How to Write an Application Cover Letter

If you are considering going looking for a job, one of the most daunting tasks you will be facing on your job-search endeavor is probably the task of writing an application cover letter.

Your application cover letter is, after all, the first thing about you that an employer sees; and depending on how you present yourself on the cover letter, the employer could decide to call you for an interview straight away (without even looking at your curriculum vitae) or decide to put your whole document into the ‘trash bin’ straight away, without even looking at the rest of your presentation, having decided that from the look of your application cover, ‘there is simply no business they can do with you.’

Before even starting to consider how to write an application cover letter then, it is important to consider what the aim for writing such a letter is, and keep that aim in mind all through as you go about writing the application letter. The people who write ineffective application cover letters, the types of application cover letters that end up in the trash bin straight away, tend to be those who approach the whole task assuming that it is a ‘formality’ to get done away with as soon as possible – and proceed with the rest of the job searching endeavor.

The truth of the matter, however, is that writing an application cover letter is not just a formality. Writing an application cover letter is in fact, as mentioned earlier, one of the things that could end up making or breaking your job search endeavor.

So the first step in writing an application cover letter should be deciding – and keeping in mind – why it is that you are writing it, which by default should be to attract the employer enough to look through the rest of your job-search document (resume, CV and so on), and get them to invite you for an interview at the end of it all.

The second step in writing an application cover letter is choosing a format for it. Ideally, you should opt for a format that presents you in the best light, in view of the job you are considering applying for. If you are applying for a job where formality and conformity are the basic desired attributes, the basic format application letter format might be ideal for you, whereas if you are applying for a position where independence and creativity are the most desirable attributes, the more detailed essay-like application letter formats are more ideal.

An ideal introductory line for your application cover letter is where you start with a reference to the advertisement or whatever it is that is making you seek employment in question (if its due to a newspaper or online advert) for instance, and the date when the same appeared.

You need to go on, briefly though, showing why you are the ideal candidate for the job – according to the specifications the employer stated – keeping in mind that our application letter will probably be in competition with tons of other similar documents.

You application letter must not go on just repeating the information in the resume or CV, even for the essay-like application cover letter formats, but rather to add some value to that CV information.

At the end of it all, remember to make a reference on your cover letter to the documents it is supposed to cover (attached CV or credentials) so that there is continuity in the whole document.

In case you are using online application medium, like where you are applying through e-mail, and unless explicitly stated otherwise, it is best to have your application letter as the email’s main body, with the rest of the documents in the series send as attachments to it.

Professional Tips For Effective Business Writing – Write to Express, Not to Impress

Business has no time for long or fuzzy words. Effective business correspondence is built on tight writing which depends on few, but hard-hitting words. Every word must convey a precise meaning that is understood in the same way by writer and reader. Use your thesaurus to replace long words with shorter, crisper ones.

Whether you are writing a prospecting letter or a report, a follow-up letter or a proposal, use the shortest, simplest word you can find to convey the meaning you want. Whether you are writing up, out or down, choose appropriate replacements for the cold and pretentious business expressions of the past. Eliminate the junk like: attached herewith please find. Instead, say exactly what you mean: I am attaching this for you. Use ordinary, everyday English–I call it shirtsleeve English–for real results.

Simplicity makes reading easy–and professional writers know that business readers want a quick, easy read. In fact, most busy readers get lost in sentences of 21 words or more. Equally important, when you go for the bigger, more impressive word, the chances are your reader will find you less impressive–not more. According to Daniel Oppenheimer, researcher and contributor to the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, “Anything that makes text hard to read and understand such as unnecessarily long words or complicated fonts, will lower readers’ evaluation of the text and its author.”

In twenty years of teaching business writing workshops and polishing proposals for my corporate clients, my experience tells me it’s the people with the least education who seem driven to use the biggest words–often with the silliest results. One writer, for example, searched for an alternative to “old” and found one he liked. In his letter, he actually referred to “senile” equipment. Another writer tried to impress a CEO with this: I value your needs and I wish to have the opportunity to assist you in achieving your envisions. You may laugh, but that is a direct quote–and it isn’t funny.

