The Way to a Successful Cover Letter!

First of all, a cover letter is a paper that introduces that impressive resume that you have prepared. Before you get started on your cover letter, here are a few tips to abide:

The Shorter the Better

Follow this concept! Your cover letter should not be too long, as long as it does the job of introducing you. It should be in 3 short paragraphs that say:

1. The job that you're applying for.
2. The reason why the employer should interview you.
3. How much you appreciate the time he or she takes to read your letter.
4. When you will call to make an appointment for an interview.

Just Be Yourself!

This is the biggest tip to follow when you are writing a cover letter. Most importantly, you have to be yourself and of course show a positive attitude! This would mean that you should refrain from writing an overly formal letter that does not sound like it's written by you. Don't even try to use phrases that sound canned! Instead, a better approach would be a letter with a casual yet polite style. This is definitely beneficial to you as it is a way to show that you would be a great and fun person to interview.

Now that you know the tips and things to avoid when writing a cover letter, it's time to get started on your letter. Follow the next steps and they will take you from top to bottom of your masterpiece.

Step One

Since you've gone through the step of creating a heading for your resume, it is needless for you to go through that step again. Instead, here's what you should do:

1. Make a copy of your resume on your computer.
2. Name this new document "Cover Letter".
3. Delete everything in the document except the heading.

With that, you've got a letterhead that is ready for the contents of your letter!

Step Two

Now, write the date and inside address.

Step Three

This would be the first paragraph of the body of the letter. It should say something catchy like:

1. Where you got to know of this job.
2. The name of the person who referred you to the man or woman you're writing to.

Step Four

This consist the second paragraph and it should be brief, describing:

1. The job that you would like.
2. What you have to offer on this job.
3. A "sneak-preview" on what you would like to talk about in the job interview.

Step Five

The third paragraph is your closure. You should say things like:

1. You will give the employer a call again to see when you can come by for an interview.
2. You appreciate the employer for taking his time to read your letter.

Step Six

Write your complimentary close like "Sincerely" or "Yours Sincerely". Then sign your name by hand at a few lines down. Don't forget to include your first and last name! lastly, write "Enclosure: resume." just below your name and flush left.

With the hints and detailed steps given above, you will be on your way to a successful cover letter. Good luck!

Next, find out about Multimedia and Animation and Information Technology.

Some Important Keys That Will Result in a Successful Job Interview - Part 1 - Tips For the Employer

Regardless of your perspective.., potential employee, or employer, the purpose of a job interview should be the same.

The similarity is that both the potential employee and the employer need to make an initial assessment (in a very brief amount of time) as to whether the candidate is a good fit for the open position.

Both the candidate and the employee will base their decisions on observations and shared information.

We can talk about the "proper" answers to the canned questions - many articles have already been written pertaining to that subject - so let's not get side-tracked by politically correct canned minutiae.

Actually, on both sides of the desk the interview often degenerates into a canned go by the numbers routine of "where do you see yourself in five years" and "what is your weakest trait" type drivel, and "I'll do anything required" and "I am sure I would have no problem with ..." type of innocuous responses.

Please, people, let's get real.

First, a few ideas for the employer. Please do not treat the interviewing process as an inconvenience or formality. Take a thorough and genuine interest in the candidate with the goal of envisioning him/her within the organization, while at the same time keeping in mind that this is an investigation - not a coronation. It's ok to ask canned questions - but try to do it in a way that does not make you sound like an automaton. Instead of "where do you see yourself in 5 years" ask "what are your thoughts on career advancement."

Also, please devote the time to the interviewee. If at all possible, meet with the candidate away from your office, phone, curious co-workers, and info-seeking superiors.

Try to be pleasant and not haughty. You may feel that your company is the greatest place on Earth to work and that it would be an ultimate privilege to work there, but in reality, not every one would agree. You are an employee trying to hire another employee for the purpose of making the Company stronger - that's all. Being down to earth will allow the candidate to loosen up and lead to a clearer picture of the person. He/she will be much more likely to share views and ask questions (which will also be revealing) if they are relaxed and not uptight.

