Cover Letter Guide Writing Your Best Cover Letter for 2017

Cover Letter Guide Writing Your Best Cover Letter for 2017The titelseite letter is often the underappreciated sibling of the resume. Its a little left-behind these days, as more companies turn to engines that churn resumes through algorithms, searching for keywords. But dont count out the cover letter yetits still a mandatory part of the job application package for many companies, and even when its elend, you can still use it as a tool to get your resume noticed. So as you think about revamping (or writing one for the first time), lets look at some of the most important info you can have at your disposal. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Why Do You Need a Cover Letter?Again, many job openings now only call for a resume, especially when the posting is online, or youre using a job search engine. And at any rate, weve certainly moved past the days where youd type and print a full-on cover letter on fancy paper and paperclip it to your resume with care. Yet many jobs still ask you for a cover letterwhy? Because even when your package is seen first by robot eyes, eventually it will make it to a human reader. And the cover letter is as valuable as ever at providing narrative and context for the resume itself. So while you should have one ready to go for any opportunities that may come up, its important to know whats trending in the cover letter worldImportant Cover Letter Trends for 2017And before you get started, its also important to know what not to do, so you dont make mistakes the hard wayWhy You Shouldnt Start Your Cover Letter with To Whom It May Concern5 Cover Letter Mistakes That Will Cost You the InterviewWhat Goes Into My Cover Letter?Once youve decided to move ahead with your cover letter, and you have a good sense of what you shouldnt be doing in said cover letter, its time to write the sucker. What should be included?4 Steps to Writing a Kick-Ass Cover Letter5 Effective Cover Letter Techniques That Will Get You the JobHow to Write a Killer Cover LetterHow to Write a Cover Letter That Gets You Noticed5 Must Haves for a Cover LetterWhen youre writing, its key to use strong, active words that show how dynamic and productive you are, professionally.Powerful Action Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Look Like a 1000000 BucksWhat If I Need a Cover Letter Thats Not Really a Cover Letter?If youre cold-calling jobs or sending your resume somewhere it hasnt been solicited, you should write a letter of intent. Its similar to a cover letter, but isnt quite the same. (Think Pepsi vs. Coke.) Weve got you covered on letters of intent too, dont worryHow to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples)Do You Have Tips for My Particular Field?Here at TheJobNetwork, were constantly working on spotlighting different fields, but if youre in one of these fields and writing a cover letter, then you are already in luckHow to Write a Perfect Teacher Cover LetterHow to Write a Perfect Admin Assistant Cover LetterHow t o Write a Perfect Human Resources Cover LetterEven if youre not in one of these specific fields, youll find helpful tips and tricks that you can apply to your own letter as well.And there you have ityou should be good to start your own cover letter Congrats on not neglecting this oft-overshadowed piece of your applicant package, and boosting your chances of getting to the next steps.

With Student Debt at an All-Time High, This STEM Scholarship is Changing Lives

With Student Debt at an All-Time High, This STEM Scholarship is Changing Lives Nandita Chauhan, who came to the United States when she was six, spent years worrying about how she was going to afford university. She had dreams of pursuing a career in technology where only about 20% of the workforce is women.Theres no question that higher education is increasingly inaccessible. According to recent reports, student loan debt was at an all-time high in the third quarter of 2018, reaching $1.36 trillion dollars. That number represents a 129% increase since 2008. While student debt affects a large segment of the population, the financial burden of school can be an even larger barrier for minorities already underrepresented in higher education. This keeps diverse candidates out of industries where more representation is necessary, like the notoriously heterogeneous tech industry.However, programs like Avanades STEM scholarship for women are helping female students pursue college degrees wi thout the skyrocketing price tag. And theyre diversifying the workplace in the process. Only 25% of IT roles and 15% of senior IT roles were held by women in 2018, despite women making up 57% of the overall workforce. This lack of representation starts at school. Women studying technology in college has actually decreased over time In 1985, 35% of computer science graduates were women, compared to only 17% in 2018. Meanwhile, the sheer number of male computer science graduates has grown. Similar numbers have been observed in STEM programs overall. Only about 6% of women graduated with STEM degrees in 2018, compared to about 17% of men.Avanade, the worlds leading digital innovator on the Microsoft ecosystem, created their STEM scholarship program in 2015 to help young women wishing to pursue a STEM-related degree. It offers internships, mentoring and a support network to help recipients achieve their education and career growth. The scholarship has been awarded to 40 young women, and 3 have gone on to join Avanades diverse team.Chauhan became an analyst in Avanades Software Engineering Talent Community in Los Angeles, where she participated in the Ignition program. There, she learned the solutions part of the Microsoft ecosystem and participated in mock-exercises designed to help get her client-ready.I cant wait to get started in working with clients, she said. All the hard work, the studying and graduating from college has prepared me for thisand now Im here Sometimes I still cant believe it. I wake up every day feeling very grateful.No matter what shes learned about technology, Chauhan says shes also learned a deeper lesson. Believing in herself is the key to reaching her career goals.Ive learned to never doubt myself. We (as women) can be our own biggest critics sometimes. We dont always see the good things in ourselves, she said. What Ive learned is that it takes a team, and sometimes the belief that others have in you is what inspires you to continue towar ds your goals. Behind every single person, theres a group of people responsible for helping them succeed. I am truly grateful to my family and Avanade for being those people who helped get me where I am today.Avanades dedication to women in tech doesnt stop at the pipeline. 100% of women who reviewed Avanade believe their CEO supports gender diversity, and 90% would recommend the company to other women.One anonymous reviewer wrote I love how Inclusion Diversity is one of the core strategies of Avanade. And not just by saying it, but by proactively engaging with the right initiatives. Avanade is truly a place where you can thrive as a female and they make sure your own career goals come first.Watch this video to learn more about Nandita Chauhans journey to Avanade--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Avanade.