Now, I am not suggesting you would make the same foolish mistakes, but the principle of writing simply and cleanly is an important one–no matter how many degrees you have or how good you are with a dictionary. Professionals don’t complicate information–they simplify it. They don’t choose a ten dollar words when a fifty cent word works better. They don’t try to dazzle with multi-syllables when short, crisp words simplify reading and improve business results.

Don’t use “as per your request” when you could say, “as you asked.” Don’t write, “despite the fact that” when you could write, “although.” Don’t go for the heavy-duty, “in reference to” when “about” works better. I’m sure you get the idea.

When you write for business, it is not your job to teach your reader a new word. Nor is it to your advantage to show off, talk down, or confuse the reader. Clarity charms. Simplicity pays. Write to express, not to impress, and you’ll find your business writing actually means business.

How to Write a Resume

So, you have finally graduated after years spent working your way through school, and you are now ready to begin your career and are on your job hunt. Congratulations! Now, you want to know how to write a resume, and I am here to tell you that there are many ways for you to do this, and many places that you can go to get the help you need, and gain confidence along the way. Let’s get started, shall we?

A resume should follow the format of a typical business letter. At the top should be the heading, your main information such as your name, address, phone number, as well as an email address and cell phone number, if you have them. Hopefully, you do have one or the other, at least an email address, so the employer has a couple of options to contact you.

This information should be in a basic, easy to read font, in the color black, and bolded.

Now, assuming that you are a new graduate asking how to write a resume, your educational degree/s should be listed next. What educational facility or facilities you attended, for what time period, and the degree/s you earned.

Space down a few times, and state your career objective. Be careful when doing this, however; employers are not happy to see objectives which they define as too general, explain exactly what skills you are hoping to utilize for their company, let them know also what you are hoping to become more proficient at while employed at their company.

Go down a couple more spaces, and then start listing your employment history, starting with the position that you held most recently, and working back from there. Include here not only your duties, but any special projects that you took on while you were there, accomplishments, improvements you made, and any committees that benefited from your contribution.

Give special homage to and of these activities that you excelled at, which relate to the job you are presently seeking, of course.

Once you have listed your employment history, space down some more and list your extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, as well as any special designations you may have. For instance, if you are looking for work in the legal field and are already certified as a Notary Public, definitely mention this, as Notaries Public are very important in many fields of law, as well as in some other professions.

If all of this information can fit on one page, that is the way most employers prefer it. However, do not ever leave out anything pertinent to the job you are applying for just to save space, by all means, go on to a second sheet of paper.

Now, this is only one example of how to write a resume. If you would like to explore perhaps some more sophisticated options, or just would like a variety to mull over, you have plenty of things that you can do.

You can locate a resume template, even download it if you choose and be quite confident that you will be formatting everything correctly.

You could also contact a resume writing service, or seek advice from the Placement Office at your college or university. There are endless options for you, the sky’s the limit, so go forth and create a resume to get you the job of your dreams!!

How to Write a Business Letter – Super Tips to Create a Stunning Business Letter

If you are planning to start a business, you cannot afford to neglect knowing how to write a business letter.

Even if your business may be just a small entrepreneurial startup, knowing how to write a business letter is a key skill that you, or at least one of your assistants, should know.

Before we go on with the technicalities of an effective business letter, let’s lay down the reasons why a business owner should have excellent writing skills.

Business letters are the primary means by which your company would communicate to investors. They should give a great impression of you and your company. They could actually prove crucial to your business taking off or to its survival.

Business letters should be understandable, be able to communicate exactly what needs to be done, or state communication in a very clear manner. Without clarity, miscommunication may lead to misunderstandings, or worse, botched jobs.

