It’s time to dump the old line: “Please accept this application in response to…” If you’re still starting your cover letter with this overused one-liner, then I implore you to stop what you’re doing, delete the line, and spend a few minutes reading this article to discover seven new examples of how you can catch the hiring manager’s attention with an attention-grabbing opening line. Entice them with the job title and some o...

Cover letter! Those are possibly the two most dreaded words known to any job seeker. If you feel your cover letter is weak, take a look at the list below of six things that you must “nail” in a cover letter. If you master these categories, you will have an effective cover letter. Not only that, you may even enjoy writing cover letters. (Well, that may be extreme.) Salutation Take the time to get an appropriate contact nam...

With the insane amount of resumes that employers and hiring personnel often need to review, it's vital that job seekers hit them with their best pitch right off the top. One strategy is to implement an "opening statement" that tells the employer who you are and what you can do. Tim Muma speaks with Mary Elizabeth Bradford, an internationally Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), who provides her experience and insight to...

Some people meticulously write their resume but then treat their cover letter as an afterthought, resulting in a mistake-riddled, dull and underperforming document. It is important to ensure your job search tool kit is fully equipped with high-quality, well-honed marketing messages that are blunder-free. The following four cover letter mistakes-and accompanying remedies-will help sharpen your cover letter saw. 1. Using a Ge...

The goals of a cover letter are to 1) affirm the connection you have (hopefully) already made with the addressee and 2) to get you noticed. If that is the case, why do all the cover letters I see look the same? All short one paragraph, maybe with a few bullets about why this candidate is applying for the job. What do you think the reaction is from recruiters and hiring managers when they see this type of cover letter? I say...

For some individuals, successfully landing a new position becomes a frustrating, arduous task that drags on for many months or even over a year. When the process takes this long, it's clearly time to try to new things or look to master the tools you're already utilizing. Founder and Owner of Keppie Careers, Miriam Salpeter, discusses a number of ways that job seekers can improve their chances of getting a gig, even after th...

Face facts: Some people will never read your cover letter. The rest of the people may trash your resume if it does not include a cover letter. Others will value the cover letter over all other application materials. Since you can’t know for sure which type of employer or recruiter will receive and review your materials, assume the cover letter is a crucial piece of your application package. Don’t make these 13 cover letter...

As a resume writer who frequently assists executives and senior-level professionals to create thoughtful cover letters, I enjoyed talking with Leslie Stevens-Huffman of Dice.com for her insightful article, 10 Ways to Screw Up Your Cover Letter. As she notes, your job search can stall if your cover letter fails to show your value, or makes it obvious that you’re not taking the time to learn about the employer’s business. Unf...

A career biography as a job search document is nothing new; employers and recruiters have often reviewed bios as a part of a leadership or executive portfolio. In fact, don’t be surprised if you’re asked for an executive biography when submitting your resume. However, you don’t want to resort to the tired, “James has served as the IT Director of XYZ Company for 6 years” type of bio. Instead, power up your biography with the...

The concern described by many job seekers about resumes and cover letters are that they don't illustrate what the job seeker brings to an organization, and that once their documents are submitted for a job, they fall into a black hole where no one actually sees it. Joanna Riley Weidenmiller, CEO of the One-Page Company, describes to Tim Muma how and why job seekers should alter their plan of attack by utilizing a one-page...