Job Archives - Page 2 of 3

What Does Spelling Have to Do With a Job Interview?

Not once have I been given a spelling test or a grammar test during a job interview (well, at least not when it wasn’t related to the job). What I didn’t realize until I became an interviewer myself is that a spelling test is standard component of the hiring process. And it happens before the job interview ever starts.

Would you believe that everyday hundreds of highly-qualified candidates are tossed out of the application review pile because they misspelled the company’s name or turned one run-on sentence into several paragraphs? In a 2009 survey of executives, 48% said that two or more typos could cost the applicant a job.

While it may not be important to the job, spelling is important to the hiring process. If you have not taken the create and submit a well-worded cover letter and resume, what does that say about your work ethic? The interviewer begins to doubt you and thinks, “If you couldn’t make sure this one document was correct, how are you going to perform on the job? Are you just going to skim over the relevant facts, not put in any extra effort, and say that mistakes aren’t a big deal?“

Given the choice between two highly-qualified candidates, one with several spelling mistakes and one with none, I will call back the person who had no mistakes. If you are that person, you get a job interview. If you are the misspeller, better luck next time.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid unnecessary rejection:

1. Use spell check as a guide, not an authority. Programmers try their best to code all the spelling and grammar rules, but English is tough and computers don’t know everything. Learn the difference between they’re and their, it’s and its, and be sure you are attaching your resume instead of attacking it.

2. Make sure the company name and position name are correct. Not only is spelling important here, but if you are using a template and forget to change the information, you’re going to be tossed out of the competition without a second glance.

3. Ask a knowledgeable friend to help. If your buddy is just as bad at spelling as you are, asking him to review your cover letter and resume isn’t the smartest move. Go to someone you view as an expert, whether that’s a coworker, parent, or resume review service.

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job Application: 10 Easy Steps

Learning how to write a winning cover letter is easy and so important! We have 10 simple steps to show you how to write an awesome cover letter so that you stand out when applying for your next job. Apply for you next job with confidence.

Provide your contact details at the top of the Cover Letter – make it easy for an Employer to contact you! These should not take up half the page either. Just list them in a couple of lines. Be sure to include your first and last name, don’t worry about your middle name, a contact phone number (don’t provide multiple numbers, just one will do), and your address.
Personalise the Cover Letter by using the Company name AND the name of the person in the company if possible. Take the time to address the letter to the person who will be reading it. This shows that you are prepared to pay attention to detail. Many people do not do this, so by making sure that you do, you are already showing that you are better than your competition!
State the job title and reference number of the job. The company may be filling more than one role. This is usually stated in the job ad. Look for it and use it. Again this shows excellent attention to detail and will suggest that you will be an efficient employee!
Customer your Letter and make sure you match the skills and experiences in the job ad. If the job ad asks for someone to be enthusiastic, make sure you tell them that you are enthusiastic. If it asks for someone with good people skills, make sure you state that you have good people skills. Use the same words that they have used. This is a sure-fire way to ensure that you tick the boxes and get short-listed.
ALWAYS state your key qualifications such as degrees, diplomas and certificates. If you have them you must boast about them! Sure they are in your Resume, but you MUST mention them in your cover letter too. Don’t leave them guessing, tell them your strong points.
ALWAYS state how many years of experience you have in a similar role. Don’t wait for them to figure it out from your Resume, tell them how many years you have. The more the better. You do not need to be exact, you can say things like over 5 years, or almost 3 years.
Describe your current job and the main duties you perform. Again try to match the duties to the duties that they have listed in their job ad where possible.
Sell Yourself! Include some compelling reasons why you are perfect for the job. Are you highly productive, a great communicator, highly experienced with skills that match the job perfectly?
In your closing sentence, you need to have a Call To Action – request an interview or a time to meet.
Finally, check your Cover Letter length. It should not be longer than 1 page.

