careers4bid.com

Letters are described as written messages using various characters to convey or relay certain information.

It had be one of the oldest forms of communication, dating way back during the ancient Egypt. Written messages before, had been the only form of communication of people from different locations.

But with the advancement of modern technology, this has been just one of the many options for communication. Other forms had been introduced such as the use of telephones, telegraph and email messaging.

Letters are used for various reasons or purposes such as the following:

1. Personal communication of friends or relatives

2. Formal communication for business or office use

3. Public announcement

Cover letters in specific are used to introduce a need or a much broader topic. These are usually used for:

1. Application for a job posting or vacancy

2. Introduction in submitting a quotation for offered product/s or service/s

If the cover letter is used for applying for a vacant job post, the following should be included in the content of the letter:

1. An explanation on why the individual is sending a resume.

All resumes should have an accompanying cover letter that would explain what post the individual wants to apply for.

2. Indicate from where one had heard of such vacancy.

It would be of help if one would be specific in indicating where he or she had heard of the job vacancy, that is if it was from a television ad, from a certain website or through word of mouth.

Indicating the name of the individual who suggested that an application be sent or written is likewise appropriate.

3. Catchy enough for the reader to want to read your resume.

The letter should be polite and not over-demanding or too confident, so much as to arose interest to look upon the attached resume.

4. It should focus on the selling points of the individual.

This may include the education attained, past work experience or previous posts held, ever so slightly touching the said topic but not too much so as to loose interest to further read the accompanying resume.

5. The attitude of the individual should be a reflection of the letter.

Enthusiasm for work, politeness and motivation should all emanate from the letter so as to give the employer an overview of the individual’s positive points.

6. Any other information that is requested by the employer.

If the needed information is not stated in the letter or the attached resume, the individual should state the availability of the information upon personal appearance or request.

Below is the proper formatting of the cover letter for application purposes:

1. State the current date

2. Indicate the name to whom the letter would be forwarded

3. Designation and address of the person on number 2

4. An opening paragraph that is catchy or would arouse the interest of the person reading the letter.

5. The middle paragraph should point the interest of the applicant and should have created a desire on the part of the reader to consider for the position the sender of the letter.

6. The following paragraph should subtly direct the reader to read the attached resume.

7. The closing paragraph should ever so slightly hint or suggest a certain action from the reader, that is, the sender could state his or her available time for an interview, if needed.

By: Jimmy Sweeney

About the Author:

Are you frustrated with trying to write your own resume?

Are you bogged down with information overload or just where to begin?

You need a plan, a guide to assist you in writing your resume.

You need a resume outline!

When a person needs to build a house they use a blueprint. It contains all the information needed to construct it from the print.

When a person needs to write a resume they need to use an outline. The outline of a resume is the blueprint to resume writing success. It centralizes all of the information needed to write a resume making it easier to target them to specific job announcements.

Generally speaking the majority of resumes contain the same basic information as outlined below:

Outline of a Resume

Top of Page (usually centered)

Your name Home address Home phone number Cell phone number (or other contact #) Email address (make sure it is a professional email & not a nickname)

Objective Statement (optional)

The objective statement should be targeted to a specific job announcement for which you’re applying.

Example: Seeking a position as a Volunteer Coordinator for Mokena Humane Society

Qualification/Career Summary (optional, but I recommend using it with all resumes)

Over ten years experience in production management. Adept at meeting organizational objectives while meeting the needs of employees Proven ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure

Education (list all relevant education)

Degrees (highest 1st) Certifications Training Work Experience/Employment History Current or most recent position Continue listing pertinent work experience

Activities & Associations

Organizations Associations Student government Community activities

Special Skills

Foreign language Typing Computer/Software any other skills that “fit” the specific job description

Honors & Awards (formal recognition you’ve received)

Professional Academic Community

Set aside at least 2 or more hours when writing your resume outline. Don’t forget to gather all the pertinent materials you’ll need such as current and past employment data, education information degrees/certifications, reference information (names, addresses, phone numbers), and any job announcements for which you plan to apply.

Spending the necessary time upfront will save you time in the long run. Your resume outline is the blueprint to success containing everything you need to fill-in-the-blanks of your resume regardless of the format (chronological, functional, or combination).

By: Jeff Melvin

About the Author:

Did you know that there are ways to write the perfect administrative resume that will help you get the job of your dreams? First of all, your resume should start with your objective, which naturally is the job you are applying for. Everything else that you include in the resume must relate back to this objective. You have to show that you have the skills the employer is looking for in an administrative assistant.

A resume is more than a simple list of your work experience, skills and education. It is a way of showcasing yourself to prospective employers. Through the resume, employers should be able to see at a glance whether or not you meet their needs. They should also gain enough information about you from the resume that they feel they know you already and want to meet you in an interview to gain more information.

When you list your skills and experience on a resume, use bulleted points, rather than detailed paragraphs Employers don’t like wordy resumes, so you don’t need to go into great detail describing your accomplishments or duties at previous locations. They want to simply get a snapshot of your skills and then make a decision about whether or not you would fit with the company. Keep in mind that your resume will be one of hundreds, so you have to make it stand out.

One way to make a resume for an administrative assistant position stand out is to highlight strengths and prior work that would impress prospective employers. For example, the words “monitored”, developed”, supervised” sound much better than “worked on” wrote or “looked after”. It will also give the employer the impression that you are a professional in your field.

A resume should never be longer than 1- 2 pages. You don’t want to bore your prospective boss, just try to get him/her to offer you a position. The resume should be free of any mistakes in spelling or grammar and should not contain any negative comments.

You need to include the main points of your work experience and education to show that you are capable of anything that would be required of you as an administrative assistant.

In summary, your resume should:

• Show off your skills to prospective employers
• Be clear and concise
• Entice the employer to want to know more about you
• Be free of negativity and mistakes

By: Jay Tokarz

About the Author: