Looking for work and need FREE resume/cover ltr help?

[glb]

If so, pm me and I can help getting your resume to its most impressive. We want to keep us all in Lotus cars, right?

Plus, I have a killer treatment for cover letters in response to job specs/qualifications. All we need is a copy of those specs and a bit of conversation (I have an 800 #).

I can handle one or two a week. I did two recently (one for LT member) that came out nicely.

First come, first served sort of. People out of work and veterans get 1st shot.

-g

[kestrel74]

You knew this was coming.........

1. I am very detail-oreinted.
2. My intensity and focus are at inordinately high levels, and my ability to complete projects on time is unspeakable.
3. Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!
4. Enclosed is a ruff draft of my resume.
5. It’s best for employers that I not work with people.
6. Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.
7. I am a quick leaner, dependable, and motivated.
8. If this resume doesn’t blow your hat off, then please return it in the enclosed envelope.
9. My fortune cookie said, “Your next interview will result in a job.” And I like your company in particular.
10. I saw your ad on the information highway, and I came to a screeching halt.
11. Insufficient writing skills, thought processes have slowed down some. If I am not one of the best, I will look for another opportunity.
12. Please disregard the attached resume-it is terribly out of date.
13. Seek challenges that test my mind and body, since the two are usually inseparable.
14. Graduated in the top 66% of my class.
15. Reason for leaving last job: The owner gave new meaning to the word paranoia. I prefer to elaborate privately.
16. Previous experience: Self-employed-a fiasco.
17. Exposure to German for two years, but many words are inappropriate for business.
18. Experience: Watered, groomed, and fed the family dog for years.
19. I am a rabid typist.
20. I have a bachelorette degree in computers.
21. Excellent memory; strong math aptitude; excellent memory; effective management skills; and very good at math.
22. Strengths: Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining composer.
23. I worked as a Corporate Lesion.
24. Reason for leaving last job: Pushed aside so the vice president’s girlfriend could steal my job.
25. Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel.
26. Objective: To have my skills and ethics challenged on a daily basis.
27. Special skills: Thyping.
28. My ruthlessness terrorized the competition and can sometimes offend.
29. I can play well with others.
30. Personal Goal: To hand-build a classic cottage from the ground up using my father-in-law.
31. Objective: I want a base salary of $50-$60,000 dollars, not including bonus. And some decent benefits. Like a retirement plan, health insurance, personal or sick days.
32. Experience: Provided correct answers to customers’ questions.
33. Education: Graduated from predatory school with honors.
34. Never been fired, although it could happen anytime now.
35. I have happily been a “kept man” for the past 10 years.
36. Have extensive experience in turkey manufactures as well as new product development and implementation.
37. I am accustomed to speaking in front of all kinds of audiences. I make points as well as I can.
38. Personal: Five children. Dog: Jasper. Cat: Morris. Gerbil: Binky.
39. While in military, was instrumental in creation of a treat detection system.
40. My compensation package at my last job included a base salary of $64,500 with excellent benefits including flextime. I am looking for a position in which I can work a more flexible schedule.
41. Hire me and you won’t regret it - I am funny, cute, smart and creative… really.
42. Referees available upon request.
43. Previous rank: Senior instigator.
44. I have recently sold my home and I now live in a large RV so I will be able to relocate quickly.
45. Reason for leaving: They stopped paying me.
46. Cover letter: Desire the chance to showcase my delightful personality, intelligence and superior judgment, which are so hard to find these days.
47. Personal achievements: Successfully played “Chop Sticks” on a toy piano with my big toes.
48. Objective: To obtain a position where I can make a difference, infecting others with my professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication.
49. Strengths: Impersonal skills.
50. Special interests: I like any projects that are fun.
51. Please explain any breaks in your employment career: 15 minute coffee break while working at a home improvement store.
52. Vocational plans: Sea World.

[glb]

what, no "I'm a purple person"?

[RoadDad]

I'm a purple person.

Can you help?

[glb]

Hiring:

I wait until ushering candidate to door, so they think it's over. It's not.

"Oh, forgot to ask. What are your strongest and weakest points in terms of business work?"