Want to write a business letter that rocks? Then it has to possess these characteristics:

1. The standard format of letter writing applies. Ideally, a business letter should contain the following information, in order:

– Letterhead (the sender’s address)

– Current date

– Recipient name and address

– Subject (optional)

– Salutation/Greeting

– Message (body of the letter)

– Closing salutation

– Signature (including the corporate designation/position of the sender)

2. The business letter should be written in block style.

3. Use double space; and as much as possible, keep the letter in the center of the paper you use.

4. Do not shorten your words and verb forms. “Do not” should not be written as “don’t,” and so on. Otherwise, the letter gives an impression of informality.

5. Keep the letter brief and concise, but be sure to include all the information you need to communicate.

In knowing how to write a business letter, make sure that it elicits the desired results. Keep the following in mind:

– Include a reference to an event, matter, or information that is pertinent to your letter, or is the reason for your writing the letter even.

– Obviously, you would need to include the reasons for your writing. Whether the letter is a request, agreeing to a request, delivering bad news, etc., don’t be so busy as to actually forget what you need to communicate.

– Remember to enclose the important documents that the letter should come with.

– Provide a reference to where the recipient could contact you after reading the letter.

– Always keep a copy of the letter with you.

As you can see, knowing how to write a business letter is rather simple. Just bear in mind that this letter aims to communicate and that the main objective is to communicate what you need to in the clearest and most concise manner possible.

The Little-Known Marketing Secret That Allows You To Write Advertising Homeruns

You remember Sherlock Holmes don’t you? Holmes was the fictional consulting detective invented by Scottish physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes, as you know, is famous for cracking open difficult cases and solving them with almost magical abilities.

So, grab your inspector’s hat and let’s play Sherlock Holmes for just a moment. We’re going to do a little spying today and see if the “Sherlock” in you can turn up a few profit clues lurking all around.

This is the shortest course to the profit-land in this crazy fun business. The direct marketing or “mail order” business as we affectingly call it have a “secret” way of “spying” on the competition. It’s called “seeding.”

Very simply, seeding is where you get on other businesses mailing list

… for the sole purpose of snooping and finding out what’s going on in your selected marketplace.

This does several things for you.

First, you’ll start receiving offers from the company you inquired about plus competing companies. And these offers can be golden to you by seeing exactly who’s mailing what.

You’ll see firsthand what their winners are, how the copy reads, what offers are hot and ideas will start to catch fire.

And if you go the extra yard and actually buy something, you’ll experience firsthand how you were treated, what upsells they offer, and how they run the customer service side of the business.

Simply put, this is one of the best direct marketing educations you can get. And best of all… it won’t cost you a fortune.

Basically, you get a master’s level marketing education for the mere cost of a postage stamp and the time it takes to “sign up.”

Pretty damn cool, right? As my late marketing mentor Melvin Powers once told me, “There are no secrets in the mail order business.”

You’ll be tuned in to ‘real world-real time’ marketing methods and strategies. This is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date with powerful trends and effective marketing that’s cutting edge.

Seeding gives you another huge benefit…

… A swipe file right at your fingertips.

What’s that, you say? Swipe file? YES! Swipe File!

What’s a swipe file? Hey, I’m glad you asked.

A swipe file is a collection of marketing pieces that have a proven history of positive results. These ads are bringing in bucket loads of profits, leads, store visits or whatever action the ad is asking from the customer.

But how do you know if these ads are profitable or not? It’s not really that hard to figure this out… and you don’t have to guess.

If you see a marketing promotion (advertisement, sales letter, squeeze page, etc.) that runs over and over or is mailed over and over, then you’ll know for sure it’s a winner.

Most marketers, especially direct response type businesses loath wasting money. Again, if you see an ad repeated over and over again, you can rest assured that it’s making money for the advertiser.

Once you start building your swipe file you’ll want to see how you’re marketing stacks up to the competition. Ideas gleamed from your swipe file could be used to improve your marketing.

There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. In direct marketing (or mail order), you have learned that there are no secrets. Everything is laid out there for you.

