This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Dan writes:
I am an architect in my late 50s who is finding it exceedingly difficult even with an exceptional work history to get any response to resumes sent to executive-search firms. This even when (1) it would seem my background would match perfectly with senior management position requirements advertised, (2) I state my salary is negotiable, and (3) when asked, I respond that I am open to relocating if necessary. In a youth-oriented profession such as architecture, is there a certain approach that should be following in submitting in seeking a position or in the job-hunting process in general?
As baby boomers continue to get older, I think we will see many changes in how older job-seekers are viewed — and we’re already seeing some of those changes — but perceptions are slow to change (and vary by industry and profession).
Are you focusing all your energies on executive recruiters? And if so, why? Recruiters can be one source of job leads — but should only be one source. Remember that headhunters work for the employers — and not job-seekers — so you need to be just as aggressive in following-up with these recruiters as you would employers.
Have you been networking? I know long-time readers of my blog are probably tired of me constantly beating the networking drum, but all studies point to the importance and power of networking when job-hunting. And many professional organizations also often have career and job postings on their Websites and at conferences. Investigate all the possibilities.
One of the other things I’ve discovered about older job-seekers, especially those who have been out of job-hunting for many years, is that they are often weak on job-search techniques and tools. What does your resume look like? Have you taken dates off your degrees and limited your list of experience to no more than 20 years of work? Is your resume centered around accomplishments and achievements?
Finally, what about the resources of your alma mater? Contact the college where you received your architecture degree and see how the career services and alumni offices can help you with your job search.
Get more help with your resume by reading numerous articles and reviewing samples in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Orlando writes:
I have recently moved to New York City. I have 4 solid years of web development/programming and design experience. I have also worked 2 years, out of the 4 years, as a web-development consultant. On top of my experiences and skills, I am still pursuing my first bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.
For some reason, I am experiencing difficulties in finding a job in New York. I have been
sending resumes for more than a month now and generated only one interview, but another candidate was selected. I was wondering if this is because I don’t have my degree yet or is it my resume? How long does it usually take, on average, for someone to hear from companies?
Please help me. I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give me on how to get interviews with companies.
I don’t know what method you are using to find job leads, but if you are relying only on job ads — either job postings on Web sites or in help wanted ads in New York area newspapers — you need to move your job search up quite a few gears. Have you joined any professional or social organizations since you moved to New York? Do you have friends or family in New York? I ask because networking is the best method to find strong job leads.
Learn more about networking by going to Quintessential Careers: The Art of Networking.
Don’t get discouraged, but don’t sit at home waiting for a phone call. Pound the pavement. Make your own opportunities.
Finally, one other great source for understanding the importance of marketing in job-hunting is my article: Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Adrianne writes:
I am in the preliminary stages of a job search and I found your article on researching a company to be very useful.
I also understand that cover letters should be specific. But to avoid writing “dear sir/madam,” I wonder what one can do if the company’s human resources department does not want to divulge the name of who is assessing the applicants?
The Career Doctor responds:
The bad news is that technology trends make it even harder for job-seekers to track down the names of hiring managers. The good news is that when you do, you will certainly have an edge over other job-seekers.
One of the biggest complaints I hear from job-seekers is the ever-increasing difficulty in reaching or following-up with a hiring manager.
So, what’s the best way around HR folks, screening assistants, voicemail, or vague email addresses? Having someone inside the company who can get you the information — this is the real power of networking.
A lot of job-seekers have a misconception that networking is all about asking people for jobs — and it’s not. Networking is about sharing information — about people, companies, and, yes, job leads. A strong network will provide you with plenty of information and resources to help your job search. And having this information will give you the inside edge in the job hunt.
Another misconception about networking is that you are using people, but the whole idea behind networking is one of reciprocation; someone helps you now and you’ll help that person in the future. So, get your network out there helping you!
And if you must use a salutation, I prefer “Dear hiring manager,” or “Dear hiring manager for [fill-in-the-blank] position.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Dan writes:
I am an architect in my late 50s who is finding it exceedingly difficult even with an exceptional work history to get any response to resumes sent to executive-search firms. This even when (1) it would seem my background would match perfectly with senior management position requirements advertised, (2) I state my salary is negotiable, and (3) when asked, I respond that I am open to relocating if necessary. In a youth-oriented profession such as architecture, is there a certain approach that should be following in submitting in seeking a position or in the job-hunting process in general?
As baby boomers continue to get older, I think we will see many changes in how older job-seekers are viewed — and we’re already seeing some of those changes — but perceptions are slow to change (and vary by industry and profession).
