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So, I would like to finish the description of Covering Letter writing…

Give a Brief Summation of Your Selling Points

You may create a second paragraph for this part, but keep it as short as possible. A covering letter (like a resume) should not exceed one page. The shorter, the better. Here are some tips:

1. Link your skills to the employer’s needs. Focus not on how the job would help you, but on how you can help the employer. Which sentence from a student would appeal to you most?

(a) I would like to work for <... > this summer to up-grade my qualifications and gain some practical experience.
(b) I believe the courses in < ... > I have taken will help me to make a useful contribution to your summer work.

2. Sell yourself without seeming egotistical. You can emphasize your strengths in a sincere way. Don’t boast. Stress your attributes simply, without using intensifying adjectives. Try to use facts that speak for themselves.

(-) I have extraordinary talent in mathematics.
(+) I have consistently achieved high marks in mathematics.

(-) I am a very good salesperson.
(+) Last summer, although one of the youngest salespeople in the store, I had the second highest sales total.

3. Try to bury the “I’s”. You cannot avoid using ‘I” but you can place it after some word:
(-) I worked for an accountancy firm last summer.
(+) Last summer I worked for an accountancy firm.

4. Place your weaknesses in a subordinate position. If you must include something you don’t want to emphasize, try putting it in a subordinate clause, with a main clause emphasizing a more positive point.

(-) Unfortunately, I have never worked in a job requiring accounting.
(+) Although I have not had an accounting job, I have taken four accounting courses.

5. Don’t apologize. If you don’t think you can do a specific job, don’t apply for it. If you think you can, be confident in outlining your qualifications. Avoid such phrases as “I’m sorry”, “I regret” or “unfortunately” when referring to your background or skills.

Two final tips:
. Don’t mention salary expectations in the covering letter. The interview is a more appropriate time to discuss money.
. Don’t thank in advance. Although intending to be polite, you may seem presumptuous.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

So, and now it’s time to tell you about the last document - Covering Letter. You must include a covering (or, cover) letter when sending your resume to anyone. Resumes are impersonal documents that contain information about your skills, abilities, and qualifications.

A covering letter should do more than state “Here’s my application and resume”. A well-written covering letter reveals important communication skills. Aside from what you say, the way you say it matters.

Cover letters should be brief, energetic and interesting. A polished cover letter answers the following questions:

1. Why are you writing to me and why should I consider your candidacy?
2. What qualifications or value do you have that I could benefit from?
3. What are you prepared to do to further sell yourself?
Below are the guidelines for a covering letter. Applicants should not produce identical letters. Feel free to express your own personality if you hope to influence the reader.

Get the Reader’s Attention

Try to say something that will make the reader want to read on. This could be your qualification or a reason for your interest in the firm, e.g.:

“The article on your firm in New York Post suggested that you may be expanding. Are you looking for a dynamic sales person?
As a prize-winning student of English, I believe my skill as a writer would be a useful attribute in your public affairs department.”

Name dropping is another attention-getter: if someone respected by the employer has suggested you make the application, mention the person right at the beginning, e.g.: «Arthur Stone suggested that I get in touch with you», or «Arthur Stone has told me that your company regularly hires students as summer office help».

State Your Purpose

Don’t beat around the bush and merely imply that you are applying for a job. Be specific. If you are responding to an advertised opening, say so. Remember that a reader who is uncertain about your purposes is unlikely to act.

<:3 )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

THE 5 P’s of RESUME WRITING

The 5 P’s of an explosive resume are as follows:

1) Packaging
2) Positioning
3) Punch, or Power Information
4) Personality
5) Professionalism

1) Packaging is a vital component to sales success. Paper stocks, graphics, desktop publishing and imaginative presentations are part of the packaging process.

2) Positioning of information means organization. Organize the data on your resume so that it’s easily accessible to the reader and the reader is able to quickly grasp significant information. The key information should be displayed in the Introduction section.

3) Punch or Power Info is by far the most important. Here you deliver the information that the hiring manager wants to see. Power Info is the information that matches your skills, abilities, and qualifications to a prospective employee’s needs.

4) Personality means a lot for hiring managers. When writing your resume, remember that words are power. Change neutral and dull words to eye-catching and bright ones. For example, instead of “being responsible for something”, show that you were “a catalyst for major improvements in…” In other words, lighten up your resume and let it dance and sing a bit.
By displaying a personality, you display emotion. And more than any other element, it sells!

