Results tagged “CareerJimmy” from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog

Place a powerful headline at the top of your cover letter, says Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the “Amazing Cover Letter Creator.” “Just above the greeting in your cover letter (Dear Mrs. Smith), place your ‘killer’ headline in boldface print and center it on the page. (Two lines maximum.),” Sweeney suggests.

He offers these three examples of first-rate cover-letter headlines — the secret, he says, to landing more quality job interviews:

• Three reasons I feel confident I’m the candidate you’re searching for regarding the [insert job opening title here].
• I have visited the [company name] website and believe I am a great match for the position of [insert job opening title here].
• I would love the opportunity to be interviewed in person for the position of [insert job opening title here].

“By creating a stellar headline you are attracting attention to your cover letter,” Sweeney says, “and bringing it the attention it deserves. Starting your cover letter off with an attention-grabbing headline is a highly effective way for you to stand out from the crowd in a positive light.”

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Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com, advises sending an e-mail (as one option) to follow up if you haven’t heard from an employer within 10 days of applying with a resume and cover letter. Says Sweeney: “Professionals … often prefer e-mail for quick messages. Use this effective means to your advantage. Follow up your original cover letter with an e-mail reminder.”

Here’s the sample wording Sweeney suggests:

Dear Mr./Ms. Jones:

On January 23 I submitted a cover letter and resume to apply for the position of general accounts executive at Capricorn Enterprises, Inc. I appreciate the fact that you have many applications to read. However, I am committed to showing you that I am well qualified to fill this opening. Would you have 30 minutes available for an interview this week or next? You choose the date and time, and I’ll be there prepared to talk and listen. Thank you for taking the time to read my request. I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you in person.

Joe Job Seeker

joejobseeker@xyz.com

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Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com, advises “If you have not been called for an interview, about 10 days after you mail your cover letter, pick up the phone and call the hiring manager directly.” Says Sweeney:

Ask for an in-person interview in a friendly, straightforward manner. Your enthusiasm will encourage the employer to consider your request seriously.

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Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com, advises “Ask for the job interview upfront. Says Sweeney: “Make your intention clear. “May we meet to discuss the position of [Fill in job title here]. I’m available at your convenience. I look forward to the opportunity for a personal interview.” (Now there’s a statement that practically commands a response.)

Another nice, clear and direct statement requesting a job interview:

“I’m eager to meet you in person to discuss [Insert job title here] how I can exceed your company’s expectation for this position. All I can ask for is the opportunity to be interviewed and I am prepared for that chance. I sincerely thank you for your consideration.”

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Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com calls the “Resume Cover Letter” one of two powerful types of cover letters that few people know about. For the other one, see this entry.

Says Jimmy Sweeney: The resume cover letter is a two-for-one because it combines the best of a cover letter and resume. Here is a tool you’ll want to use again and again because it can catch the interest of headhunters, recruiters, and placement agencies where brevity and speed are essential. It also works well for networking because it is brief and easy to scan. Pull together the most important points from your resume and put them in a bulleted list within the letter itself. Limit yourself to one page. This amazing document will help you make your point, ask for what you want, and produce results — the job you’re looking for.

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Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com calls the "Networking Cover Letter" one of two powerful types of cover letters that few people know about. For the second one, see our entry two days from now.

Says Jimmy Sweeney:

The networking cover letter is a flexible hard-working tool that will help you reach the individuals in your life who can assist you the most -- family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and professional acquaintances. And also consider all the people in each of their lives. Ask your friends and relatives for their employment leads, referrals from their circle of influence, and for personal introductions, as well.

Get started quickly by creating a master list of the names of everyone who comes to mind. Look at your collection of business cards. Flip through association rosters and other directories, e-mail address books, and all lists of groups you are affiliated with. Then write or e-mail a networking cover letter to each person on the list, asking for help. Don't be discouraged if this takes a bit of time. It's a good investment in your future -- one that will pay off -- I promise. Remind yourself as you do this exercise that the more people who know about you and what you want and need, the greater the results.

Networking Cover Letter Tips:

• Focus your message on one page.
• Write in a personal and friendly manner.
• List your strengths and abilities.
• Ask for referrals and job leads.
• Keep it short and sweet.
• Attach your resume to the cover letter.
• Write a thank-you note to those who respond.

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To get what we need and want we must ask for it,” advises Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com. “Yet, when it comes to including in a cover letter, the all-important request for a job interview, some job-seekers shy away from asking, ‘May I meet you to discuss the opening for restaurant manager (or whatever the position may be)?’ or ‘May I come to your office for an interview?’”