Everyone starts w/strong suit.....best to think about dinner during this.

Ah, but when you force someone to tell you their weak points (and they are too dumb to have anticipated this question), you hear interesting things.

My favs:

1. I have trouble getting to work on time. (OK for some jobs, but not for others, such as raising/lowering bridges)

2. I have difficulty getting along with some co-workers. (OK for that bridge job)

3. I DRINK TOO MUCH (!)

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by glb

Hiring:

I wait until ushering candidate to door, so they think it's over. It's not.

"Oh, forgot to ask. What are your strongest and weakest points in terms of business work?"

Everyone starts w/strong suit.....best to think about dinner during this.

Ah, but when you force someone to tell you their weak points (and they are too dumb to have anticipated this question), you hear interesting things.

My favs:

1. I have trouble getting to work on time. (OK for some jobs, but not for others, such as raising/lowering bridges)

2. I have difficulty getting along with some co-workers. (OK for that bridge job)

3. I DRINK TOO MUCH (!)

I can sometimes take things personally when I shouldn't
I sometimes get irritated when things don't go the way we've planned
I have an extremely difficult time tolerating office gossip


Stuff like this works. Don't ever tell your potential employer that you're a drunk or that your alarm clock doesn't work

[Spudboy]

My resume is pretty good, but I could use a strong cover letter. You got any samples?

[glb]

sure, see sample below.

Cover letter: We take the job specs and show exactly-ish how we meet those, using the wording the specs use.

Resume: Highlight achievements at each job. Don't simply list your responsibilities.



I am applying for the Supervising Librarian position. Given my years of applicable experience, I have finely developed my public relations skills, my reference skills and my communications skills which match your requirements to a remarkable (KEY WORD) degree:.

• A leader with good communication skills: I have led many presentations and I regularly train teachers in the use of digital video for classroom use. As a librarian, I solve both adult and young adult reference problems and inquiries.

• Innovative thinking: Proposed a delivery method that will save CJIMS $30,000 annually. I combined Morris Media Service with Central Jersey Media, saving $100,000.

• Knowledge of new technologies: Introduced digital media systems for school districts in central NJ. Developed Merck’s first intranet document database.

• Leading/developing staff + evaluations/training: I have successfully managed groups of employees for 7 years. These duties are all part of that experience.

• Supervise collection development: At two different libraries, performed this duty.

• Provide reference and readers’ advisory: Currently providing this service at two different libraries.

• Programming: I plan and organize 15 workshops a year.

• Budgetary development/monitoring: Was responsible for the operating budget for Morris County Media Services.

• Strategic planning: Implemented first web catalog for MCMS. Initiated first use Starlab planetariums in Morris schools.

• Professional organizations/committees: Served as president of NJ County A-V Aid Centers, Member of NAMTC and Association of School Librarians.

• ALA and MLS: Gained MLS from Rutgers in 1995.

• NJ PLC: Had since 1999.

• Post MLS experience: 13 years.

• Knowledge of library/information technology :Work with Sirsi/Dynix DB; with Innovative Interfaces Millenium DB; with library cataloging software; adept at learning new applications.

• Ability to successfully communicate with public and staff: Excellent customer service and clear communication are intrinsic in my current position and always a priority.

[the1sen]

I would just like to say thank you for your kind offer.

Guys, GLB contacted me via PM after noticing I had lost my job. He rewrote my resume, and did a cover-letter from hell all in a day! I was vying for a top level graphic design and photography position with a publicly traded company after submitting my newly written info almost immediately!

While I did not get the job , I was awarded a bunch of contract photography work for this company based on my skills .

The only thing I can say is THANK YOU GLB - You're kindness knows no bounds. Both my wife and I are ever grateful to you for your help. If another big job pops up like that, I know who to call!

Sincerest and best wishes,

Joe & Mollie

[TheViper]

Joe,
I wish you the best in finding a job that fulfills you.
Michael

[FunElan]

If only I had seen this earlier, I just sent out a resume and cover letter to a part time job two days ago!