Job Placement Officer Cover Letter

A Job Placement Officer is a person who is responsible for providing candidates to the organization according to the requirements of employers. He or she is responsible for achieving job placement targets and providing effective delivery of employment services to the clients by sourcing vacancies and matching eligible clients to these vacancies.

A sample of a Job Placement Officer Cover Letter is as under:

You’re Name

You’re Address

Your City, State, Zip Code

Your Phone #

You’re Email

Date

Employer Name

Company

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr. /Ms. Last Name,

I am responding to your advertisement in the XYZ newspaper for the post of Job Placement Officer. I consider that my experience and interests match with your requirement and want to apply for the same position. I am pleased to submit my qualifications in the attached resume.

I am looking for a decent job that will utilize my six years of experience. Following are few highlights of my experience that strongly matches with the objectives that you are seeking:

1. Responsible for conducting job placement activities consistent with employment services.

2. Liable for negotiating employment opportunities with employers and promoting job seekers for vacancies.

3. Responsible for maintaining and reporting statistics relating to employment services to the supervisor.

4. Maintaining good relationship with employers, community groups and local centerline offices.

5. Liable for providing professional training and development program from time to time.

I am a focused, self-directed and competent person with lot of experience in this field. I am very efficient employee and I have dedicated myself completely to the placement related activities. I am a mature minded person with a high level interpersonal, analytical, communication and organizational skills. I am a very creative and innovative individual possessing a can-do attitude.

I have made numerous contributions to my previous organization. You will come to know about them after reviewing my resume. I have gained strong position in my previous company due to my excellent leadership qualities. I have even accelerated the achievement of my goals and positioned myself as a valuable resource in a variety of situations.

I am eagerly looking forward join your reputed company. I think my skill set and experience would be beneficial for the growth and integrity of your organization.

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how my education and experiences will be helpful and useful for you. Thanks for considering me and for taking out time for reading my cover letter.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Typed Name

11 Tips to an Organized Job Search

So, you are searching for a new job? Perhaps you are making a voluntary career transition. Maybe you have been laid off, or worse, fired. Regardless of the reason for your career move, one fact remains true: if you are conducting a job search, it is vital that you take an organized approach. Managing this search is just like managing any other major project. You must create an infrastructure that allows you to operate in an efficient and productive manner. A successful job search requires forethought and action. Here are some tips for conducting an organized job search.

Declutter and Pre-Purge – If you are looking for a new job, it will be difficult to do so if your physical space is covered in clutter with piles of papers everywhere. Take some time to declutter. Purge any unnecessary items, file papers that you need to keep, recycle junk mail, and get some order back into that space! It will be easier for you to concentrate on your job search without all of that chaos and clutter around you. Just be careful that you don’t spend too much time decluttering that you start using it as an excuse to procrastinate with regard to your job exploration. A few days should suffice.

Create a Job Search Schedule – Let’s face it – searching for a job is hard work! If you are still employed while you are looking for a new position, be prepared to have an extremely busy schedule. If you are currently unemployed, realize that you do, indeed, have a job – conducting a job search! Create a schedule that gives you ample time for all of the activities you need to focus on in order to succeed: resume and cover letter preparation, surfing the web for jobs, networking, interviewing, follow-up, etc. Block out time in your calendar for job search activities and treat that time as you would any traditional work commitment. Be consistent in the amount of time you spend each day and week on new job activities so that you keep your momentum going, and don’t lose focus and miss valuable opportunities.

Get Your Gear in Order – Update your resume, cover letter, references, and writing sample (if applicable). Ask for letters of recommendation and testimonials from previous or current supervisors, co-workers, and professional colleagues. Get some nice new stationery, and stock up on print cartridges for your printer. If you want to use an outside source for printing, some local printing shops will copy resumes for free during an economic downturn, so ask around! Be sure to have a computer with high-speed Internet access. An all-in-one machine for printing, copying, faxing and scanning will also come in handy during a career move.

Create Job Search Central – Set aside space at home (or wherever you will be conducting your search activities) and make it job search central. Keep all of your job-search related supplies in that location, which will make it easy for you to find them when you need them. This will also help you to get into search mode when you are in that space.