Its Not You, Its Me Why Youre Not Getting Hired or Promoted

Its Not You, Its Me Why Youre Not Getting Hired or Promoted Whether its not hearing back about the job for which you applied, being politely turned down after an interview, or being passed over for promotion, rejection hurts.It would be understandableto get angry, depressed, and/or apathetic about it. Eventually, youll move on.Or, you could reflect on the situation to analyze why you were rejected.This is the harder path, but it is much more therapeutic and increases your odds of success for the next time.Letssay you applied for a job. You wereone of five candidates out of 200 applications to get to the interview stage. All five of you are qualified to do the job, or you wouldnt have made the cut. What variable separated the winner from the rest of you? It was probably soft skills.According to astudy from Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center, well-developed soft skills account for 85 percent of job success. Hard sk ills account for the remaining 15 percent. Broadlydefined as interpersonal skills such as the ability to communicate well with other people and to work on a team, soft skills were first formalized by John P. Fry and Paul G. Whitmore in a 1974 report on leadership research in the U.S. Army.What counts as asoft skill varies depending on whom you ask, but a list published in 2012 by researcher Marcel M. Robles does a good job of summarizing some of the most valuable onesCommunicationspeaking, writing, presentation, and listening skillsCourtesymanners, (business) etiquette, graciousnessFlexibilityadaptability, willingness to change,teachability, adjustabilityIntegrityhonesty, morality, doing whats rightInterpersonal skillssociability, a sense of humor, friendliness, empathy, patiencePositive attitudeoptimism, enthusiasm, confidenceProfessionalismpoise, business-appropriate appearance and behaviorResponsibilityaccountability, reliability, resourcefulness, self-discipline, common senseTea m workcooperativeness, supportiveness,collaboration,Work ethicloyalty, working hard, taking initiative, self-motivation, showing up on time.Some of these qualities are quite subjective, such as being businesslike or adaptable. Others are more objective, such as taking the initiative and showing up on time. Can you perfect all of them? No. Nobodys perfect.If you think you are, then lets add humility to this list.How can you improve your soft skills? Its the same as getting to Carnegie Hall practice Volunteering, interning, running a blog, tutoring, mentoring, and joining a professional association are all good ways to practice these soft skills, especially those that relate directly to interpersonal communication. For the balance follow the Golden Rule, be well groomed, dress well, manage your time, keep a calendar, and, the easiest of all, platzdeckchen your alarm clockIts hard to see ourselves as others see us, so consider asking trusted friends, colleagues, family members, and bo sses for feedback on where your soft skills are strong and where they need improvement. People like to help each other out, and theyll likely be flattered you asked.Your education and experiences will get you noticed, but your soft skills will get you hired.Employers know what they want. They hold all the cards. Theyre in the drivers seat. You cant fight city hall. Enough metaphors? The truth is that you must fit intotheirexpectations.Be accountable and realize that when it comes to soft skills, its you, not them. Fix what needs fixing.Ferris Kaplan is founder ofBest of You Resumes.