5) Professionalism in presenting your resume is important because you want to make a good. lasting, and professional first impression. Remember: you are the product and you are the salesperson. Your resume is your brochure. Would you hire yourself based on the professionalism of your resume? Professionalism will lead you to more and more interviews. That means more opportunities.

<:3 )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

I would like to continue this topic for those, who don’t want to be satisfied with benefits and want to find a job.
As I said at the beginning of this topic unemployment insurance is a good choice to secure against problems with your job, but first of all you should pin your hopes on yourself. Cheek brings success…You can change your live by own strength. That is why I’d like to tell you how you can be accepted for employment. Your salary will be mush better than your benefits!

So, first of all it’s necessary to finish the description of resume writing and to tell you some words about resume formats. In my previous posts I have already told you about the following parts of resume:

- Name and Address;
- Present Employment;
- Job Objective;
- Summary of Qualifications;
- Education;
- Work experience.

And now I will tell you about personal information and references.

Personal information

Most personal information, other than your address and phone number, is unnecessary and should be left out. However; if you think that listing some personal details will give you an advantage, by all means do so. For example, being single might be an advantage for a job requiring a lot of traveling.

References

You don’t need to give the names of people who can supply references. Some applicants prefer to wait until the employer is seriously interested, especially if they are currently employed and don’t want others to know they are looking around. Omit this category altogether or write: “References will be supplied on request”. If you do include references, give full name, title, company, and address. Telephone numbers may also be helpful.

To finish the theoretical part of this topic, I will tell some words about…

RESUME FORMATS

1. Chronological Format demonstrates continuous and upward career growth. It does this by emphasizing employment history beginning with the most recent and working back. The focus is on time, job continuity, growth and advancement, and accomplishments.

2. Targeted Format is used when you are seeking a specific position. The focus is on your skills, abilities, and qualifications that match the needs of your target.

3. Functional Format also emphasizes your skills, but does not correlate these characteristics to any specific employer. The focus is on what you did, not when and where you did it.

4. Combination Format offers a quick synopsis of your market value (the functional style) followed by your employment chronology. This format is very well received by hiring authorities.

In the future I will give you 5 best advices for resume writing and show you some samples. I hope it will help you to find a really good job.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

RESUME
Resume is a vital part of the employment process. Although a resume should give a lot of information about you, you need to determine your main “selling points” and then to select and. order facts in a way that will impress your reader. Here are some guidelines:

- Match your skills and experience to the needs of the organization.
- Stress what sets you apart from the crowd.
- Remember that the primary aim is to rouse’ the employer’s interest, not to provide a biography.

Your resume should include enough information about you for the employer to feel that you are worth interviewing. Here is a list of the most common kinds of resume information. Be prepared to omit, add, or alter according to the job.

Name and Address
Usually this information is placed at the top of the page. Resume, unlike CV, Curriculum Vitae, is limited by one page only. Be sure to include the full mailing address with a postal code. You may also add a telephone number. If you are a student with a different mailing address for winter and summer months, give both addresses and the dates when you will be at location.

Present Employment
This information helps the reader to grasp quickly the basis of your experience and the level of your responsibility.

Job Objective
This category is useful if you are a student trying to suggest that you have definite career goals. It may also be useful if you want a specific job in a large organization with a number of vacancies. In any case, it’s better to give not the position you would like (for example, a sales manager), but the area and the general level of responsibility (for example, «a management position in marketing» or «management trainee»).
On the other hand, if you are willing to try a variety of jobs, it’s better not to include this category.

Summary of Qualifications
Some consultants recommend to place a capsule “Profile” of one or two sentences before the more detailed listing of your experience or qualifications. This summary is your chance to hit the reader directly with your most important attributes for the job, for example, “an energetic and skilled communicator”, “a specialist with the ability to analyze needs and implement solutions”, “full of entrepreneurial spirit”.

Education
For students whose job experience is scanty or nonexistent, this section usually comes first. Educational qualifications are most often the primary selling point. Begin with your most recent educational attainment or your most advanced degree or diploma.
If you have a post-secondary education, it’s not necessary to include your high (secondary) school, unless you have a particular reason for doing so. Be sure to give the date you obtained any degree or diploma, along with the name of the institution that granted it.
If courses you have taken are a selling point, list those relevant to the job you are applying for. (This is especially important for students seeking their first permanent job.)

