How To Write Your Own Killer Cover Letter

http://www.blogging4jobs.com/job-search/how-to-write-your-own-killer-cover-letter/

 

by shannonsmedstad on December 23, 2012

 

There you are. Sitting in your chair, reading the headline of this blog post, wondering … “Really, do I even need a cover letter anymore?” And, the short answer is: Sometimes. There are some hiring managers that still want to read cover letters and require them as part of the screening process. You see, many people get assistance in writing their resumes, but the cover letter is often left up to the job seeker to write. Unassisted.

Cover letters give the reader insight into your personality, achievements and writing skills. So, just like your resume, be sure that your cover letter is free of grammatical errors. Here are a few other tips for writing your own killer cover letter.

COVER LETTER TIPS FROM AN HR PRO

When possible, address your cover letter to an actual person, then begin with a strong opening statement that demonstrates your interest in a specific job. I also like when candidates tell me where they saw the job posting, as it helps me gauge the ROI on advertising sources.

Dear Ms. Smith:

When I read ABC’s posting for a Human Resources Business Partner on LinkedIn, my interest was immediately sparked.

The cover letter is a great place to highlight some of your significant career accomplishments. Can you name three to five things that make you an awesome candidate? Good. Include them on your cover letter. Entice the hiring manager (or recruiter / HR generalist) to want to read more.

As a motivated human resources professional with more than XX years of experience working at DEFG Co., I contributed to the company’s success by:

• Really significant accomplishment

• Quantifiable career highlight

• Huge project that put your name on the map

• Major kudos received for doing this

Since you are essentially selling a company on why to choose you, your cover letter and resume become your most important marketing tools. Like any pitch, you want to close strong.

During my last review, the vice president referred to me as “a key member of the DEFG team … that delivers results and builds cohesion along the way.” As you can see from my background, I have the experience you are looking for in an HR Business Partner. In addition, I am very interested in becoming a key member of the ABC team and in speaking with you further. I can be reached at 301.XXX.XXXX.

A FEW OTHER QUICK TIPS ON COVER LETTER WRITING

1. Keep it short and sweet. No one wants or has time to read through a novella.
2. Include your heading at the top, similar to the one you use on your resume.
3. Read over it aloud a few times to ensure everything reads well.
4. Proofread it again and again; don’t rely on spell check to pick up all errors.
Have any other cover letter tips? Feel free to share them below.
Get more resume writing and cover letter tips, by downloading Blogging4Jobs’ FREE career toolkit including resume and coverletter templates. Click here.

發現心關係

 


發現心關係 導讀翻譯書《不被情緒綁架：擺脫你的慣性與恐懼》。

選讀書本:不被情緒綁架(擺脫你的慣性與恐懼)。 作者：佩瑪．丘卓。 出版社：心靈工坊

我特別喜歡這本書是因為它在講我們被一種情緒所捕捉的時候,應該如何讓自己可以平靜下來。

因為工作的關係,每天都會收到好幾本這樣的書,每一本書我都會認真的看過,可是有的書我會覺得讀完了好像也不會讓你更容易平靜或解脫,就是把它當作道理讀。例如說:當你受到委屈的時候,你要多為別人著想。問題是當受到委屈的時候,內心像火一樣在燒時,到底要怎麼樣為人著想?這個方法到底在哪裡?

每一個情緒本身,根據研究不會超過一分半鐘。在這一分半鐘,我們的習慣是有了情緒,我們就會開始製造想法,就會一直想要用想法去抗拒這樣的情緒,當開始有思緒之後,思緒就會滋養剛才那一分辦鐘應該消失的情緒。用這位比丘尼作者的說法是「那個情緒就被滋養了」也就是你有了不好的情緒之後,你會產生一些慣性的想法,這個想法會滋養情緒,這是為什麼我們會生氣、抓狂、心臟怦怦跳超過一分半鐘。

當自己被某種情緒抓住的時候,告訴自己說「那是一個鉤」,就像是掛著魚餌的鉤,被鉤到的時候就告訴自己「我被鉤到了」,例如說:我被妒嫉、恐懼..等等鉤上了,可是鉤上了之後,你要開始試著讓自己開放,不要一直大口的去咬那個魚餌。當你大口咬住魚餌後,那個鉤子就會深深的卡住喉嚨進到你的心裡,於是你那個情緒會變的很長久,當情緒愈長久的時候,你就看不到外面的東西。