Create a Career Move Paper Management System – You may be acquiring a lot of paper in your search: resources, articles, sample resumes and cover letters, business cards of networking contacts, contact-us-later or rejection letters, etc. To the extent that you can maintain these items in a paperless fashion, go for it. But if you have to maintain hard copy paper, be sure to create a job search paper management or filing system, to be stored in your job search center. Keep it simple and use whatever system makes the most sense to you for ease of use (binder, portable filing bin, traditional filing cabinet, etc).

Plan Job Search Activities – Plan out job search activities on a daily basis, such as phone calls to make, resumes to send, online applications to fill out, informational interviews to conduct, etc. Write down your search activities as calendar items, to-do’s, or tasks so that you take them seriously and treat them as measurable goals. Be realistic with regard to what you can reasonably accomplish in one day, but also challenge yourself!

Track Activities – Organizing your job search involves keeping track of all information and communications. Keep a record of where you sent your resume and when, whom you have spoken to, when interviews took place, etc. This information will prove vital when deciding when to follow-up with leads. You can track all of this information using a calendar such as Outlook or Google, or an online tool such as JobFiler.com. Whatever tools you use, it is important that you be able to track the status of your job search.

Manage Job Search Email – In today’s world, much of your job search will likely be conducted by email. Therefore, before you even start your search, whittle down the amount of email in your inbox so that you can hyper-focus on your job search emails, which will add up quickly. Create folders within your email system using categories that make sense to you, such as Companies Applied To, Contacts Submitted Resumes To, etc.

Polish Your Online Profiles – If you are searching for a new job in today’s market, you would be remiss not to develop an online presence on social media sites, especially LinkedIn, which is the most “professional” of the social media sites and can essentially serve as your online resume. But also consider other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The opportunities are endless for employers and contacts to find you online. You may even have your own website, e-zine, or blog. Maybe you post articles on various article-marketing sites, or serve as a guest blogger on other blogs. If you maintain profiles on any of social media sites, or have any type of online presence, be sure to polish your profiles so that they promote the image you want potential employers and contacts to see.

Change Your Greetings – Change the message that greets callers for any phone number that you plan to use for your job search so that it sounds professional, and conveys the information you want callers to hear. Be prepared, not embarrassed!

Stay Positive – The longer a job search takes, the more chance you have of becoming negative about it. Try to maintain a positive attitude to the extent you can by monitoring your progress and staying active in your search. When the going gets rough during a job search, many people take a back seat and give up, which is counter-productive. Try to stay focused and make valuable contacts that are likely to lead to a job. However, don’t be all consumed by your search for a job! Maintaining some balance in your life at this time will serve you well. Get adequate sleep, eat well, see family and friends for pleasure, and make time for exercise.

Organization is one of the single most important things you can do to keep your job search manageable. Just like being organized helps you improve any other area of your life, home, or work, it will also help move along your job search in quick and efficient fashion and with less stress. It may even wind up being the key to finding that dream job you always wanted.

Good luck!

Job Application Cover Letter Tips to Help Get More Interviews

Whether it’s a job application cover letter, or resume – one thing to remember is that there is only one “job” that your actual submission materials have. And that “job” is: Getting Job Interviews.

Once you get more interviews, we’ll talk about job interview techniques in other articles, OK?

So, if the entire purpose behind cover letter writing is getting job interviews, then it stands to reason that writing a good cover letter ought to be at the top of your “to do” list when you are looking for a job. Right?

Welcome to “Cover Letter Writing 101” where I hope the next few paragraphs and points and a personal experience will bring you up to date with the basics of how today’s successful job seekers get more interviews.

Point #1: You must be subtle about tooting your own horn while still letting employers know that YOU are the best candidate for the job. In other words, everything you write must be “about them” – about THEIR needs, about how THEY will benefit from bringing you in for an interview. And, you must put all this focus on THEM while still talking yourself up!