[ezmoney]

Deer Sir,I waunt to apply for the secritary job what I saw in the paper. I can Type real quik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.I think I am good on the phone and no I am a pepole person, Pepole really seam to respond to me well.I´m lookin for a Jobb as a secritary but it musent be to complicaited.I no my spelling is not to good but find that I Offen can get a job thru my persinalety. My salerery is open so we can discus wat you want to pay me and wat you think that I am werth, I can start imeditely. Thank you in advanse fore yore anser. . hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.Sinseerly,Peggy May StarlingsPS : Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of me taken at my last jobb.

[the1sen]

The Viper, thank you for the well wishes... Been out of work since April. I may need to take a menial call center job just to get some income going. Hopefully that will leave me enough time to freelance.

ezmoney, that is hysterical -

GLB really helped me though, in real life, and I bet he could help someone else too if given the opportunity.

He's like a one-man-economic-booster!

[glb]

Originally Posted by ezmoney

Deer Sir,I waunt to apply for the secritary job what I saw in the paper. I can Type real quik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.I think I am good on the phone and no I am a pepole person, Pepole really seam to respond to me well.I´m lookin for a Jobb as a secritary but it musent be to complicaited.I no my spelling is not to good but find that I Offen can get a job thru my persinalety. My salerery is open so we can discus wat you want to pay me and wat you think that I am werth, I can start imeditely. Thank you in advanse fore yore anser. . hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.Sinseerly,Peggy May StarlingsPS : Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of me taken at my last jobb.

there is no way she could use a keyboard!!!

In fact, a friend of mine in mktg had a secretary with rather large nay-nays, in a very sturdy bra.

She complained that her typewriter added spaces randomly as she typed.

Someone said, "Let me see".

You guessed it, her bra was bouncing off the space bar.

[ezmoney]

Originally Posted by the1sen

The Viper, thank you for the well wishes... Been out of work since April. I may need to take a menial call center job just to get some income going. Hopefully that will leave me enough time to freelance.

ezmoney, that is hysterical -

GLB really helped me though, in real life, and I bet he could help someone else too if given the opportunity.

He's like a one-man-economic-booster!

I'm friends with glb and I knew that he was helping with a members resume. He didn't say which member but now I know.

[ezmoney]

Originally Posted by glb

there is no way she could use a keyboard!!!

In fact, a friend of mine in mktg had a secretary with rather large nay-nays, in a very sturdy bra.

She complained that her typewriter added spaces randomly as she typed.

Someone said, "Let me see".

You guessed it, her bra was bouncing off the space bar.

Gil
She DICKtated the resume to someone else who typed it for her!

[chapster5]

Wow GLB Great work on my CV and Covering letter! I now have confidence that the CV is fully actuarate and layed out professionally. Only time will tell if i get a job or not so i will definatly keep you updated. Once again GREAT work better than what i had imagined Thank You ever so much, Greatly appreciated.

Nick
-Chapster5-

[glb]

The Search
Subtle Cues Can Tell an Interviewer ‘Pick Me’

By PHYLLIS KORKKI

Published: September 12, 2009

IT’S always fun to hear hiring managers recall the most boneheaded mistakes they have seen job seekers make during an interview: showing up in flip-flops, say, or taking a cellphone call while meeting the company president.

But that kind of cluelessness is rare. More common are the subtle missteps or omissions that can cause one candidate to lose out to another. If one person is sending out the right signals and behaving in the right way through each step of the process, he or she has a much better chance of landing the job — even with an inferior résumé.

Now here’s the tricky part: there is no single set of rules. While certain standards of courtesy always apply (be punctual, treat everyone you meet with respect), your success may depend on the company’s culture and the preferences of the people doing the hiring. Your ability to sense, and to act on, these factors could make a big difference.

When Susan L. Hodas, director of talent management at NERA Economic Consulting, is hiring, she looks for the right cultural fit as much as the right experience. To some degree she goes with her instincts, she says, but she can also identify certain preferences. Here is one: “They should come in a suit,” she said.

Body language is also important, Ms. Hodas says. She is looking for an assured but not overly casual demeanor, along with good eye contact. She is also looking for people who can enunciate their words (mumblers beware) and who can communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly.

