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5. Your conversation with a manager is in your inbox

You just left your manager’s office. The news wasn’t good. She lectured you on getting tasks done faster or on that conflict between you and another employee. Either way, she just sent your action plan in an email. She outlined your conversation and the ways she expects you to behave moving forward.

Yikes.

Don’t fret. All you need to do is be on your toes and follow through with her request. Most managers will document meetings in this manner. Perhaps it’s to create a “file of proof” against you. But don’t lose hope. Take this as a warning and turn things around.

4. Your manager follows up on that project

A day later, your manager sends a follow up on that project she wants on her desk, tomorrow. But she said it wasn’t due until the end of the week! What do you do? Well, instead of taking a long lunch or chatting with co-workers, hunker down and meet the new deadline.

3. Your responsibilities are dwindling

This should be a real red flag. If you all of a sudden find that your work is being given to another employee, it might be a good idea to start looking for another job.

Also, it couldn’t hurt ask your manager why. There might be other reasons. Are you moving into a different role? Are you being put on a different project? If you don’t ask for clarity, you may not get it. On the other hand, you might not like what you hear.

2. You didn’t get invited to a team meeting

You just returned from lunch to find your team is MIA. Where did they go? You peek around the conference room and see them. Why aren’t you? You check your inbox for the meeting request to find you didn’t receive one.

Getting left out of team meetings could mean you are no longer needed, so you best check with your team after they wrap up to get some insight.

1. You meet the new person and he shares your title

Your manager exits her office with a new employee. They are laughing and chatting as she introduces him to the group. You had no idea they were hiring. Hmmmm. He walks over to you and introduces himself. You ask nicely, “What will you be doing?” He answers that he was hired with the same title as you.

Before you get into a tizzy, maybe the company is growing. If not, look over any past reprimands or documented meetings from the boss – if things were at all rocky, it might be time to dust off your resume.

Before you start to over-analyze any of the signs above, take a deep breath. None of them is a surefire indication of anything, so you could be just fine.

But maybe update the resume, just in case…

Picture this scenario: You’ve just received your college degree and are chomping at the bit to get into a job that features your skills. You’ve done everything right. Great grades, solid references, a sparkling new resume, and a boatload of internships to prove your experience.

You’re scanning open positions online and come across your dream job! You upload your resume and fill out the application marking your interest. But before you click “submit” there is a section to upload a cover letter. Uh oh.

You quickly draft a letter to the HR manager regurgitating your resume. Good enough, right? Wrong.

According to Inc.com, there are over 250 applicants vying for that job, but only about 2% of those score an interview. So how do you stand out among the competition?

Your cover letter.

Photo Credit: Pexels, Lukas

A cover letter sets you apart. It lets the employer understand your personality, writing skills and why you are better than the competition.

What to include in your cover letter

Linda Spencer, Assistant Director of the Office of Career Services at Harvard answers the all-important question:

Why are you a great fit for that specific company?
How would you add value back into the organization if hired for that specific role? What impact could you make?

She also touches on an astounding statistic that “…the average employer takes up only about 7 seconds [to review resumes]. So they are not reading these resumes, they’re skimming these resumes. They need to know right off the bat how you are adding value.”

If you are looking to get to the top of the stack, a cover letter will help. Here’s what you need to include.

Address the letter to an actual person

With job sites like Linkedin, you should be able to seek out the hiring manager. And sometimes the job description lists the person performing the interviews, such as a Human Resources individual. Take that opportunity to personalize that letter to a specific audience (if you get it wrong, it’s not the end of the world).

State your purpose for the letter

An opener such as: “I am writing to express my interest in the [ENTER Position Title] within your organization.

Be clear as to why they are receiving your resume. You may also include where you found the job—via their website or a job board.

Do not summarize your resume!

Your cover letter should enhance your resume, not rehash it into paragraph form. This is your chance to shine and show a little of your personality and enthusiasm.

“If you have relevant school or work experience, be sure to point it out with one or two key examples,” Harvard’s Career Services Manual states. “Emphasize skills or abilities that relate to the job. Be sure to do this in a confident manner and keep in mind that the reader will also view your letter as an example of your writing skills.”

Use action words and the words “You” or “Your organization” rather than “I”

Remember, the employer wants to know what you can do for their company! Show them in your cover letter (don’t tell them). If you use the word “I”, it tells the company what you hope to gain from them, not the other way around.

Companies are interested in finding the best employee and that top echelon of candidates express what they can to add value to the job.

And skip the overused words like “hard-working, results-driven, team player.” Chances are the hiring manager has seen these a million times. Give them action. Show them how you are a team player. What projects have you done in which you proved you are a results-driven candidate?

Closing statement

In the end, show your enthusiasm for being in consideration for the role. Thank them for their time and tell them you are looking forward to discussing your candidacy further. This shows them you are excited and appreciative.

Consistency

Lastly, consistency is key. Your font type, size, etc should match your resume. These two very important documents complement each other and should match across the board.

Here is an excellent example of a cover letter breakdown to help you score that dream job!

Photo Credit: Harvard

Now get out there and apply!

The post Experts from Harvard Share Tips for the Perfect Cover Letter appeared first on UberFacts.

Category: job seeking

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