Point #2: You must be able to speak knowledgably not only about the position, but also about the company. You must know what the company’s needs are to begin with if you are to address them convincingly in your job application cover letter. Besides, if you don’t know exactly what their needs are, how will you know for sure if you are the right one for the job? Hopefully this makes sense to you! If it does, then writing a good cover letter and getting job interviews just got a whole lot easier for you!

Let’s try the following practice exercise to work on this little cover letter writing gem.

Practice Exercise: Take a job or position that you are interested in, and list the skills and qualifications that you believe will be most important to the company.

If you cannot think of a specific job or company off the top of your head, here is an example: Pretend you are going for the job of cashier at a local supermarket, “The Local Family Grocer.” This is where it gets personal – so the information is very real!

Now, “The Local Family Grocer” has stated that they need a cashier, and they pay $10/hour. The cashier needs to be available on weekends and weeknights. That’s about all you know about the position. For now!

As you collect your thoughts prior to writing your job application cover letter, sit down with a pencil and paper and ask yourself:

What do the cashiers actually do over at The Local Family Grocer? You can brainstorm your answers. The most obvious ones that will come to mind will probably be,

“scan items through check out,”
“bag groceries,”
“take the payment,”
“give receipts,”
“run price checks,” and things of that nature.

But now, I need you to dig deeper.

I need you to come to the store with me.

When you are about to get in line at the store, do you go to any old checkout line? Or are there any cashiers you seek out? Are there any you avoid? As you answer these questions, ask “why?”

I can tell you, as we walk through the store together on our cover letter writing exercise, that there are several cashiers I just adore. Again. Why?

For me, it’s the customer service and the big smile I get from them.

For example, “Mr. Richard” always makes me feel welcome. He comments on my smile, and says things like, “It’s always so good to see you! You always seem to be smiling!” and in response, after thinking about it, I have to say, “Why, I believe it’s because YOU are smiling and seem so glad to see ME! Thank you! You’ve made my day.”

And, now, you and I will stroll over to the manager and comment about what a terrific employee “Mr. Richard” is.

Conversely, why do I avoid certain cashiers in the same way I avoid eggplant? (My apologies to those of you who like eggplant. It’s nothing personal!)

Perhaps you saw the cashier whose line wasn’t quite as long as “Mr. Richard’s” was. Why, you may ask, didn’t I go for “Ms. Whoever’s” line? (Of course, you’re taking careful notes, because you are learning a lot more than just good cover letter writing strategies.)

For me – especially as someone who has done a lot of career coaching – I notice things like sullen attitudes, cashiers looking at their watches, etc. When I ask “Ms. Whoever,” “So, how are you today?” and hear, “Oh, I’ll be a whole lot better in a half hour when my shift ends,” it makes my skin crawl. Seriously!

I don’t like feeling my skin crawl when I’m in a grocery store. There’s something just not right about that…

I’ve also been known to avoid cashiers who chit-chat with other employees while they are waiting on me. What really rolls my eyes is when they begin talking about a member of the community behind his or her back.

I have been tempted (notice I say “tempted” – because I have held my tongue!) to look right at the cashier and say something like, “Oh, I wasn’t aware you knew my brother/sister/aunt/uncle/mother/father/cousin so well!”

Ahh… The things we’d like to see. Maybe in a movie one day.

But I digress.

So, as we get back to writing a good cover letter, it now becomes evident that the job of the cashier goes even deeper. The Local Family Grocer needs people who make customers feel welcome. People who are cheerful. People who act as though they enjoy their jobs.

So, as we leave the store, you take out your pencil and paper, and write a few sentences about the cashier job.

You have now become inspired to write a good job application cover letter directly to “Ms. Jones” (who you happen to know is the person who will be reviewing the job application, because we just found out about it while we were complimenting “Mr. Richard.”)

Armed with all this information, imagine this cover letter:

“Dear Ms. Jones,

I was so pleased to meet you earlier today when my friend and I were telling you what a great job we feel Mr. Richard does for The Local Family Grocer.

