by Angela Copeland | Mar 4, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
Have you heard the rumor? Everything important about your career is listed within the pages of your resume. Why would you possibly want to waste your time putting together a cover letter these days? Applying online is easy. All you need to do is upload your resume and click submit. If you’re qualified, the company will call you. Right?
Wrong. As you can imagine, this couldn’t be further from the truth. But, somehow, it’s a question I’m asked every week by job seekers – and surprisingly, even a well-known publication wanted to know.
In today’s competitive job market, the cover letter is more important than ever. Here’s the thing. There’s a decent chance you’re going to be working in a different industry, for a different company, and with a different title very soon. But, first, you have to convince a hiring manager as to why you’re the best fit. You’ve got to explain how your current experience as a corporate project management translates to an awesome new career in non-profit fundraising. And, your resume alone just isn’t going to cut it.
Your cover letter is your personal narrative. It’s your opportunity to explain directly to the hiring manager why you are the best fit. Don’t leave them guessing. Be direct, and be specific.
Imagine you were the hiring manager. You received resumes from two equally qualified candidates. Only one took the time to explain why they’re the best fit, and why they’re passionate about the job. Who would you pick?
If you’re wondering where to begin, start with the same header you use for your resume. It’s an easy way to make all of your materials match. Don’t be afraid to reiterate things that are listed in your resume. There is no guarantee anyone will actually read it. Your cover letter’s goal is to convince the hiring manager to take a closer look at you.
Mention which position you’re applying for. Explain confidently why you’re a great fit. Highlight relevant work and educational experience. If you have a hobby, passion, or side project that makes you more qualified than the average candidate, say so. Leave out personal details that are not relevant to the role.
Admittedly, one difference in today’s cover letter versus one twenty years ago is that it extends beyond the reach of a piece of paper. We tell our personal narratives everyday online when we share opinions and photos on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites.
There’s nothing from preventing your future employer from researching you. You’ve spent time perfecting your personal brand. Don’t let it go to waste by representing yourself poorly in the online world. Interviewing is like attending a dinner party. You never know who you might meet, or what their views may be.
Work to tell your own story in your own way, and you’ll go further. You are much more likely to land the job you really want when you don’t buy into the myth that the cover letter is dead.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 1, 2016 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 92 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live! As a follow up to last week’s podcast on what men should wear for interviews is this great rebroadcast of what women should wear.
This week we talk with wardrobe expert Nicole Longstreath. Nicole is the CEO and Virtual Wardrobe Stylist at The Wardrobe Code. The Wardrobe Code helps their clients to develop their personal brand and create their identity through wardrobe styling.
Nicole shares her expert advice on how to dress for success at your next interview.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about The Wardrobe Code, visit Nicole’s website here.
by Angela Copeland | Feb 29, 2016 | Advice, Networking
Is there any part of your job search that you enjoy? Any part that’s fun?
I’m certain I’m on a deserted island about this, but hands down, one of my favorite parts of job searching is going to career fairs. My clients will tell you — anytime they have a fair coming up, I light up and excitement comes pouring out of me.
You may wonder why in the world this is this case. Let’s face it — you’ve got to wonder. It’s strange, I know.
But where else in the world can you find 300 big name employers at your fingertips, all in one room? Where can you meet more HR professionals and hiring managers in one day? Where can you practice your elevator pitch more times? Where can you learn about new jobs? Where can you learn more about your favorite companies — directly from the companies? Where else can you have a first round interview ON SITE?
At JOB FAIRS!
Most people haven’t been to a job fair since college. Most universities put on a small scale fair for graduating seniors. It’s typically in the school gym or student union. Students feel nervous, and a little silly. The number of companies can be underwhelming. So, why would anyone want to attend a career fair after they finish with college?
You might be surprised, but there are lots of great, high quality fairs available all over the country. And, they aren’t just looking for college students. They’re looking for real deal professionals too.
We’re talking about big name companies like Facebook and Google and Toyota and Amazon. I could keep going and come up with a list 300+ companies long.
You should be aware though that not all job fairs are created equal. Many smaller fairs are not targeted toward specific types of roles. When attending a small fair, you may find it hard to come across any “real” opportunities.
You may also find that some of the companies with booths are participating just to be good sports — and not because they really have jobs available for candidates. Those are the same companies who claim to have “forgotten” all their business cards at home — or to have JUST run out.
You may be wondering, “Where can I find one of these awesome career fairs?”
Well, they are often part of a larger conference. Many national and international organizations have annual conferences. The conferences are typically two to three days and offer a range of educational workshops for participants. But, the conferences are often expensive and can run over $1,000 to attend.
But, don’t lose hope! There’s a solution. Many of the conferences offer a career fair only ticket. The ticket can range from $25 to $150 for the day. You’ll want to do your homework on which companies will be there, but almost always, the cost of admission is worth it for a large conference.