Are you focusing all your energies on executive recruiters? And if so, why? Recruiters can be one source of job leads — but should only be one source. Remember that headhunters work for the employers — and not job-seekers — so you need to be just as aggressive in following-up with these recruiters as you would employers.
Have you been networking? I know long-time readers of my blog are probably tired of me constantly beating the networking drum, but all studies point to the importance and power of networking when job-hunting. And many professional organizations also often have career and job postings on their Websites and at conferences. Investigate all the possibilities.
One of the other things I’ve discovered about older job-seekers, especially those who have been out of job-hunting for many years, is that they are often weak on job-search techniques and tools. What does your resume look like? Have you taken dates off your degrees and limited your list of experience to no more than 20 years of work? Is your resume centered around accomplishments and achievements?
Finally, what about the resources of your alma mater? Contact the college where you received your architecture degree and see how the career services and alumni offices can help you with your job search.
Get more help with your resume by reading numerous articles and reviewing samples in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
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.
When it comes to cover letters, have you got writer’s block? Do you feel that if you could just start the letter, you’d be OK? Writing help is here with Quintessential Careers’ large collection of job-seeker cover-letter openers for all cover-letter writing situations. That opening paragraph is the most important of your letter, setting the tone and grabbing the reader’s attention to ensure he or she will continue reading (and then review your resume).
With this new Quint Careers tool-set, you’ll find dynamic cover-letter opening paragraphs, including more than 100 customizable openers — with accompanying sample paragraphs showing each opener in action.
The Customizable Cover Letter Opening Paragraphs and Samples include:
Customizable Opening Paragraphs for Cover Letters for …
- Uninvited (Prospecting) Letters
- Invited (Job Ad) Letters
- Letters for College Students and New Grads
- Letters for Students and New Grads of Graduate and Professional Schools
- Letters for Students Seeking Internships
- Letters to Recruiters, Headhunters, Executive Search Firms
- Referral Letters that Spring from Networking
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Orlando writes:
I have recently moved to New York City. I have 4 solid years of web development/programming and design experience. I have also worked 2 years, out of the 4 years, as a web-development consultant. On top of my experiences and skills, I am still pursuing my first bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.
For some reason, I am experiencing difficulties in finding a job in New York. I have been
sending resumes for more than a month now and generated only one interview, but another candidate was selected. I was wondering if this is because I don’t have my degree yet or is it my resume? How long does it usually take, on average, for someone to hear from companies?
Please help me. I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give me on how to get interviews with companies.
I don’t know what method you are using to find job leads, but if you are relying only on job ads — either job postings on Web sites or in help wanted ads in New York area newspapers — you need to move your job search up quite a few gears. Have you joined any professional or social organizations since you moved to New York? Do you have friends or family in New York? I ask because networking is the best method to find strong job leads.
Learn more about networking by going to Quintessential Careers: The Art of Networking.
Don’t get discouraged, but don’t sit at home waiting for a phone call. Pound the pavement. Make your own opportunities.
Finally, one other great source for understanding the importance of marketing in job-hunting is my article: Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Brian writes:
I came across Quintessential Careers last night as I was trying to unearth the answer to a question which was plaguing me all night.
I’d be most grateful if you could tell me whether or not one should include a resume with a broadcast letter.
I’ve heard conflicting opinions on the subject. What’s your advice?
The Career Doctor responds:
The answer is: it depends.
Although not talked about as much compared to networking and online job-hunting, a broadcast cover letter is part of a direct marketing campaign by the job-seeker —in which you identify a list of prospective employers, research the names of the hiring managers at each employer, and send an unsolicited letter to tap into what has been called “the hidden job market.”
The strength of this strategy is that you can sometimes catch a hiring manager just as an opening is occurring, giving you sort of a first-strike advantage over other job-seekers before the position is even advertised — internally or externally. Because turnover happens frequently, a broadcast letter is still a good job-seeker strategy.
But I never liked using the term broadcast letter because it carries the implication that the job-seeker can write one cover letter and broadcast it to a large number of employers — and that strategy will just not work.
If you want to effectively use a direct-marketing approach, you will need to target (customize) each letter for each prospective employer. While parts of the letters can be the same, you will need to adjust other parts to showcase your knowledge of the company.
Should you include a resume with your cover letter? My view is yes — always. But again, as with the cover letter, you will need to customize each resume to each employer. You’ll want to use some of the keywords that each employer uses in describing themselves in describing yourself.