In fact, Ms. Jones – I am so glad that I visited and experienced that customer service, because I had to rush right home and let you know that not only I am not applying to be your next cashier, Ican prove to you that if you are looking for another cashier with that same positive energy and excellent work ethic, I am that person! Here’s why.”

And you can go on. Now, this is just one simple example of how this works. We have more to share on this and related topics, so please watch for more articles!

Functional Resumes- Is a Functional Resume The Best Choice For Your Job Search?

Functional resumes are formatted to focus on your skills and experience instead of on your chronological employment history. In this format, you will organize your information under headings representing expertise and experience rather than by job titles.

In straight functional resumes, your employment history is avoided entirely, however this can raise alarm bells with some employers. If this is likely to be a problem, it may be wise to use a combination resume format which includes both functional and chronological components.

A functional resume format is the best choice if you have gaps in employment history, are returning to the workforce after raising children or are newly entering the workforce after leaving school or college.

Functional resumes focus on the functions of your various roles and your job is to highlight the relevance of these functions to the job you are applying for. This means you need to be very aware of the requirements of the job and company you are targeting.

The first step to writing a functional resume is to evaluate the tasks you performed in each of your previous jobs and group them into functional areas.

For example, you may have done a lot of different types of accounting or clerical jobs but within these roles you may have had diverse functions such as training a staff member, liaising with government departments, writing a training manual, supervision, staff evaluation, as well as the functions typically associated with accounting.

It is important to consider all functional aspects of your previous roles as these could well provide the foot in the door you are looking for.

Once you have identified common elements of your skills and experience, you can compare these to the specific requirements of the jobs you are applying for. Re-word them to suit the language and terms used in the selection criteria of your targeted position.

It can be helpful to browse job ads of other similar positions to remind you of work you have done in the past as well as to guide you in how to express your skills and experience in the most appropriate way for your target audience.

If you feel you need some help putting together your functional resume, functional resume templates are available online for download. Simply do an online search to find them. They can save you a lot of time and make the resume preparation process a lot easier.

As with all resumes, functional resumes will need to include your objectives, personal details, experience and skills, education, training and certifications, and a list of referees.

Make sure your resume is printed on white or off-white stock paper with wide margins and one and a half line spacing to make it easy to read. Have a reliable person read it to make sure there are no errors you haven’t picked up.

You now have an effective, functional resume targeted to the job or industry you are aiming for. Once you write a highly targeted cover letter to send with it, you are ready to apply for your job and you have given yourself the best possible chance of obtaining an interview.

Functional resumes are well worth the time and effort it requires to create them. If this format is best suited to your employment history and personal circumstances, using it to write your resume can be the difference between job hunting success and failure.

Writing a Job Application Letter Impressively

Through your application letter, employers get their first impression about you. Therefore, you should be really careful in writing this very important letter. Make it as professional as possible so employers will have good impression about you. Use proper and effective language and do not beat around the bush. You can use these following guidelines in writing your job application letter properly and impressively.

Preparing to write the introduction is the first thing to do. In this paragraph, you need to state your reason in writing the letter. You should also state certain job position that you are interested in, so the employer will easily notice the position that you are going to apply. Besides, you also have to state that you have enclosed your resume with you application letter.

In this resume, you can also highlight your education. Any work experience corresponded to your applied position could also be mentioned. Then, if you are encouraged by someone in the company to apply there, you can also put this information in this paragraph. However, you should make sure that you have the permission of that person before putting his or her name in your letter.

The second step will be preparing body of the letter. You can use active voice and also action verbs in order to keep this paragraph energetic and concise. Here, you can explain your skills and experience that related with the job position you are applying for. Explain it briefly and clearly since the employers will get the detail of it in your resume. State your work qualifications as well. Use any persuasive sentences to explain that you are the most appropriate person to be in that position. However, keep in mind to avoid flowery language. You are now writing application letter for a certain job and are not writing a short story or poem.

