your own job search.
Professional Resume Services consists of a team of professional executive resume writers experienced with helping executives like you land the job of their dreams. There’s never a bad time to update your resume, and there are more advantages than disadvantages to changing jobs during the holidays. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re thinking about changing jobs soon and need to brush up your resume.
It’s human nature to want to receive a response very shortly after sending in your executive resume for a job application. However, the reality is an HR manager likely has to filter through hundreds of resumes on top of their other job duties, so a quick response rarely happens. That doesn’t mean you should never follow up though. Your executive resume writing service will tell you there’s a right time to follow up, as well as a right way to go about it. Here are some tips to consider once you’ve sent in your resume.
Wait At Least One Week to Follow Up
The HR manager or recruiter likely won’t be contacting anyone for at least one week, so give them time to sort through the stack of resumes. Another tip to consider is sending in your follow up in the middle of the week, since Monday’s are generally the busiest days and Friday’s are more relaxed.
Choose Email Over Other Communication Methods
When writing an effective resume, you likely sent your job application for consideration via email. But even if you didn’t, your follow up should still be sent over email rather than a phone call or an in-person visit. Those two methods demonstrate aggressiveness and could be perceived as pushy. Email shows you’re interested in knowing the status of your application, but will give the recipient time to respond at their leisure.
Consider LinkedIn For A Follow Up
An HR manager’s email inbox may have been flooded with new applications, including yours, so sending a message through LinkedIn could be a welcoming change for them. Just be sure you’ve focused on your LinkedIn profile development prior to reaching out, since your profile will likely be looked at closely. A LinkedIn message could prompt the HR manager to dig through their stack of resumes to find yours, since matching a name with a face is ideal in most situations.
Show Interest Without Being Desperate
Desperation doesn’t look good on anyone. Instead of simply asking what the status of your application is, send in a letter of recommendation along with why you’re interested in working for their company. The key to an effective follow up is giving them something to remember you by.
Professional Resume Services is here to help you with anything related to your executive job search. Whether you need some assistance with your LinkedIn profile development, writing an effective resume or knowing what to include in your follow up email, we are here when you need us. Feel free to contact us at any time to learn more about our services.
Getting ready for the holidays can be challenging enough where it’s tempting to put your job search on hold. Besides, companies don’t actually hire new employees during the holiday season, right? This is a common misconception people have. Many businesses actually experience slower times during this time of year, so they have time to do more hiring. So before you delay writing a professional resume until next year, here’s why you should get started on it right away.
Competition is Reduced During The Holidays
Many people have the same thoughts you may have had, which means there will be fewer job applicants during the holidays. Take advantage of the reduced competition and tidy up your executive resume bio to send in. There’s a decent chance you’ll land an interview you may not have landed at other times of the year.
Don’t Believe The Myth – Companies Do Hire During The Holidays
If you don’t believe us, just check the numerous online job boards at any given moment. You’ll find there are thousands of jobs available for immediate hire. Any HR manager will likely tell you they are always looking for quality professionals to interview, and they aren’t going to let the holidays be a reason why they miss out on the perfect candidate.
Better Networking Opportunities
With the relaxed nature this time of year brings, it’s the perfect time to revamp your networking efforts. If you haven’t spent much time on your LinkedIn profile development recently, now is the time to get your profile up to date. You’ll see social events almost anywhere you go between now and the end of the year, so take advantage of it and connect as much as you can. You never know when it will lead to an immediate job opportunity.
Consider Temporary Jobs
Even if a particular company you’re interested in working for isn’t hiring at the moment, you could get your foot in the door with a temporary job. Most of the time, temporary executive job offerings aren’t the result of the holiday season, but rather, end-of-year budget concerns. Depending on where a company stands with their budget, they may not be able to hire a full-time employee in December, but you will be eligible for full-time employment shortly after the start of the new year.
Professional Resume Services is here for you when you need help writing a professional resume. Employers don’t stop hiring during the holidays, and we don’t stop helping professionals like you land the job of your dreams. Feel free to reach out to us at any time for assistance with your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile development, or any other aspect of your holiday job search.
When you’re crafting the perfect executive resume, you may struggle with what information to include and what information to hold back. Some accomplishments get left off of resumes because you don’t want to feel like you’re boasting about certain things or functions. While this humility is a great characteristic to have, you also need to make sure you’re including all the key components of writing an effective resume. Here are some of the most common accomplishments executives don’t include on their resume, but should.
Volunteer Projects
As an executive, it’s easy to think only your work accomplishments should be included on your resume. However, volunteer projects you’ve worked on are important to include today as well. The top rated resume writing services will always ask you what you’ve accomplished outside of your employment. These projects could be completely unrelated to your career, such as helping out with your child’s school functions or similar projects. Being well-rounded in all aspects of life is attractive to potential employers today.
Leadership Projects
Think about all of your leadership projects or experience you’ve had in the past. Leadership doesn’t mean you have to hold the title of being a boss or supervisor, either. Demonstrating leadership qualities as a member of an executive team is just as important as holding a title for a leadership position. Most professional executive resume writers can identify the important leadership positions and qualities you have when you tell them about the different aspects of your previous job. As an executive, demonstrating any leadership qualities will prove valuable for the job you’re applying for, as well as advancement opportunities later on.
Ideas You Had Adopted By Your Company
Did you have a great idea from a brainstorming session with your team? The top rated resume writing services will tell you to include these ideas in your resume. This not only shows you can think quickly, but you’re also intuitive and confident enough to share your thoughts in a group setting. The importance of a team has never been more important than today, so an executive who comes up with great ideas to move business forward is a valuable part of any organization.
Professional Resume Services wants to help ensure you have the strongest resume possible before you apply for an executive job. Our professional executive resume writers can help you brainstorm your accomplishments and identify the most important ones, so contact us today to see how we can take your executive resume to the next level.
