In this Issue:
Topic of the Month: "The Importance of the Cover Letter "
Update Your Resume! Update Your Resume!
NEW Feature!
Ask the Construction Career Doctor!
Eldrick Woods’ Resume
This Issue's Cartoon!
The Importance of the Cover Letter
As a job seeker, you are always looking for ways to set yourself apart from other applicants. One of the most underutilized ways to express what makes you a perfect fit for the job is through writing a cover letter.
A disturbing trend that companies have noticed are job seekers rapidly e-mailing resumes without cover letters. Many of the companies we work with - some of the leading construction companies in the country - feel that job seekers spend too much time polishing the resume and completely neglect the cover letter.
A good cover letter allows you to link your experiences to the specific job opening, share your special abilities and show that you can communicate cohesively and effectively. A good cover letter is your opportunity to really sell yourself.
When you are writing a cover letter remember it is not quantity but quality that the employers are looking for. A cover letter should be only a short paragraph or two and must be to the point. Your task is fairly clear-cut: explain your reasons for applying and ask the hiring managers to please review your resume. Remember that these hiring managers have an abundance of resumes to read through, so being succinct and clear while still showing your abilities will be more likely to get you noticed.
Career experts say that you should keep one thing in mind when you are writing your cover letter: you’re not trying to impress readers with your vocabulary; you’re trying to get an interview. A great way to improve your cover letter is to read it out loud because in a cover letter, you should write as you speak. Remember your cover letter is a marketing piece being used for one result: landing you the interview.
A final way to make your desire for a position stand out is by adding a postscript to your cover letter. Hiring managers say that a "P.S." is almost impossible to ignore because when you see one are almost forced to read it. Use a "P.S." to restate your desire to interview for the position and why you believe you’re a qualified candidate for the job.
There are countless resources available to help you write the perfect cover letter. If you take a little time writing this short document, you will have more success in securing an interview.
P.S. Aren’t you glad you took a minute to read this brief article? Good luck in your search.
Article by:
Dyel Sigmon
Regional Account Executive
Construction Jobs, Inc
Update Your Resume! Update Your Resume!
If you're serious about looking for a new job, you must update your resume every 60 days on every job board where you have your resume posted. Why is this important? Companies typically look at candidates who have posted their resume in the past 30-60 days. If they find people who fit their criteria for the job, they don't look any further.
Eldrick Woods’ Resume
While I was watching the final round of the PGA Championship last week, I was also looking at a few resumes and trying to figure out if the candidates had the experience and knowledge that I was looking for. I was getting frustrated because the resumes told me their work experience but emphasized nothing about how they saved or made their company money or problems they solved on their job.
These are the things I always look for in a resume, and believe me when I say it is what most employers look for. A litany of companies where you have worked is somewhat interchangeable with someone else’s list.
But if your ingenuity and people management skills averted problems and saved your last employer $100,000 on a project, that stands out. Not everyone can claim that accomplishment. So, why aren’t you highlighting that on that one-page document that you use to try to convince someone how good you are at your job?
It occurred to me, what if you saw a candidate’s resume that looked like this:
- Name: ???
- Born: December 1975
- Title: Golfer PGA Touring Professional 1996 – Present
- College: Stanford, 1993 – 1996
- Hobby: Enjoy spending time with family
- Advertising
That resume doesn’t stand out, does it? There are lots of touring professionals on the PGA tour, some of whom also went to prestigious universities, many of whom have superior experience (in terms of years on the tour), many of whom also have families and who dabble in the occasional advertisement or endorsement as well.
But what if this same anonymous golfer’s resume looked more like this?
- Name: ???
- Accomplishments:
- Won 3 U.S. amateur titles at Stanford
- Won 13 Major Titles in 11 years
- 4 Masters 4 PGAs 3 British Opens 2 U.S. Opens
- All time PGA Tour Money Winner ($73,500,000)
- 80 Career Victories Worldwide
- 59 Titles in 227 career events
- Leading spokesperson for Nike, Buick, American Express, Tag Heuer
Now, that resume catches one’s eye. In both cases, of course, you knew the omitted name was one Tiger Woods, but while the first resume is flat and stale and resembles one any pro golfer could assemble, the second quickly distinguishes this golfer as a standout; as, in fact, the best in his field.
Make your resume speak loudly to the accomplishments which have marked your career and which merit attention from a prospective employer. When you list your accomplishments – time saved, money made (list dollar figures if you can prove them!), problems overcome - employers take notice quickly.
If you want your resume to appear above par, put your accomplishments first; other groups will have no choice but to let you play through.
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Happy Searching,
The ConstructionJobs Team