Work experience
In most resumes, this information is the major focus: In a standard resume, it is given in reverse chronological order. Students should include all volunteer and part-time jobs.

However you arrange the section, follow this guide:

1. Make the information action-oriented. For example, write:
- reviewed customer service procedures;
- organized employee training seminars;
- prepared budgets for the promotion department;

2. Stress accomplishment. Instead of listing your duties for each job, tel1 what you have achieved. Rather than say that your “duties were to supervise customer accounts and keep the books”, say that you “supervised the customer accounts and kept the books.”

3. Be honest. A small lie in resume is enough to wipe out the employer’s trust in you, even if it is discovered wel1 after you have the job. Integrity is an attribute never worth sacrificing. This advice does not mean that you should write about all your faults and draw attention to errors. But you should not misinform the reader.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

JOB APPLICATION (RESUME AND COVERING LETTER)

A job application is not so much an information sheet as a sales pitch, in which the product being sold is the writer. Like all persuasive communication, it requires some creative thinking.

An application package consists of a resume and a covering letter. Experts say that the most effective approach is to try to get a personal introduction to someone in a specific company. Face-to-face is the best way to sell yourself.

When contacts fail to get you in the door, however, a written application may be the only resort. Target five companies, rather than send a “broadcast” letter to 150. Through research, determine what kinds of skills and experience the organization needs. Get a sense of the corporate culture and of the ways you could contribute.

<:3 )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

Unemployment insurance is a good choice to secure against problems with your job, but first of all you should pin your hopes on yourself. Cheek brings success…You can change your live by own strength. That is why before speaking about unemployment insurance I’d like to tell you how you can be accepted for employment. Your salary will be mush better than your dole.

Some facts
- Advertisements (ads) for employment appear in all the media including radio and television. However, newspapers and magazines are usually the main source for vacancies.
- Generally, the terms vacancy, post, position, or opening are used instead of the word job in applications.
- If replying to an advertisement, as with most correspondence, it is better to simply state what you are doing, and remember to give a date or reference.
- If your enquiry is only for an application form, you can give some brief details about yourself, and then ask for the form. It is worth remembering, at this point, that your letters; in these cases, are not for the positions themselves, but are for interviews.
- Some companies do not send application forms, but prefer applicants to supply a curriculum vitae (c. v.), which is your personal and working history.
- There should be a covering letter with application forms and C.V.s, either explaining points that might not be clear, or giving further information to emphasize your suitability for the post.

And now a brief test for you:

You want a job. Answer the following questions.

HOW DO YOU GIVE YOURSELF A COMPETITIVE EDGE?

1. Have you decided what sort of job do you really want? YES/NO
2. Have you spoken to anyone who does the sort of job you would like to do? YES/NO
3. Have you found out about the companies you would like to work for? YES/NO
4. Have you spoken to anyone who works for these companies? YES/NO
5. Do you know what skills you have gained and the skills you have lost in recent years? YES/NO
6. Have you done anything in the last year which has developed your skills? YES/NO
7. Do you regularly read the business pages of newspapers or professional journals? YES/NO
8. Have you talked td a recruitment agency that specializes in your area of work? YES/NO
9. Have you written or updated your Curriculum Vitae in the last six months? YES/NO

Score

Yes=I point
No= 0 points

0-3 You need to spend more time on preparing yourself for a new job.
4-6 You have made a good start, but you stilI need to do more work to stand out from the competition.
7-9 You are in a strong position to get a new job.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

Work is a major source of stress for many people. Again, while normal work pressures can stimulate performance, a stress at work can lead to serious health problems. In the UK stress study found that many factors influence stress. A job can rate low stress on autonomy, high on physical danger, financial insecurity, time constraints or legal accountability. One job that was omitted from the study was housewife and mother. Other studies have shown that housewives experience significant stress, something that will with no surprise to those who fall into that category.
Fighting stress into the workplace requires the cooperation or employee and employer. Far - sighted companies are providing exercise facilities for employees, day-care or nurseries for working mothers, drug and alcoholism counseling. More and more firms allow «job-sharing», or work at home.
Employees can protect themselves from the effect of stress. Taking a walk at lunchtime can help. Not all of us are able to take siestas, but there is sound evidence that a 10 minute to one hour nap do much to renew energy and relieve daily stress.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

A certain degree of stress is unavoidable in life. But the pressures of modern, urbanized societies can push stress to dangerously high levels. While we can’t completely eliminate stress, we can learn to modify our behavior in ways that lessen its harmful effects on our minds and bodies.
Experts have identified a number of indicators that affect our vulnerability to stress. Some of them have to do with physical factors, some with mental and emotional behaviors, and some have to do with nutrition.
The following questionnaire was developed by psychologist researchers at the Boston University Medical Centre, to evaluate vulnerability to stress, and to highlight those areas in which improvement can be made.