The last writing preparation will be the conclusion. This is the last chance to impress the employers so they will give you a chance for interview. You can request them a chance for interview in this last paragraph, and make sure that you are stating your interest on that certain position once again. Put any information that allows them to contact you easily.

Try to follow those guidelines in writing job application letter. When the employers respond your application letter by calling you for an interview, you need to show them your readiness to relocate.

Get Your Job Application Noticed

There is no way for you to know how many other people are applying for a given job. Rather than focusing on that, pay attention to ways to get your job application noticed. You can take a wonderful example of a cover letter and modify it to fit your qualifications, your passions, and the job description. You want the person reading it to be excited to schedule an interview!

As you look through various examples, you can get a feel for the right way to format and to create your own product. You need it to talk about your objectives and your preferences. The style should be one that covers your personality as well as your integrity. Don’t just copy what someone else has written as it won’t help you in the interview part of the job hunt.

Always Include One

Many job announcements don’t ask for one, but you should always include it. This makes your application look professional. It also shows you took the time to complete documents because you are interested in that job. However, you need to make sure it flows well and it represents you successfully. You can take a part from an example of a cover letter and make it unique.

Keep it to One Page

A common problem is one that is far too long. You aren’t writing a report, you are writing a summary! Look for an example of a cover letter that covers all the main objectives but doesn’t exceed just one page. It may be hard at first to condense the details you wish to share. Keep in mind your resume and your actual job application also give you the opportunity to share details.

Introduction

A powerful introduction is very important. You only have a few seconds of time to capture the attention of the reader. What are you going to say to entice them to keep reading it rather than putting it aside? Take a look at many of them so you get a solid example of a cover letter introduction and how it should grab them.

Pick your Key Points

Next, you need to focus on a few key points. Each one should be a paragraph long. Make sure they flow well and they can lead into each other. Otherwise, your materials will be choppy and hard to follow. Look for an example of a cover letter that has the key points clearly shared and documented.

Wrap it Up

Don’t let the information just drop off and end, that is a common problem. Instead, you need to wrap it up completely. You want to tie it into the introduction so all of the pieces of the puzzle fit well with each other. Don’t leave any question in their mind that you are a prime candidate for the job they have available.

Call to Action

You may feel pushy by asking for an interview at the end, but you must do so. It can be done firmly but also respectfully. Don’t assume that is the natural next step for them to take. Instead, you need to give them that push to call you and schedule that interview! Find the right example of a cover letter that does this so you can customize it to find your needs.

Employers like people to take the initiative and ask for what they want. They realize such individuals bring valuable skills to their business. They tend to be motivated, detail oriented, and they strive to find solutions. These are all traits that benefit any business that individual works within.

Resume Cover Letter – How Being Selfish Kills Your Job Search

It’s wonderfully human…we all have our self-indulgent, downright selfish little moments. Relaxing in a steamy bubble bath, candles glowing, sipping wine, jazz playing, nothing in the world but you and happiness. Or kicking back, feet up in front of your favorite movie, freely popping a 2lb. box of Sees Candy in your mouth, grinning, with the phones shut off (I kind of like that one!).

It’s no crime, right? We work our butts off. And after slaving away all week, we certainly deserve our sweet, selfish little moments.

But when you’re creating your resume cover letter, it’s best to reach deep inside yourself and turn off this selfish mode. Completely.

When drafting your resume cover letter, one of the biggest mistakes you want to avoid is focusing too much on yourself. How far you want to move up in the company and the salary you’re after isn’t what the employer cares about. I think it’s safe to say, employers care most about one thing: exactly how you can benefit their company.

So here’s a great idea: before writing your resume cover letter, do some research on the company you want to work for. Yeah I know, it’s extra work, but believe me, it’s worth it. Find out what the latest happenings are. What particular challenges they might be facing. An exciting product they might have just developed. With our technological blessing we all know as the Internet, we can find information on just about any company these days.