Please do not be long-winded. The idea is to exchange information. You will not be able to draw information from the candidate if you spend 20 minutes of the 30 minute session pointing out the long history of the Company, a detailed explanation of the benefits package, and a detailed rundown of your work history and accomplishments.

When you talk about the history of the Company, be brief and concise. Ask the candidate what they know about the Company - this will tell you if the candidate has done any homework, but more importantly it will also create a dialogue.

Intertwine your work record with questions about the candidates' experiences. It will be easier to consider and compare similarities and contrasts. More relevant details and a better understanding may be extracted if you can discuss similar prior experiences. Again, be conversational.

By the end of the interview, you want to have a good understanding of 1) why the candidate thought they would be a good fit for the position, 2) the overall capabilities of the candidate, 3) a feel for whether the candidate would be a good fit into the organization, 4) the likelihood of the candidate being successful (also if additional training would be required, or if he/she could hit the ground running).

These factors can all be evaluated with open and frank conversational discussion.

These are just a few of the things to keep in mind when interviewing prospective employees.

In my next article, I will address some of the factors the prospective employee should keep in mind during an interview.

Rick Caciale is an Engineer with 15 years experience as a supervisor and 35 years experience as an employee. For more Job Interviewing tips, please visit my Blog at http://job-interview-tips-useful.blogspot.com

Business Database: The Link to a Successful Campaign

A successful telemarketing campaign is dependent on several factors. These factors can affect the over-all performance of the telemarketers, the market they are targeting, their sales pitch, and even the products and services being offered. This is especially true, especially in B2B leads. A contact list can help reduce the impact of these factors, since it has all the tools you need to get the job done.

Now, what are these factors that should be considered? To start with, we can talk about the telemarketers themselves. Stress is a very real threat in their environment. In a workplace where success can be a very thin margin, it takes a lot of effort on the part of the people manning the phones to succeed. Doing that would require that some form of aid is available for them to make split-second decisions or look up on some information they need fast. A contact list does just about that.

The target market is also a major factor in a successful telemarketing campaign. We've certainly heard a lot of stories of telemarketing services failing to deliver what they promised. Frankly, it can't be helped. Times have changed. People are not as enthusiastic in cold calling them as they were in the past. Actually, convincing them that you're a legitimate advertiser is an achievement by itself already. Now, it's the remaining half that is the toughest part to do. You have to convince them that they need what you're offering. It's not funny since the success rate of doing that is pretty low. That's the truth.

The sales pitch also contributes in large part to the performance of the campaign. A good selling pitch increases interest. A bad one merely irritates the listener. That's why a lot of effort is spent in formulating a script that would send the message across, yet sound as normal as having an ordinary conversation with a friend. It takes a lot of skill from telemarketers to make it natural, with no hint of it being 'canned' or scripted. A good agent can get the message across, with the listener wanting to know more from you. It's a good sign that your talk is a success. And contact list is an invaluable tool for that.

One more thing that needs to be considered whenever we're dealing with telemarketing is with the products and service being offered. In the first place, if they are not going to make anyone happy in buying them, then what's the point in selling them? Although we've seen a lot of bogus products circulating around for a long time, it doesn't mean that we should stop using telemarketing to market our offers.

The thing here is that you should look at the products or service carefully before you take it upon yourself to sell them. Not knowing the exact nature of what you are offering can greatly affect the performance of a campaign. Negative word-of-mouth can seriously damage the reputation of your offer even before the campaign ends. So it would be a good idea to choose what you have to sell. You also have a reputation to keep, right?

Now, to get all these tasks done, you'd need to use a reliable business database provider. They're the firms most telemarketers turn to for contact list needs, as well as additional information on the market they're planning to sell their products to. These save not just your time, but also a lot of effort in compiling the necessary data. And whatever time and effort you save, you can then use it to concentrate on the core functions of your business.