To answer the questionnaire, rate each item according to how often it is true of you. Answer all the items, even if they seem not to apply.

STRESS TEST

(1) Almost always; (2) Frequently; (3) Occasionally; (4) Almost nev­er; (5) Never

1. I eat at least one hot, balanced meal a day
2. I get 7-8 hours of sleep at least four nights a week
3. I regularly give and receive affection
4. I have at least one relative within 50 miles on whom I can rely
5. I exercise to the point of perspiration at least twice a week
6. I smoke less than half a pack of cigarettes a day
7. I take fewer than five alcoholic drinks a week
8. I am at the appropriate weight for my height
9. I have an income to meet my basic expenses
10. I get strength from my religious beliefs
11. I regularly attend club or social activities
12. I have a network of friends and acquaintances
13. I have one or more friends to confide in
14. I am in good health
15. I am able to speak openly about my feelings when I am angry or worried
16. I have regular conversations with the people I live with about domestic problems
17. I do something for fun at least once a week
18. I am able to organize my time effectively
19. I drink fewer than three cups of caffeine-rich drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks) a day
20. I take some quiet time for myself during the day

Add up the figures of your answers and subtract 20.

- If you have scored below 10 - you have an excellent resistance to stress.
- If your score was over 30 - you are vulnerable to stress in your life.
- A score of over 50 indicates you are seriously vulnerable to stress, and you should begin making some changes in your life.

Take a look at the items on which you scored (3 or higher, and begin trying to modify your behavior. For instance, if you scored «4» on Number 19, you can cut your consumption of caffeine-rich beverages, and reduce your vulnerability to stress. Tackle the easy-to-change items, before the more difficult ones.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra

I’d like to speak about stress today. But you can ask me a question: «How can stress be related to insurance? ». And I will answer you with words from the advertisement of world famous insurance company «Zurich»:

What if reducing stress we reduce accidents too?

So, that is why I think that the following information will be helpful for you.
First of all I should mention some types of stress, situations that cause stress and harmful effects that stress can have on the body:

Primitive stress
The symptoms of stress are probably linked to our primitive defense mechanism. In face of danger, animals (like primitive man) need to be prepared for fight or flight. Hormones are automatically released to mobilize energy for action.

Modern stress
The lifestyle of modern man presents many situations (working under pressure, driving, arguing etc.) which trigger the release of hormones. The resulting stress is usually prolonged, since there is no call for the action that would relieve it (2 for which it, now inappropriately, prepares).

High blood pressure
One effect of stress is to increase the blood supply to the muscles by increasing blood pressure, when prolonged; this overworks the heart and kidneys.

Hardening arteries
Sugars and fatty acids are released into the blood in times of stress (to increase available energy). The prolonged or repeated effect of these is to form deposits of fat on the walls of the blood vessels. This “hardening’ of the arteries increases the risk of heart troubles.

Adrenaline
The hormone adrenaline (from the adrenal gland) was first found during a 1911 experiment on a cat frightened by a dog. Its most important effect is to increase the energy available to the muscles.

Ulcers
One effect of stress is to increase the blood supply to the muscles and decrease the blood supply to the stomach. This reduces appetite gastric juices. In the recovery from stress the gastric juices flood back exposing the stomach wall (normally protected by mucus) to the gastric acids and causing stomach ulcers.

Infection
People under stress have reduced resistance to infection. One group of chemicals released into the blood under stress is the glucocorticoids, which decrease inflammation and immune responses (even cuts take longer to heal).

Pain
Under stress, the body releases natural opiates, similar to morphine. These reduce pain, allowing action immediately after an injury. Pain starts later - it is one of the body’s defenses, discouraging movement to aid healing.

<:3  )~~~~~~
Yours sincerely,
AlexSandra