ASKING is essential, Sweeney says. “Without the question, the hiring manager has no reason to respond. Your cover letter might read well, but unless you ask for an interview, the manager will likely set your letter aside. You risk the chance of never hearing from that person about your interest in the job opening.”

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Communicate your enthusiasm at the end of your letter, advises Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com:

I look forward to meeting you and to hearing in person what you want in the person you hire to manage your fine restaurant. I feel confident we will relate well to one another. You can reach me any time on my cell phone: 555-555-5555. Thank you for the opportunity.

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In the final paragraph of your cover letter, suggest a meeting time, advises Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com:

Are you available to schedule an interview within the next 10 days? I’m free any afternoon between 1 pm and 4pm. Expect me to arrive prepared and eager to listen to your expectations, as well as to answer any questions you may have.

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State your qualifications at the beginning of your cover letter, advises Jimmy Sweeney president of CareerJimmy and author of www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com. Here’s some suggested wording:

Thank you for describing the candidate you’re seeking to fill the position of restaurant manager. Co-workers and supervisions have acknowledged me for all the character traits you mentioned. I am organized, friendly, a solid leader, knowledgeable about the restaurant business, and excellent with customers and staff.

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Give the hiring manager reason to keep reading your cover letter by creating a HEADLINE written and centered in bold text right above the greeting in your cover letter:

So advises Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the Amazing Cover Letter Creator, asserts that a post-interview cover letter (also known as a thank-you or followup letter) moves job-seekers to the top of the “must consider” list.

Sweeney notes that few job-seekers take time to express their gratitude in writing, so those who do are bound to stand out.

“A simple ‘thank you,’ ‘I appreciated our meeting today,’ or ‘I’m grateful we had a chance to get together,’ can draw the line between getting hired and being ignored,” Sweeney says.

Sweeney points out that “your follow-up letter will also reveal the kind of person an employer would like to hire — someone who is thoughtful, other-centered, and caring. You have only one chance to make a great first impression—and a lasting one!

He notes that mail addressed to a specific person in the sender’s handwriting will be opened first.

Here is an example of Sweeney’s suggested clear and precise post-interview cover letter that hits the mark:

Dear [specific name of ] Hiring Manager:

I really enjoyed meeting you today. Thank you so much for making time for me. I appreciated the tour of your facility, meeting some of your colleagues, and having a chance to see the department where the new candidate will work. It was very kind of you to invite me to explain why I feel I am the best-qualified person to fill the job opening. Your humor and good eye contact put me at ease. I know I’d like working for your company very much. I felt right at home. Please call if you’d like me to return for a second visit. Give me a date and time that work for you and I’ll be there. Again, thank you for meeting with me this afternoon.

Sincerely yours,

Fiona (or Foster) Follow-Up

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the Amazing Cover Letter Creator. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job Search Secrets.”

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"Your goal as a job-hunter is to land an interview, not bury the employer in a vocabulary
landfill," notes Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the Amazing Cover Letter Creator. "Keep in mind, these men and women are just like you and me. They sleep and eat, go to work, play with their kids on the weekends, and catch a movie or read a book in their free time. And they want to keep their job by filling job slots in their company!"

Sweeney advises job-seekers to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously. Employers "will not only appreciate you but will want to meet you in person because you are such a rarity," he says.

Sweeney recommends that cover-letter writers, "let your personality shine. Speak to the employer as you would a good friend. In short, be yourself."

Here's the kind of language Sweeney advises:

After reading the description of the job you want to fill, I felt as though it was meant for me. Everything you want in an employee rings true for me. I have experience and expertise as a restaurant manager and special culinary skills that will allow me to oversee the chefs as well as the restaurant workers. I would love the opportunity to meet in person for an interview. I am available for the next two weeks. The best phone number to reach me at is 555-555-1212.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to it.

Here's the kind of language he disdains:

Pursuant to attached resume, you will see my qualifications to turn around your ailing business. Chief among my outstanding characteristics is my ability to codify and quantify the statistics that have lowered your overall performance during said year. Should you decide to meet with me in person, and I trust you will, given my expertise, you will quickly discern that I have a penchant for disseminating information that is not recognized by the common employee and therefore. . .

"Can't you just hear the paper shredder warming up in the background?" Sweeney asks.

Sweeney suggests that you read your cover letter aloud. "Look at it. Search out those weedy words and grab them with the pruning shears. Rewrite until the words and sentences make you smile. If you want that job, ask for it clearly and politely -- with a dash of your unique personality. You increase the odds you will be rewarded with an interview as well as the job you're fighting for.

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the Amazing Cover Letter Creator. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.