Other experts, such as Jeffrey Fox, author of Don’t Send a Resume, say that job-seekers should send resume after first winning over the hiring manager with a dazzling cover letter. In fact, Fox says a job-seeker should not send a resume to the employer until after the job interview — so that the resume can be as narrowly targeted to the position and employer as possible.
Read more about cover letters — and resumes — in these sections of Quintessential Careers.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Kyle writes:
I have sent out numerous resumes and cover letters and have received no response. I have a bachelor’s degree in communications, served an internship and have one solid year of experience. I have had several opinions about the format and quality of both my cover letters and resume with very positive feedback. I don’t know what to do. Please help. I have attached a resume and cover letter for your feedback if you have the time.
The Career Doctor responds:
I think the one rule of job-hunting that no one ever talks about enough is the need to be proactive. You could send out tons of resumes and cover letters, post your resume online, and apply to job postings, but you won’t get as many interviews (or job offers) if you wait for the employers to call you. Job-seekers need to be aggressive in finding a job; it is not a passive activity. You need to call all those companies where you have sent your resume and ask about the status of filling those positions.
Of course, one of the other rules of job-hunting is that the best way to find a job is through networking, not sending out resumes or posting your resume on job boards. My partner has written a great book about networking that is extremely useful and really shows you the ins and outs of successful networking. Go to your library or your favorite bookstore and get a copy of A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (Ten Speed). You should also visit the networking section of Quintessential Careers.
Finally, unless you are completely sure of the strength of your resume and cover letter, you might consider getting it critiqued. Check out the services offered at: Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Adrianne writes:
I am in the preliminary stages of a job search and I found your article on researching a company to be very useful.
I also understand that cover letters should be specific. But to avoid writing “dear sir/madam,” I wonder what one can do if the company’s human resources department does not want to divulge the name of who is assessing the applicants?
The Career Doctor responds:
The bad news is that technology trends make it even harder for job-seekers to track down the names of hiring managers. The good news is that when you do, you will certainly have an edge over other job-seekers.
One of the biggest complaints I hear from job-seekers is the ever-increasing difficulty in reaching or following-up with a hiring manager.
So, what’s the best way around HR folks, screening assistants, voicemail, or vague email addresses? Having someone inside the company who can get you the information — this is the real power of networking.
A lot of job-seekers have a misconception that networking is all about asking people for jobs — and it’s not. Networking is about sharing information — about people, companies, and, yes, job leads. A strong network will provide you with plenty of information and resources to help your job search. And having this information will give you the inside edge in the job hunt.
Another misconception about networking is that you are using people, but the whole idea behind networking is one of reciprocation; someone helps you now and you’ll help that person in the future. So, get your network out there helping you!
And if you must use a salutation, I prefer “Dear hiring manager,” or “Dear hiring manager for [fill-in-the-blank] position.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Anonymous writes:
In your Do’s and Don’ts you say to always address the cover letter to a specific person. Most of the job opportunities that I am sending to are blind drops. There is no person listed to send to. They frequently are email sites with no names attached. How should this be handled?
The Career Doctor responds:
For those who are unaware, let me stress the rule before addressing your question. First, always send a cover letter with your resume unless the employer specifically requests that you do not send a cover letter (and very few do this). Second, always strive to address the cover letter to a named individual rather than rather a title or job number.
The problem with a number of online job postings is that they do not list the name of the hiring manager — and some of the ads even go as far as to request “no phone calls.” So, what is the good job-seeker to do? It’s a two-part answer.
First part: you can follow the rules and simply address the letter to the “Hiring Manager for Job #49394” or “Dear Friends” or “Dear Boxholder.” Don’t use a sexist salutation, such as “Gentlemen” when answering a blind ad.
Second part: I cannot stress this important fact often enough — are you ready? When job-hunting, job-seekers should use as many sources as possible to find job leads. And if you need to rely more heavily on one source over another, put the emphasis on networking, not job postings.
A good article for you is Maximize Your Internet Job Search, published on Quintessential Careers.
And to get more help with networking, go to the Art of Networking section of Quintessential Careers.
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.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Greg Falasz writes:
I would appreciate getting feedback to the following questions concerning classified ads:
- do you recommend replying to blind box ads;
- do you recommend replying to ads that only list a first name and fax number; and
- do you recommend replying to e-mail addresses that don’t include a company/firm name?
I can appreciate addressing correspondence to a specific person, but in the event no specific person can be discovered, is the following salutation acceptable?
