Landing a new job is a time consuming venture that requires a certain focus and execution from start to finish. With so many individuals trying to acquire the same positions, it's vital to stand out. Clark Hayes, founder of JobUnlocker, gives Tim Muma some advice on the best ways to put your name and face at the top of the list. Speaking from his own experiences as a job seeker, Clark describes the faulty strategies people...

The Cover Letter is the first chance you get to make a lasting impression on the potential employer. In many cases, it is what makes the employer or Human Resources person want to read your resume. The cover letter should showcase your personality, professionalism and of course your skills relevant to the position you are seeking. In addition, you should make sure that the tone and how you write the cover letter to a pe...

Whether it's on a website, social media accounts or even your cover letter and resume, a description of your skills and experience can determine your professional fate. Tim Muma speaks with Jeff Haden, owner of BlackBird Media, who draws off his experiences as a manager. Jeff also utilizes insight from business leaders to express the issues he has with many of the ways job seekers and others describe themselves.

The cover letter remains a critical component of a successful job search despite what you may hear anecdotally. It may be true, however, that a great cover letter will not win you an interview or be the defining factor in getting you the job you want, but it is certainly true that a terribly written or bland cover may earn you an instant rejection from a recruiter or HR representative. Achieving success in your job search i...

Whether you are a stay at home mom looking for home based work or a mom returning to work after the kids are old enough to be in school, or even current working mom prospecting for another position, it is important to understand the true value and importance of the cover letter. It can be used to bridge your skills and experience (as a mom/caretaker) to the position if you don’t have work history in a particular field or ev...

Cover letters are not so much a part of your “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit” as they are part of the implementation of your overall “self marketing” strategy. That’s right – a cover letter is a sales presentation in disguise! With cover letters, you’re reaching out for a very tangible goal – a job interview. Cover letters are the most commonly used method to introduce your credentials to an employer. And they can serve as one...

Ever wonder if there’s really any point in using a cover letter? Job seekers ask me often if there is any value in using a cover letter, and I answer them with an emphatic YES!—IF you’re using a personable cover letter that you’ve customized for the employer. If you’re just sending out some generic letter that you send to every job opening—then no, it probably won’t amount to a hill of beans. The value in a cover letter is...

Despite all the information and advice that exists about landing a new job, the only thing that really matters is what attracts an employer, recruiter or headhunter. To help us figure out what truly draws the eye to a job candidate, Tim Muma talks with Jim Giammateo, an individual who has conducted countless searches and poured over endless resumes and cover letters in his 30 years as a headhunter. Jim gives the inside scoo...

There are certain guidelines and practices that are supposed to be followed when trying to acquire a new job. Unfortunately, many times it may not allow a job seeker to stand out among the crowd. Thus, if you're still struggling to obtain a new position and are in desperation mode, you may have to be bolder. Tim Muma speaks with Marty Nemko, a well-respected and experienced career coach, author and consultant who has some t...

Ah… the dreaded resume cover letter! Nothing stirs fear in the hearts of job seekers more than the thought of writing a cover letter. It must be the pressure of being succinct, factual, and original. Before you reach a state of high anxiety, consider therapy – cover letter therapy. To write an excellent cover letter, you must really know yourself. Before you begin to draft your cover letter, you must dig deep. Read these ti...