Should you or shouldn’t you send a cover letter with your resume? It depends. If your idea of a cover letter is something that basically says, “Here’s my resume—I hope you like it,” don’t bother! Unless you find a way to engage the attention and interest of the reader (employer), Read More >
4 Ways to Jazz Up Your Cover Letter
Face it; if you’re falling asleep writing your cover letter, you’re going to put your reader to sleep as well. So have some fun with it! Here are four tips to help you with that. 1) Speak Directly to the Hiring Manager by Name. A cover letter introduces you to Read More >
Tough Transition? Steer to Your Soft Skills
Many job seekers are navigating the rough waters of “tough transitions” in their careers paths: College students diving into their first “Adult” job, Military folks launching into the private sector and Parents returning to work. Whether you’re one of these Tough Transitioners—or a job changer struggling to line up your Read More >
How to Change Careers from Non-Profit to Corporate
Even if you’ve been in the non-profit sector for decades, a change to the corporate world is not as radical as it seems. If you think about it, all successful organizations—profit-driven or not—need great leaders at the helm and hard-working employees (or volunteers) to handle day-to-day responsibilities like administration, marketing, Read More >
Use this Email Template to Ask for Informational Interviews
We all know that networking is one of the most effective ways to find a job, and that it’s a key strategy for getting your résumé in the hands of those who can help you. The problem is we don’t always know what to say or how to ask for Read More >
The Application Fail: Why You May Not Be Getting the Job
Mandy had sent out dozens of applications. She was highly skilled and qualified and yet she could hold a bonfire with her rejection letters. Worse still she only ever heard silence back from the employers she contacted or received automated rejection letters. She was lost, frustrated and losing confidence fast. Read More >
Cover Letter Tricks for Military-to-Civilian Transition
During a recent military-to-civilian job fair, I was asked the following question: “Is a cover letter really necessary?" I stated that it is better to have it than not have it.” I’ve heard multiple recruiters discuss this question and while there are many times when a cover letter may not be Read More >
Your Civvie Career Kit
No doubt you knew what kit you needed for a special duty or deployment while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. In order to secure the right role once you leave the CAF, there are some critical elements to place in your career kit. Before you leave… Print off your Read More >
5 Ways Word Choice Can Elevate Your Resume, LinkedIn Profile & Interviews
When it comes to resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and interviews, word choice matters. The right words will enable your documents to rank higher in Applicant Tracking Systems; they’ll also embolden your interview performance and empower you to communicate more powerfully. Novelist and blogger Chuck Wendig at TerribleMinds.com compares word choice to Read More >
Executive Cover Letters: 3 Secrets to Cover Letters that WIN Interviews!
Did you know that your cover letter (in the hands of a key decision maker) determines whether or not your resume gets read at all? Cover letters are so critically important to making the right first impression; you just can’t afford to go wrong here. It can be tempting to want Read More >