“Dear Madam or Sir,”
The Career Doctor responds: Responding to blind ads of any kind is a personal choice, but I’m sure I would respond if the job seemed right for me. If you choose to respond to these type of “blind” ads though, know that the odds are slim that you will get an interview. In other words, do not make these kind of ads your sole method of job-hunting. Take advantage of other avenues of finding a job, such as networking, headhunters/recruiters, and cold calling.
As for your salutation in your cover letter, you should always avoid sexist greetings — and try to avoid stilted greetings, and I would include “Dear Madam or Sir” as one to avoid. I would recommend that you do one of the following:
- address the cover letter to “Dear Boxholder” — a favorite of mine;
- address the cover letter to “Dear Hiring Manager for “XYZ” Position (where XYZ is replaced with the name of the position);
- address the cover letter to “Dear Friends” — though some find that too informal;
- don’t include a salutation; instead simply put “Re: Job XYZ” (where XYZ is replaced with the job listing code or name).
You can find other cover letter advice at our Cover Letter Do’s and Don’ts.
Also refer to the third edition of Dynamic Cover Letters (Ten Speed Press).
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.
Keeping your executive resume to two pages is one of the trends executive resume and branding expert Meg Guiseppi writes about in her article for Quint Careers, Five Top Trends for Executive Resumes. Guiseppi suggests that to accommodate the need for brevity, pare down and consolidate all your great achievements and qualifications into a quickly readable communication. Provide deeper slices of success “stories” in collateral one-to-two-page documents — Leadership Initiatives Brief, Achievement Summary, Career Biography, Reference Dossier, etc. These companion documents can be crafted to stand alone for networking purposes.
[Editor’s note: For a variety of opinions on lengths of executive resumes, please see our articles The Scoop on Resume Length and Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves of Hiring Decision-makers — Part 1.]
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.
A strong cover letter doesn’t just create a good impression — it helps you sell yourself, declares Elizabeth Freedman in her article for Quint Careers, Cover Letters That Count.
But selling yourself isn’t always easy.
So use a technique that marketers use to sell us stuff: the convince … that … because
method. When drafting your cover letter, think about the following:
Whom do you want to convince?
For instance, you might be writing to a hiring manager who needs somebody with strong writing skills. By knowing your audience, you’ll have the opportunity to specifically address the concerns or needs of your readers in your persuasive cover letter. One caveat:
You may find job announcements that instruct applicants to send a letter to human resources,
rather than provide a specific name of an individual. In these instances, you can try to
track down, through company sources or networking, the name and title of a specific
individual to whom you can address your letter. Otherwise, use the job description and
knowledge of the company to best gauge your audience’s needs.
What are you trying to convince them of?
Using the example above, you are trying to convince a hiring manager that you have terrific
writing skills. You may also want the hiring manager to know about your ability to speak French
and your mastery of PowerPoint, if these are skills that are relevant to the job for which you’re
applying. Be specific here: If you want to talk about your skills as a leader, be sure to
mention a situation in which you demonstrated leadership skills. And remember to discuss
the same skills that appear on your resume, providing additional information and detail
in your letter.
Why should you be hired over someone else?
Here’s your opportunity to make a persuasive, convincing argument and sell your unique abilities. Using the previous example, you want to convince a hiring manager that you have terrific writing skills because you’ve consistently written on a wide range of topics for your school’s newspaper, providing valuable information to more than 500 students weekly for the past three years. Whatever your example, make sure you point out how your work made a positive difference, quantifying this difference whenever possible.
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.
Each cover letter you send out should be a little different according to the intended recipient and strategy. Cover letters should be customized according to each of the four basic job-search strategies:
- Responding to job postings.
- Resume distribution to employers of your target market.
- Contacting recruiters or headhunters.
- Networking among your professional contacts.
Learn more in Deborah Walker’s article, Four Cover Letters for Four Job-Search Strategies.
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.
An article on resumes recently hit my inbox, writes Sherri Edwards in her article for Quint Careers, Dispelling the Myth About Resumes. It started with “The purpose of a resume is to land an interview. Nothing more, nothing less.” I couldn’t disagree more. Resumes serve a greater purpose than “getting your foot in the door.” A carefully composed resume will not only nail each requirement stated in the job announcement, it will encompass the unpublished information learned through networking or conducting informational interviews. The process of researching and collecting the appropriate data for your resume does more than catch someone’s eye. It is one of the most important steps in preparing you for an interview. After all, getting in the door is not your final goal. Getting the offer is.
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.
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