Over all, she says, she is looking for people who are “confident but not cocky.”

She says she and her colleagues apply “the airport test” to candidates. They ask themselves: “Would I want to be stuck in the airport for 12 hours with this person if my flight was delayed?”

It seems that just being yourself — albeit a formal, polite, alert and attentive version of yourself — is the best way to behave during interviews. You don’t want to do such a great job of faking it that when the company discovers the real you, it comes to regret ever hiring you.

That said, there are certain things you can do — both during the interview and afterward — to give yourself an advantage.

You should always research the company thoroughly (easy to do on the Internet), and be prepared to give specific examples of how your experience relates to the job. Also be able to describe as concretely as possible how you made a difference in your previous jobs.

Researching the company will help when the interviewer asks whether you have any questions. Do have questions, said David Santos, executive director of human resources for Interbrand, a brand management firm. Not having any shows a lack of interest and preparation, he said.

Make sure your questions show knowledge of the company and your interest in contributing to its success. You’d be surprised how many people focus on themselves, not the company, by asking right off about things like salary, benefits and bonuses, said Annie Shanklin Jones, who manages United States recruitment for I.B.M.

Try to establish common ground with your interviewer so you stand out, Ms. Shanklin Jones said. Maybe you went to the same college or you pull for the same sports team, she said. During the interview, “leverage your referrals,” she said, finding ways to highlight the people you know within the company.

What if you don’t have these advantages? Ms. Shanklin Jones said that one candidate for a sales position, after his first interview, sent a file listing his software certifications and showing that he had exceeded his sales quotas quarter after quarter. This was an important factor in the decision to hire him, she said.

Depending on the job you apply for, you may be called back for an interview several times. How you follow up after each interview is crucial. Not following up at all shows a lack of interest. Following up too much, or in the wrong way, could take you out of the running.

Mr. Santos says he looks for prompt follow-up by e-mail that shows the applicant was listening attentively, that mentions names of people the candidate met, and that reaffirms the candidate’s work experience and understanding of the company. Much less impressive is a generic e-mail that could be sent to any company, he said.

Follow-up letters can do as much harm as good, Mr. Santos said. If they are too casual, or too pushy and demanding, for example, the writers show that they don’t have an understanding of the company and the hiring process, he said.

Paper or e-mail? Mr. Santos’s preference shows how tricky this can be. He says that for a company like his, which is more digitally focused, it would show a lack of awareness to send a traditional thank you note through the mail. On the other hand, he does expect candidates to show up for interviews with printed copies of their résumés.

Given that all companies and hiring managers are different, getting through the interview process can seem like walking a tightrope. But common courtesy, combined with common sense, plenty of research and a dose of intuition can go a long way toward bringing you safely to the other side.

[Spudboy]

Originally Posted by ezmoney

Deer Sir,I waunt to apply for the secritary job what I saw in the paper. I can Type real quik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.I think I am good on the phone and no I am a pepole person, Pepole really seam to respond to me well.I´m lookin for a Jobb as a secritary but it musent be to complicaited.I no my spelling is not to good but find that I Offen can get a job thru my persinalety. My salerery is open so we can discus wat you want to pay me and wat you think that I am werth, I can start imeditely. Thank you in advanse fore yore anser. . hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.Sinseerly,Peggy May StarlingsPS : Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of me taken at my last jobb.

Is she leaning on the tree because she will fall face forward otherwise?

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by glb

Paper or e-mail? Mr. Santos’s preference shows how tricky this can be. He says that for a company like his, which is more digitally focused, it would show a lack of awareness to send a traditional thank you note through the mail. On the other hand, he does expect candidates to show up for interviews with printed copies of their résumés.

This point here can be extremely difficult. My last boss was really old fashioned. Computer? What's that? Everything, and I mean everything had to be on paper. We had one company email address that was only utilized to tell people to put whatever they wanted onto the fax machine. In my old boss' case, if someone sent an email thank you note, he probably wouldn't read it. A paper letter? That would be gold. Each company and its chief has their own style, sometimes to an extreme degree.