And by the way, did I mention swiping is legit… it’s sharply slices a huge portion of the learning curve!

Let me tell you a quick story about one of the most successful, profitable and effective direct marketing promotions to hit during the 20th Century.

It was 1974 and Martin Conroy was commissioned to write a sales letter to sell subscriptions for the Wall Street Journal.

No big deal, right? After all it was only two pages printed front to back… a mere 780-word letter.

But here’s the thing. Did you know that one of the most successful and profitable sales letter ever written…

This super-successful sales letter mailed for 28-years with almost no changes to the original copy. It raked in over an estimated TWO BILLION DOLLARS in gross revenues!

Take one of the most famous copywriting controls, The Wall Street Letter written by the late Martin Conroy. He in fact swiped it from a sales letter written many years before.

So what was the secret to this mega-success letter?

The secret, according to industry insiders, is that Conroy relied on a little-known “trick” to cheat his way to writing the pitch.

It’s helpful to know that Conroy’s letter was not beaten until 2002. It was beaten in two consecutive tests… the first test Conroy’s letter was beaten by less than 10%. The second by a huge 24%.

The second letter was written by copywriting legend Mal Decker.

So, the question is how did Mal Decker come up with a letter to beat the ‘unbeatable’ control?

The answer… again… it’s surprisingly simple… and you my friend can use this ethical “cheat” to produce blockbuster ads, web pages, sales letters, and just about any marketing piece you need to write.

Now I’m not saying its OK for you to straight out copy the ad word for word. Not at all… I’m saying it’s fine to borrow or swipe ideas, concepts and compelling parts that intrigue you and adapt them to your marketing.

Swiping is a great way to infuse new life in old copy and can often lead to more sales and leads.

So start your swipe file today and let the ideas flow.

10 Things a Small Business Can Write Off

We all have one fear in common – everybody is just a little bit afraid of the IRS. Although a little fear is healthy, for the small business owner or self-employed individual, too much fear of the IRS can be bad for the bottom line.

If you want to pay less income tax, take the time to learn what others in your industry are deducting, and track every legitimate business expense. The savings could easily be several hundred dollars. Start with these ten categories.

Home Office Expenses: If you operate your business from your home, a portion of your household insurance, rent, repairs, maintenance, utilities, and other expenses could be deductible.

Business Mileage: If you track every business mile driven, you’ll pay less tax. But, if those miles aren’t tracked properly they can be disallowed.

Interest on Business Debt: Monthly business checking account fees, bank overdraft penalties, business credit card finance charges, interest on a home equity loan taken out to fund your business, and annual credit card fees are all deductible.

Self-Employment Health Insurance: Self-employed health insurance costs are a business deduction, and are subtracted on your personal tax return.

IRA and Retirement Deposits: Self-employment and small business Retirement Accounts and IRA Deposits are also posted to your 1040 personal tax return.

Promotional Expenses: If you spent money, or traded goods, to get your business name or product out to the public, that cost is deductible as a promotional expense.

Seminars and Classes: Any classes that make you better at what you do to produce income, as well as general business classes are all deductible. Remember to record all mileage and travel expenses if you have them; those are deductible too.

Subscriptions: All magazines, newspapers and newsletters you purchase to enhance your business knowledge, including online subscriptions, can be deducted on your business tax return.

Rent: If you pay rent for an office, desk space, chair space, or storage space, rent tools or equipment, pay for loft space, or have other rent expenses within your business, those expenses are deductible.

Inventory: Inventory costs are only deductible as inventory is sold; unlike most other business expenses, it is not always deducted in the same year as the money is spent. The IRS has specific rules for inventory management.

A tax professional can only work from the information you provide, and unless you understand what you can and cannot deduct on a business return, even a good tax professional will miss valuable deductions. Keeping good records, documenting all business expenses are all you’ll need should an audit arise.

Changing Your Career – How To Write An Effective Cover Letter

There are certain procedures to follow when searching for cover letter samples expressing one’s wish to change career. Career change cover letter samples should show exactly how the introductory letter should begin and what it should include.

