Online Jobs https://careerjamaica.com Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:02:52 +0000 Joomla! - Open Source Content Management en-gb Structure of a Cover Letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/7-structure-of-a-cover-letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/7-structure-of-a-cover-letter Structure of a Cover Letter

Structure of a Cover Letter

If you’re unsure how you’re actually going to write a cover letter, it can help to break the letter down into its various parts and concentrate on just one section at a time. Here’s what goes into each of the four main sections of a cover letter:

The Beginning:

This is where you tell employers who you are, why you’re writing , and how you heard about the organization or the specific opening. The “who you are” part is a brief introduction of yourself with a phrase like: “I am a senior at XYZ University graduating in May with a major in biology.” Just mention the basic facts about you and your situation, choosing the ones that will be most relevant to the employer. The “why you’re writing” part is where you mention which position you are applying for, or what your job ­objective is if no specific opening has been advertised. Then be sure to tell them how you heard about the organization or the job. You might say, for example, “I saw your posting for a Marketing Assistant at the Career Services on Career Jamaica.” Or, “I read about the expansion of your East Coast operations in the Jamaica Gleaner and am ­interested in ­discussing entry-level opportunities you might have ­available.”

The Middle:

1. The Sales Pitch

It’s best to get right to the point. The objective of this part of the letter is to list–either in paragraph form or as an actual list of bullet points–the reasons why the reader should see you as a viable candidate. It’s best to start with a statement that provides an overview of your qualifications, then go into them more specifically, using the examples you ­identified ­before you started writing. A typical opening statement might sound something like: “As a political science major and former campaign volunteer for the Liberal party, I offer the following skills and accomplishments.”

2. The Flattery

This is the “why them” section of your letter. It’s where you flatter the reader a bit by commenting  on something positive about the organization and letting them know why you would want to work there.

You might mention the organization’s reputation, sales record, size, corporate culture,  management philosophy or anything else that they take pride in. Prospective employers like  to know that you have chosen them for a reason and that they’re not just one of hundreds of  companies you’re writing to as part of a mass mailing. (Even if you are doing a mass  mailing, you must tailor each letter to “flatter” the reader and show that you’ve done some  research on that organization or that person.)

 The End:

A Request for Further Action

Some people think of this final section of a cover letter as the closing , but it’s much more than that . The closing paragraph isn’t just about thanking the reader for taking the time to read your letter or for considering you as a candidate for a job. It ’s also about where to go from here–about opening the door to fur ther contact . It’s where you suggest how to proceed, usually by saying that you will call or email the reader to follow up and see if a meeting can be arranged.

The important thing is to end the letter in an assertive, but courteous way by taking the initiative to follow up Once you’ve gotten these four sections of the letter completed in terms of content, go back and smooth out any rough edges of your writing and check for typos, misspellings and grammatical errors.

Then you’re ready for “Sincerely” or “Best Regards” and your signature,and you’re off and running on the road to a great job.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Sat, 19 Dec 2015 05:13:58 +0000
5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview New https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/3-5-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-job-interview https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/3-5-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-job-interview 5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview New

5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview

Congratulations! you have just gotten called in for a job interview. You now need to know the simple ways to candidates make a bad impression during an interview. There are a few things that most Human Resource professionals agree are “pet peeves” guaranteed to ensure you do NOT get the job.

1. Ask, 'What Does Your Company Do?'


Candidates must do their homework and be prepared for an interview. The fastest way to “fail” at a job interview is to as “what does your company do”
What Do You Need to Know About a Company Before Your Job Interview

2. Bring the Family

We understand the need for support and encouragement when going through the job interview process. At the same time, brining this support to the interview with you, is a definite no-no. Spouses, friends and even children, should not accompany you to the interview.

3. Use Your Cellphone during the Interview

Human Resource Managers are reporting that more and more job candidates are using their cellphones during interviews. What many candidates do not realize is that doing this gives the impression that they are unfocused and easily distracted. The best advice here is to turn off your phone (not put it on silent or vibrate) as soon as you are about to enter the building for the interview.

Managers often ask secretaries and other staff members candidates encounter before the interview their impression of them. It is very important that candidates make the best impression fro the moment they enter the building to the moment they leave.

4. Don't Smile. Or Laugh Too Much. Or Cry

Smiling and engaging the interviewer are important in an interview, but going overboard with constant laughter or continuing to smile while being asked serious questions may cause an employer to not take you seriously or make it seem that the candidate is trying too hard to be liked.

Crying, is also a negative; Interviewers understand that candidates may be grateful for the opportunity, or even nervous given the situation, especially given how difficult is it to find jobs in this economy, but at the same time, recounting tales of hardship that will move you to tears or being unable to answer a question because of nerves will give them the impression that you are unable to cope under pressure.

Excessive smiling, laughter or crying may just cost a candidate the job.

5. Bring food or Drinks to the interview

This may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised how often it happens. Interviewees who are scheduled within the common 12-2 lunch hour, tend to be guilty of this. Eating in the waiting room of lobby may present a bad first impression and make a job candidate memorable in the wrong way. Chewing gum or eating sweets during the interview should also be avoided.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Sat, 19 Dec 2015 03:23:01 +0000