我們在思考一個困難,一直重覆、一直打結的時候,你是不是也發現到同樣的想法會增強同樣的情緒呢?除非你能夠找到不同的想法,可是很奇怪的,我們最喜歡的是所謂的「慣性」,我們最喜歡用那個一直去加強情緒的那一個想法,而我們並不是很喜歡用會解脫的方法。

有些人非常喜歡對自己的情緒跟心靈做一些工作,但是有些人可能會覺得麻煩,會覺得就順其自然就好了。我覺得順其自然是非常難做的,所謂的順其自然是你「不要用想法去咬住那個鉤」所以有些人以為他在順其自然,其實他是在咬情緒的鉤子。

作者的老師丘揚創巴仁波切說:『我們必須要從剛強固著的心解脫出來,每一次呼吸逸入空中,心就敞開了。』意思是我可以待在此時此地(當下),而不是從此時此地缺席、迷陷,沉入我們的思考跟憂慮當中,因為那其實是切斷我們跟外界的連結,切斷了聲音和影像,切斷了當下剎那的力量和奇妙,我們必須停下來。

最近讀到一首詩句「如果你要談詩論文我沒有辦法,我只想帶你出去看看這純樸的鄉間」。如果你被情緒綁著的時候,往外走一走,你很容易就覺得世界很寬廣,就不會覺得自己陷在裡面。

電腦、電視、手機一直會把我們的思緒所佔滿,所以現代人愈來愈習慣用腦子去思考,而不是用感覺。只要我們處在一種自動運作的模式,那會一直被情緒念頭追著跑,我們一定會覺得招架不住,所以無論是在很平靜的地方,還是在世界上最忙碌的地方,在任何環境裡我們必須常常練習讓心裡面有一個平靜。

每一個人在尋求幫助,不管是跟朋友或專業人員聊的時候,幾乎都會先講別人為什麼這樣、為什麼那樣、我實在無法想像為什麼他會這樣對待我....等等,每個人的故事不管什麼內容,所有的形式都是這樣子的。我常常很想對他們講一句話說:『你似乎對別人的心理發生什麼事情比較有興趣,可是對你自己心理發生什麼事情,你好像不是那麼有興趣』因為要探索內在不一致的東西其實是比較困難的。

當你在半夜因為悲傷的情緒無法入眠,覺得內心像被火著燒的時候,我們能不能使用一種慈悲心的感覺,就是去想此時此刻全宇宙有多少人跟我一樣張著眼睛睡不著,正在為某種一樣的情緒難過。當你這樣想的時候,首先,你會感覺你不再孤獨。第二,當你在調整自己的時候,你在呼吸這樣的痛苦(吸進痛苦,呼出療癒),給自己一些堅定的信念告訴自己說我會在呼吸中慢慢排泄這種情緒的時候,你也在跟全世界擁有一樣痛苦的人一起努力,這是一種能夠跟人連結的本能的能力。在痛苦當中相信自己跟其他的人一樣的平凡,拋棄那種我最特別、我最重要、我失去的東西最好...等等這樣的執著。

所有的內在力量都來自於我們要先發出一個肯定的訊號,也就是「我要做改變」。

五年來的早餐

作者：護士

在一個很忙碌的早上，大約是八時三十分，一個大約八十歲的老人家想找醫生幫他拆線。他很趕，但醫生正在幫人做手術，所以他一直等，不停地看錶。

當時這個護士自己不是太忙，看著老人家好像很趕似的，自己又沒什麼好做。讓我來幫他拆線吧！

叫那個伯伯先坐下，把傷口上的布一層一層地拆下，一邊拆一邊和那個伯伯閒聊。護士小姐好奇地問：「為什麼你這麼趕？」「是呀！因為我在九時約了人。真不好意思，麻煩你了！」

護士好奇的想：八十多歲的老人應該不用上班，什麼事情讓他那麼趕呢？老人家說：「是呀，是呀……我要趕去老人療養院陪我的老婆吃早餐。」

護士小姐就更加好奇：「啊呀！進了療養院啊！沒有什麼嘛？」老人家答：「啊！沒事了，柏金遜症，都好一段日子了。」

護士小姐幫他拆好了線，看一看錶：「哎呀！你會遲到，怕不怕你的太太會擔心你呀？」老人說：「不會，這五年來她都不認得我了，我去不去，其實她都不知道？」

護士小姐很好奇地問：「她已經不認得你五年之久？你還每天早上都去？」老人笑笑說：「她不認得我，但我認得她就可以了。」跟著他就慢慢轉身走了。

護士看著他的背影，眼淚慢慢地落下來了。

她自己想：這就是我需要的愛情．真正的愛情不只是身體上，不只是講浪漫氣氛；真正的愛情是接受，接受以前的對方，現在的對方和將來的對方，無論他以前是怎樣，現在或將來是怎樣。