The other thing you may notice is that many of the organizations hosting the conferences are geared to a specific audience. And, it makes sense, right? It’s like a giant club for people with a certain educational or cultural background.
But, just because you may not fit the club’s biggest target market doesn’t mean you shouldn’t participate. If you don’t want to take my word for it, call the organization directly and ask them — 1. Do they have a career fair only ticket? AND 2. Do you need to be a part of their target market to attend? Chances are high the answers will be YES and NO.
Just remember, every company has HR staff that’s sent to these career fairs to look for candidates. And, it’s usually the same HR staff going to all the fairs — regardless of the target market of the organization.
Now, if you attend a technology fair (for example), you may be more likely to find technology recruiters. But, they’re not the only recruiters who will be there.
So, where can you find these awesome organizations hosting giant career fairs? Here’s a list of a few that I’ve been to and loved.
- National Black MBA Association, Inc. (NBMBAA)
- National Hispanic MBA (NSHMBA)
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- Net Impact
These are just a few. If you’re part of a national organization, do research to learn about your national conference and if a career fair is part of it.
And, if you’re in Tennessee, check out one of the Multicultural Career Expos being held in Memphis and Nashville.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Feb 23, 2016 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 91 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live! This week, we talk with Landon Holder in Los Angeles, CA. Landon is a Professional Custom Clothier at Balani Custom Clothiers – specializing in men’s tailored clothing. Landon has also worked as a Store Manager at Brooks Brothers and an Assistant Manager at Men’s Warehouse.
On today’s episode, we talk about what you should wear to an interview, what you need to know about accessories, and how to buy your first suit. We also answer listener questions!
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about Balani Custom Clothiers, visit their website here.
by Angela Copeland | Feb 22, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter
I meet with job seekers every day. It’s no surprise that they are often frustrated with the process of finding a new job. Between the energy applying takes, and then being rejected — looking for a job can be exhausting.
One question I always ask is, “Where are you getting stuck?” More than half of the time, the job seeker identifies the biggest hurdle as their resume. If it was better, they would get a job faster.
I completely agree that a good resume is one of the keys to a successful job search. But, I don’t put quite as much weight on it as you might think.
That must be surprising, right? After all, resumes are kind of my thing.
First, let me say again – a good resume is one of the keys to a successful search. But, there are a number of other important things:
- How well you network and stay in touch with people you’ve worked with, or know professionally
- How up to date your LinkedIn profile is
- How comfortable you are at reaching out to people you don’t know
- How well you delivery your elevator pitch
- How well written your cover letter is
- How specific your job search criteria is
- How much money you want to make
- How in demand your job is — and how much competition exists
I could go on and on. There are a number of factors that influence your job search that go beyond your resume. And, if you are ignoring these other pieces in order to focus on your resume, it’s possible you may struggle more than you need to.
But, if you want to get your resume right, so you can move on to the other parts of your search, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Check for spelling errors. There is nothing worse than having a hiring manager find a typo in your resume.
- Look for inconsistencies. Very often, we may start using one format at the beginning of our resume and switch to another without noticing. For example, we may start off with having our company name above our job title. And, a few jobs later, we’re putting the job title above our company name. Either way is okay, but be consistent.
- Check out your tenses. Very often in resumes, we use bullets to describe our work experience. And, those bullets typically begin with action verbs. If you’re using this format, be sure that things you did in the past are listed in past tense. Things you do today should be in present tense.
- Use a professional looking e-mail address. Stay away from old e-mails, such as AOL. Stay away from an e-mail with your birth year, your graduation year, or any other year with a significance. Stay away from using the names of hobbies in your e-mail address. Use your name, plain and simple.
- Your resume should be one entire page, or two entire pages. This is not a free form document. A resume is a formal presentation of your work history. It shouldn’t be one and a half pages, two and a half pages, or three pages. If you’re putting together a CV, the number of pages could vary, but for a resume, stick with this recommendation.
- Don’t use a resume writer! I can’t stress this enough. If you need help, reach out to a coach who can read your resume and provide feedback. Then, you make those changes. The most embarrassing resume moments I have seen have always (and I mean always) happened as a result of a resume writer. The writer doesn’t know the job seeker’s entire history and does their best to translate their lengthy experience into a two page document. But, they make a mistake. And, the job seeker ultimately doesn’t notice it until it’s too late.
These are just a few of my resume tips. Remember: a resume is not the single key to success. It’s one of many keys. Spend the time to update your resume, but don’t spend ALL of your time on it. Get it to a good place and then move on to the other keys of success.
Anytime I’m thinking of resumes, this quote comes to mind: “Done is better than perfect.”
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Feb 16, 2016 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 90 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast is now live! This week, we talk with Melanee Hannock in Memphis, TN. Melanee is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility. Discoveries made at St. Jude have changed the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases.
On today’s episode, we talk about how to make the career leap from for profit to non-profit, how to start a career in digital marketing, and how to set yourself up for success within your current organization.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about ALSAC and St. Jude, visit their website here.
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