Author Archives: Theresa Watkins

3 Tips for Writing a Better Cover Letter

If you want to be a writer, it helps to know how to write. But if you want to get a job, it helps to know how to write a cover letter, too. If you can write well in these two areas, you’ll have a wide range of opportunities before you. Read more.

Cover Letter – Write It Better

When looking for a new job, you probably already have a half-dozen cover letters ready to go. These letters are generally pretty bland and don’t do much to set you apart from the pack. In fact, the majority of people look at a cover letter and say “meh” before deciding to even respond.

Why do you need to write a better cover letter?

It’s because you want to find the right job. So, you spend all this time and effort writing a great cover letter, learning about the job, and reading the job description to make sure you are applying for the right job.

Most job applications have a cover letter to go along with it. This is where you get to sell yourself to the prospective employer. Your cover letter is your big chance to show the employer your talents and why you are the best candidate for the position. Some cover letters have only a sentence or two, while others can be long and demanding. So, how can you make the most of that chance?

Writing Tops For Your Winning Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter can be incredibly daunting, especially if you are applying to jobs that are located in another state. Cover letter writing is particularly difficult if you are applying for a job requiring you to include some sort of educational background or applying for a job located outside of your area. Here are three tips to help you write a better cover letter.

  • Work on a memorable and thoughtful lead.

It is so important to write a great cover letter that not only catches the eye of the recruiter but also that the person reading it will be drawn into the story and consider your application. Recruiters always want to know why a candidate wants to work for their company and, more importantly, why they should hire them. Also, they look for things that make them think of their company as being different, that are memorable and interesting, and that brings something new to the table. You need to make a good first impression.

  • Add some conversational tone and a sprinkle of personality to your letter.

Keep your cover letter brief and to the point. Repeat your skills and accomplishments in a different format. Emphasize key elements of your skills in relation to the job posting. Take note of the recruiter’s name and contact information. Think of two or three random facts about you. Try to make your letter human, warm, and friendly. Write it as if you are speaking to a close friend.

The mistake that many people make when writing a cover letter is to keep it too formal. Don’t write your cover letter like a legal document. Instead, use a conversational tone. Take a few minutes to write down some tips for how to write a good cover letter. List out a few ideas, and use them to guide you when crafting your cover letter.

  • Capture the reader’s attention by addressing their needs (don’t rattle and avoid cliches)

You’ve probably heard in your career that cover letters are essential to the recruitment process. You’ve probably been told that it’s crucial to have a cover letter that speaks to the employer’s needs, grabs their attention, reassures them that you’re the right candidate, or shows you understand their business, and all of this is true. But if you’ve been told it, you’ve likely been told it by a recruiter.

It is unfortunate, but it is true. Your cover letter doesn’t have to sound like a legal document, or does it have to be boring. In fact, you can write a cover letter that will make hiring managers sit up and take notice.

Cover letters are a great way to get an interview, but we all know that the cover letter is just the first step to making that happen. We can all write a good cover letter, but can we make it even better? Certainly, a well-written cover letter is always considered to be a great first step towards receiving that job.

How to Handle Necessary Personal Calls at Work

Every office has its own set of rules. Some offices allow personal calls during work hours, while others have a strict policy that personal calls are not allowed at any time. There are some office environments where one’s personal calls have to be put on hold until the end of the day. However, there are also some offices that allow personal calls during work hours.

Likewise, many offices do not require external VPNs for work from home because they are confident in their secure connection. Others, on the other hand, use a VPN to protect their data from getting breached – benefit of vpn – by providing a tunnel for your data and communications while using public networks. It may also prevent third-party users from tracking your calls.

Managers, leaders, and other professionals who face any kind of business call at work can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the idea of how to handle these calls. In many cases, personal calls are necessary, and some of the most common calls are from family members upset about something at home. In other cases, managers have to deal with difficult customers or difficult co-workers.

The key to handling these calls in a professional way is to set aside a time slot to handle calls. That’s when you can really focus on the call. Set aside a time each day when you can truly concentrate on taking care of the call without having to worry about other distractions, and here’s how.

  • If needed, let your family or friends know about your work schedule

“Family and friends should know your work hours” is something we hear a lot whenever someone is working from home; however, if you want to keep your work-from-home lifestyle a secret, you have to take extra precautions. While we all know that work can be stressful, taking a phone call while you are working can cause you to miss important information that could affect your work. At the same time, it can be important to let family and friends know when you are working on scheduling plans accordingly.

  • Be considerate with your co-workers when you are in quarters

Ever had a customer friend who just won’t stop phoning you during lunch or during after hours? Do you think it’s possible they might be interested in what you’re doing at work? Well, if they are, they might not be very considerate when it comes to taking personal calls during the workday. What should you do if you take a call and work in close quarters with other people at your workplace? If your work relies on collaboration and you have been known to take calls on your desk or with others in the vicinity, is it appropriate to put your cell phone on silent?