快樂的人不一定要最好的，快樂的人是把他所有的都看成最好的。


來源：網路文章

12 Guidelines for Deciding When to Persist, When to Quit

 by Rosabeth Moss Kanter  |   1:00 PM October 23, 2012
 http://blogs.hbr.org/kanter/2012/10/12-guidelines-for-deciding-whe.html

When you're getting something new going, the difference between success and failure is often a matter of time: how long you give it before you give up. Efforts that begin with high hopes inevitably hit a disappointing sag. It's Kanter's Law: "Everything can look like a failure in the middle."
In the messy middle, unexpected obstacles pop up because the path is uncharted. Fatigue sets in. Team members turn over. Impatient critics attack just when you think you're gaining traction. Tough challenges almost inevitably take longer and cost more than our optimistic predictions.
That's why persistence and perseverance are important for anyone leading a new venture, change project, or turnaround. But the miserable middle offers a choice point: Do you stick with the venture and make mid-course corrections, or do you abandon it? Do you support incumbents making progress even though the job is not yet finished, or do you abandon them for another group's unproven promises?
Persist and pivot, and the effort could go on to success. Pull out in the messy middle, and by definition the effort is a failure. The issue is deciding which direction to take.
Consider this real-time case. Airtime, a video conversation platform, launched in the summer of 2012 by Napster legends Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning with much hype and more than ample funding. After a mere 4 months, Airtime has been pronounced in critical condition by media doctors because it has attracted only a trickle of users. Now Fanning has reportedly departed, and critics are chattering about failure. Famed Facebook advisor Parker claims that it is "ridiculously early" to plan Airtime's funeral. He argues that it takes 6 to 12 months to get things up and running. I suppose that 12 months is considered almost a lifetime in the digital age.
But a year might seem short to other people. Just ask Hewlett-Packard's CEO Meg Whitman, who has already declared that she couldn't accomplish much in a year and needs more time. I hear woes-of-the-middle tales from all kinds of leaders in all stages and sectors; innovators getting a new idea off the ground, real estate developers facing stalled construction, companies approaching foreign markets, and CEOs leading complex turnarounds.
Whether it's a start-up like Airtime, a turnaround, an elected official, or your own pet project, there are 12 key questions that can help you decide whether it should be shut down or helped through the messy middle:

1. Are the initial reasons for the effort still valid, with no consequential external changes?
2. Do the needs for which this a solution remain unmet, or are competing solutions still unproven or inadequate?
3. Would the situation get worse if this effort stopped?
4. Is it more cost-effective to continue than to pay the costs of restarting?
5. Is the vision attracting more adherents?
6. Are leaders still enthusiastic, committed, and focused on the effort?
7. Are resources available for continuing investment and adjustments?
8. Is skepticism and resistance declining?
9. Is the working team motivated to keep going?
10. Have critical deadlines and key milestones been met?
11. Are there signs of progress, in that some problems have been solved, new activities are underway, and trends are positive?
12. Is there a concrete achievement — a successful demonstration, prototype, or proof of concept?

If the answers are mostly Yes, then don't give up. Figure out what redirection is needed, strategize your way over obstacles, reengage the team, answer the critics, and argue for more time and resources. Everything worth doing requires tenacity.

If the answers trend toward No, as seems likely for Airtime, then cut your losses and move on. Persistence doesn't mean being pig-headed.
"You've got to know when to hold them, and know when to fold them," Kenny Rogers sang in a famous song about playing poker. That's good advice for any leader struggling with change. It's a mistake to give up prematurely, because the middle is always messy. But be sure to heed the 12 guidelines to choose between persistence or pulling out.

More blog posts by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

More on: Change management, Decision making

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Rosabeth Moss Kanter is a professor at Harvard Business School and the
author of Confidence and SuperCorp. Her 2011 HBR article, "How Great Companies Think Differently," won a McKinsey Award for best article. Connect with her
on Facebook or at Twitter.com/RosabethKanter.