Alice Clark is a sales and marketing consultant specializing in business contact database management. Alice invites you to visit http://www.contactdb.com/ to learn more about business contact lists and databases.

Scavenger Hunt Basics - Important Tips For Planning Successful Scavenger Hunts

Purpose

The primary goal of a scavenger hunt is to send participants out with a list of things to find, obtain, photograph, videotape, audio record, etc. The hope is that while they are working together as a team, relationships will be developed.

Publicity Opportunity

Make invitations to your church, business, or organization and give them to everyone who participates or that interacts with the groups in some way. Or create a small thank you card with your contact information. Participants can give a thank you card to everyone who helps them. Even better, invite them to a party or slideshow where the results will be displayed.

Preparing Item Lists

Lists can be as creative and wild as you want them to be. Design your list around a theme or concept:

Ecological, Bible Objects, Occupations, Food, Canned Goods, Prices of items, Animal Tracks, footprints, Photos at History Locations, People, sounds, clothing, church members, Camp Supplies, Items for the needy, recycled materials, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, New Year, Halloween, Noah's Ark Party, old family photos, fruits, vegetables, widgets, Posed Photos, Video, etc.

Protecting Participants

1. Don't let any youth drive - put adults in charge and don't allow horseplay on the roads like "Chinese fire drills". Make sure everyone wears seatbelts or take major points away if they are caught on film without them on. You could also conduct the scavenger hunt on foot. You don't want a participant killed while speeding during your scavenger hunts.

2. Participants must obey all laws and instructions from sponsors.

3. Limit the play area and place people at strategic locations if needed to insure the safety of participants.

4. Make sure each group has a mobile phone and contact numbers for emergency.

Points

1. Set a specific point value for each item on the list.

2. Have a point penalty for each minute late to the final destination or to report back with the items.

3. For Video or photo scavenger hunts, give extra points to groups for having a company, organization, or church logo in every picture. You could also require a Bible, a mascot, or some other object in each picture. Some groups have even been known to have to carry a large teddy bear or other object (a couch) around to be in each picture.

4. Award extra points for having everyone in the group as part of the photo or video.

Planning the Scavenger Hunt - 10 Steps

1. PURPOSE: What is the purpose of your scavenger hunt.
(Is it an icebreaker? For team building? Just for fun?)

2. TYPE: What type of scavenger hunt is it?
(Is it to collect objects? a photo scavenger hunt? A video scavenger hunt? A sound scavenger hunt? Others?)

3. THEME: What is the theme?
(Is it a Pirate's Treasure Hunt? a Superhero Hunt? Aladin's Magic Carpet Hunt? Others?)

4. LOCATION: Where will the hunt take place? What are the boundaries?
(Is it limited to a school or church building? The downtown area? Walking distance? Reconnoiter the location to determine potential problems. Get permission in advance from affected businesses and individuals.)

5. ITEM LIST: What items do participants need to collect?
(Based on your purpose, type of hunt, and theme, make a list of items that can be found in the specified boundaries. Are substitutions allowed?)

6. SCORING: How will points be allocated?
(Are some items worth more than others? Are there points for creativity and quality?)

7. INVITATIONS: Who will be invited to the join in the Scavenger Hunt?
(What do they need to bring? What do they need to wear? Tailor the invitations to your theme.)

8. TEAMS: How will participants be divided into teams?

9. RULES: What are the rules?
(Take into consideration the safety of participants as well as minimizing potential problems.)

10. AWARDS: Determine the location and the time for the awards party.
(How will teams present their items to the judges?)

Ken has been actively involved in youth ministry for almost 20 years and has been writing youth Bible Study materials since 1988. He has written for numerous Youth weekends and summer camps around the world. He also does training workshops for youth leaders and teachers in Asia and is recommended by others for his creativity and for his passion in mentoring youth.

More Ideas?

You can get ideas for specific scavenger hunts from http://www.creativescavengerhunts.com