  • You should know the company policy and common courtesy

In some jobs, you may be able to take personal phone calls in the workplace-but that doesn’t mean you should. We’re not talking about any offensive behavior like taking a call in the men’s room or talking loudly on your phone in the cafeteria. We’re talking about taking personal calls that prevent your team from having a productive workday. Sure, you might be able to get away with this in your job, but if you’re in sales or consulting, you risk losing credibility with your employer if you’re known as the company’s “personal phone king.” The best career move is to check company policy before making a call at work, but this doesn’t mean you can’t be considerate about your personal calls.

At one point or another, everyone works in an office or organization, and most of the time, they’re called upon to make personal calls. If you’re a manager or a leader, it’s fairly common sense that your employees should be able to handle their personal calls at work. However, not everyone has the same idea about what’s OK and what’s not OK. It’s the time of year we’re all thinking about, and for many of us, it’s the time of year we dread. The holiday season means a lot of work for a lot of people, and it’s important to remember that not all work calls require you to be at your desk. As the year comes to a close, it’s important to consider what calls you may want to take during the holidays.

For those in the workforce for a while now, there will always be those we interact with regularly to call or email personally. It may be from a manager or supervisor or a colleague or a friend. All these calls are necessary calls that we have to make, and they are, in their own right, very important.

 

3 Financial Hacks for College Grads

College grads, rejoice! You have graduated college and are now faced with a new and exciting life of possibilities. Wear your Jostens cap and gown with pride, you’ve worked hard to get to this point. But, as you start the next leg of your journey, you may find yourself struggling to find a job, saving money or making plans for your future. Struggling to find a job is normal, but financial woes can be a real problem for people who are just entering the workforce. Luckily, there are a few simple tips you can follow to make your money management easier.

Importance of Financial Planning

Financial planning is a serious subject that can’t be taken lightly. In fact, it’s so important that many people rely on professional financial planners to make all of their hard-earned money decisions and ensure they are financially secure for years to come. Unfortunately, financial planning doesn’t come naturally to everyone. In fact, you may have never thought about it, until now! That’s because a lot of people have no idea how to get started. They don’t know where to look, what to look for, or how to find the best information, whether that’s how to save effectively for retirement or something simple like money-saving energy tips to keep utilities down in the home, to help them make the right decisions for their future.

The need for financial planning as a college student can become more pronounced as you navigate the challenges of tuition, living expenses, and potential student loans. It’s crucial to recognize that effective financial planning during your college years can set the foundation for a stable financial future. This includes understanding budgeting basics, managing student loans wisely, and developing smart spending habits. Furthermore, early financial planning is recommended to find budget-friendly housing options. It’s worth noting that the best areas to search for a student home in Bristol or elsewhere often depend on factors such as proximity to campus, local amenities, and overall cost of living. In which case, assessing these considerations during the early stages of financial planning can empower you to make informed decisions about your housing choices.

3 Financial Hacks you must do as College Grad

College is stressful enough, but when you’re spending money on your books, food, computer, and other essentials, you have to figure out how to make ends meet.

  1. Use Easy Budget Applications

There are a lot of apps available to help you manage your budget (at least, you can count on the app store for that!), but what if you don’t want the hassle of entering all your financial information every time you want to check your budget? What if you want to use the same budgeting tool every month? There’s an alternative-a simple, automated app that provides you with a complete budget from the receptionist’s number, without any input from you, or any transaction log.

There are many budgeting apps on the market, but most are only mildly helpful. Easy Budget is an app that can remove the stress of managing your money. Easy Budget helps you create a budget, track your spending, and manage your budget-all with just a few taps. No more spreadsheet or graphs, no more numbers to calculate.

  1. Always Avail the Student Discounts

Many college students have found that they are eligible for a number of discounts and perks that can make their student lives much easier. From free food to discounted rent, discounts can save students thousands of dollars each year. If you’re a student making ends meet, you want to take advantage of all the opportunities you have to cut costs.

How do you get that student discount? As a college graduate, you may have access to some of the best student discounts around. But, what if you have recently graduated and are still working in a field that can still qualify you for the discounts? As it turns out, you do not have to be a student to get a student discount, and you may be surprised how much you save. Regardless, there are many ways for college students to recoup some of the money they spend on college every year, and the first is by simply using their student ID cards.

  1. Always Utilize your Rewards Cards

One of the most lucrative ways to make extra money is to sign up for credit card rewards programs. These programs will often offer you discounts on future purchases if you sign up for the program before the end of the year. You may not realize it, but the rewards program is often a simple cash back program. In other words, you are earning cash back on your purchases.

A lot of students graduate college without a credit card, which can be a problem. If you are going off to college, you want to use your rewards cards to get free money. This saves you from paying the fees for the rewards cards. However, there are rules on how to use the rewards cards that are important to know.

Conclusion:

College grads are faced with a number of financial challenges, and juggling student loan debt with job searching and newly-minted financial responsibilities can be a complete nightmare. Whether you’re a student, a recent graduate, or a parent, there are some hacks you can use to improve your finances.

College is a time of growing up. It’s a time for establishing independence, self-expression, as well as a time to build a personal financial plan to support the expenses that will follow afterwards. For many students, this means starting a career. The time to start planning for your future is now before it gets too late!