Everything can look like a failure in the middle

Kanter's Law

一個樂在鼓掌的人

我有一個建中的家教學生，他是體保生，國中就讀於體育班，高中轉到普通班，適應得還不錯。與一般「資優生」不太一樣的求學經歷，讓他的思考方式跟很多學生不一樣，有時候，他會打破我的思考框架，帶給我很多的衝擊。

有一次，我忘了跟他討論什麼問題，說了一句：「未來你也會上台大……」話還沒說完，他就回我一句：「我沒有這樣以為喔。」然後很疑惑地問我：「你有想過嗎？我們從小認識的那麼多同學，那麼多人沒上台大，那那些人都跑到哪裡去了呢？」

我一聽到這個回問，真的是非常地驚愕！

對啊！我怎麼都沒想過這個問題呢？那些人到底都跑到哪裡去了呢？

我們總是聽到那些「成功人士」的故事，那大部分的，你我一般的小人物，都跑到哪裡去了呢？

昨天剛看完電影<逆光飛翔>，被電影裡面單純的熱情所感動。

曾經，我們也都保有那樣天真的、無害的、相信人世間的善的，年輕人的衝勁，那些東西，到底都到哪裡去了呢？

曾經，我們認識一個新朋友，第一個問的不是他的職業，不是他的職稱，不是他的薪水高低，而是你的興趣，你的愛好，你的夢想。

那些曾經，到底都到哪裡去了呢？

一個睡夢過去，今天腦中清楚播放著電影裡的畫面，不是男主角溫柔而撫慰的琴聲，不是女主角翩然起舞的身影，而是矮矮的納豆，跳完舞後，滿身大汗地鼓勵女主角小潔去參加舞團的徵選，他說：「妳那麼有天份，怎麼在這裡送飲料呢？」

他說這句話的時候，觀眾的心裡大概都和我一樣，流過了一道暖暖的暖流吧！

他說這句話的時候，我們似乎都忘了，他就是那間飲料店的老闆，他自己口中那個送飲料的。

那一幕一直在我的腦中迴盪，我突然好想成為那樣的人。

那個，可以在最恰當的時候，說出「你那麼有天份……」的那個人。那個，能夠欣賞一個不是耀眼明星的人，那個，在自己的能力範圍之內，願意推別人一把的人。

「世有伯樂，然後有千里馬，千里馬常有，而伯樂不常有。」

「懷才不遇」的故事每天都在上演，也許我們自己，就是那個捧著自己一點點的夢想，敝帚自珍，感嘆時不我與的人。

可是，當我們感嘆沒有人看見自己的時候，又有多少人願意看看別人呢？

我們的眼界常常很小，小到只看到自己的才能，只想到自己的優勢，小到我們吝惜於一點點的稱讚，看不見，或者故意不看見別人的長處。好像只要承認對方的好，就「輸」了。這樣的症頭在男人的身上比在女人身上更容易發作，「稱讚」好像是一件危險的事，會長他人志氣，滅自己威風。

我們的眼界也常常很大，大到只看得見林懷民李安李國修，只看見林書豪王建銘曾雅妮，大到更覺自己渺小無力，更覺只有嚴長壽施振榮郭台銘才夠格當「伯樂」。

到底那些沒有上台大，沒有參加比賽的，沒有得過獎的，你我一般的普通人都跑到哪裡去了呢？

他們沒有消失，他們就在我們身邊，他們或許就是你，或是我。

只是，我們看不見他們而已。

我們總是仰望著千里馬，善於錦上添花，卻很少駐足觀賞路邊默默地，努力綻放的野花。

我們都自以為是千里馬，卻少有人願意成為伯樂。

也許只有當我們認識到，我們總是多麼弔詭地膚淺卻又自大以後，才更能感受到那句「妳那麼有天份......」裡面，不求回報的善意有多麼地不容易。

當然，也許我們之中少有人能做到飲料店老闆的下一句台詞：「沒錢我幫你出。」

但我仍期許自己，不一定要成為伯樂，但至少，期許自己能成為一個，可以毫無心機、毫無芥蒂、單純懷抱著善意，去欣賞別人、稱讚別人的人。就像某篇文章裡，那個小女孩的心願一樣：「我想成為一個坐在路邊幫英雄鼓掌的人。」

在我們的生命中，總是幫人鼓掌的時候多，享受掌聲的時候少。坐在路邊鼓掌的，不一定就不是英雄，成為別人的伯樂，說不定自己哪天也能被相為千里馬呢。

即使做不成千里馬，但至少，還能當一個樂在鼓掌的人。

我希望自己能成為那個樂在鼓掌的人。


文章來源: 都督開講 http://enoemoskeepgoing.pixnet.net/blog/post/37309764
 

Lao Tzu

In pursuit of knowledge every day something is acquired
In pursuit of wisdom, every day something is dropped.