The best way to find information is to take a trip to the company’s website. If you don’t have their web address, do a Google search–something is sure to pop up. When you find the website, read every single page, from start to finish. Read over the “About Us” section, recent press releases, their company philosophy, and the products/services they’re currently offering.

Now don’t grit your teeth if you can’t find the company’s website. There are other sites you can check out that specialize in helping you find information about a specific company. Two of these sites are Vault.com and WetFeet.com.

Mention something interesting you’ve learned about their company in your resume cover letter. Doing this will show that you have a genuine interest in their organization, and a strong drive to work for them. Why? Because you took valuable time and effort to learn about their company.

Here’s a paragraph from a resume cover letter that concentrates on the company’s needs (this person applied for a position as a copywriter with a marketing firm):

I’ve heard that you’re looking for a copywriter with great research skills and the ability to create persuasive sales copy. I have over 5 years experience

doing this, and would love to share a few ideas I have for your new ‘Healthy Diets’ ad campaign.

Focusing on what a company wants and showing them what you can bring to the table can add tons of value to your resume cover letter. It also helps you to greatly stand out as one of their worthy applicants.

And when you’re ultimately hired for the position you want, feel free to celebrate with your own creatively selfish little moment. You deserve it!

Know The Type Of Job Application Letter And To Stand Out From The Crowd

We try to stand out from the crowd by producing an effective job application letter that no one else would produce. Before producing an effective job application letter, we need to understand which type of application to target.

All letters or applications may be divided into two categories namely:-

(1) Solicited and

(2) Unsolicited

An applicant seeking for a job may use one of both of them.

1. Solicited Application

A solicited letter of an application is one which is generally written to apply for a position that is advertised in any form of media by a prospective employer.

Following are a few examples of advertisements from the employers:

“Accounts Officer, knowledge of EDP and Income-tax an asset, Chartered Accountant preferred. Apply Victor Garments Manufacturing Company, Macalister Road, Singapore.

“Wanted an experienced part-time stenographer” any time between 10a.m. and 5p.m. for two hours. Apply with full particulars, copies of testimonials and minimum salary expected to Box 1688, Orchard Point P.O.Box 168, Singapore.

“Wanted a Japanese-speaking accounts assistant”, preferably a LCCI, with at least five years’ experience. Apply with copies of testimonials, stating minimum expected salary to Box 168, Orchard Point P.O.Box 188, Singapore.

“Large Foreign Shipping Corporation required shipping assistant”. Please apply in confidence giving full details, salary requirements, etc. to Box 1688,’The Free Press Journal’ Hong Kong.

“Wanted Experienced Sales Representatives” to book orders for consumer products. Please apply to Post Box 1800, Bangkok – Thailand.

“Want urgently” for a reputed secondary school part-time/full-time mathematics/science teachers for higher classes. School hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Higher pay according to experience. Phone 16878881. Apply to Box 1788, The Straits Times, Singapore.

The major advantage of a solicited application is that it is confirmed that there is a vacancy available with the hiring company. Besides, the prospective employer normally listed the qualifications, experience, education, job description of the vacancy, such, the applicant can apply for the jobs that close match his/her profile.

There is, however one main disadvantage of such an application and that is that since the vacancy is advertised, there is always a rush of applications with the employers and hence the application of any applicant would be one of many such applications, written in response to the advertisement. The applicant should, therefore, try to present his application in a manner that is better than an average application – rather he should try to make it one of the best applications received by the employer.

2. Unsolicited Application

An unsolicited letter of application refers to a job which has not been announced and published by the prospective employer in any form of media.

This type of application has definitely one big advantage – the application does not stand to that big competition to which an advertised job’s application is open. Besides, the applicant can send parallel applications to a few prospective employers concurrently.

There are, however, two disadvantages also:- (1) It is possible that there may be no post existing with the employer at all; and (2) the applicant must figure out himself the requirement and criteria of the candidate in which the employer will be mostly hiring.