At the top corner of most career change cover letter samples will have the potential employee’s address. In most cases, the name should be written on the first line, followed by the address beneath it. Include the city state and the zip code in the address and then add the current phone number. If there is an e-mail address, it can be written under the phone number and then follow it with the date.

It is common for career change cover letters to have the address and pertinent information of the probable employer. If one knows the name and designation of the person to whom the cover letter should be addressed, it is recommended to include it in the letter. Follow it with the company address, ensuring that it is situated at the left portion of the page.

The addresses of career change cover letters have the same style as any normal business letter. For the salutation, if the name of the addressee is known, write it down. However, if otherwise, “Dear Sir or Madam” can be used.

In the first paragraph of the letter, give an introduction and brief opening sentence. For example:

“This letter is to articulate my interest in (the job title) with your organization listed on (insert name) website.” (Put in significant details, position applying for and the newspaper or website where the job was seen.)

The next step is to express how suitable the applicant is for the job mentioned. Experience and relevance to the position applying for should be brought up clearly. One may write something like:

“I feel with my understanding in (specify the field) and my accomplishments in (name previous occupation) make me an ideal applicant for this position.”

The main component of a career change cover letter is its ability to list previous experiences. This gives additional advantage to the candidate. Being able to enumerate an applicant’s achievements in his previous job and the skills he was able to practice can increase the applicant’s attractiveness as an employee.

Write down key characteristics that are concerned with the job being targeted and then qualify straight away how previous experiences or trainings deal with each one. Create a bright picture in few words. Do not turn the letter into an essay. This letter should serve as an overview of the topic in positive terms. For instance:

“My experience in (jot down an experience) has helped me gain proficiency in many areas of the position mentioned. I consider (list down strengths) as my strengths.” (Then, provide examples of instances where these skills have been used successfully).

These qualities can be written in point format. Write only those strengths that will be advantageous to the job applied for.

Style every cover letter to suit the specific job and the organization one is applying for. Get some background information on the organization involved and mention in the cover letter any relevant information collected where applicable.

After citing the key characteristics, conclude. Write down contact information about the applicant to make it easy for the potential employer to get in touch with the applicant.

Article Marketing Success – How To Write Articles to Boost Your Online Business

There is no better way to build a successful online business from scratch than article marketing. Not only is it absolutely free, but writing articles gets your name and your brand out there almost instantly and allows you to re-direct people right back to your website. Whether you are selling something small or something worth thousands, you can use article marketing to drive people to your business and you will see results from this form of marketing.

Even if you are not an expert writer, you can use article marketing to build your business, as the most important part of article marketing is giving your reader quality information rather than a well-written and polished piece of work.

If you want to achieve big success with your online business as fast as possible, use the following four tips to get your articles out there to work hard for you:

#1 – Set a monthly numbers goal

If you want to be successful in your business, you have to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals for everything. In your article marketing efforts, decide on how many articles you will write each month and then break this down into daily and weekly goals. While 100 articles every month may seem steep, when you break this into weekly numbers it is only 25, and then if you break that into a 5-day plan it is merely 5 articles everyday. This is an achievable goal and should take no more than an hour or two once you know how to write articles the right way.

#2 – Write something everyday

Even if you don’t work on the weekends, you can sit down or even write a single article before anybody else even wakes up. Saturday and Sunday you can write a single article in less than 15 minutes and this will take up almost none of your day. Once you’ve written several hundred articles you can stop this practice, but in order to build your business you have to go the extra mile.

#3 – Leave out the article’s conclusion

One of the most powerful ways to get someone to click on your link at the end of the article is to omit the concluding statement in your article. This will stimulate more curiosity in your reader and it will increase the number of people who click your links.

#4 – Make a clear, direct offer in your resource box

Instead of listing your accomplishments in your resource box, simply make a clear offer for the reader to download your free product. This ensures they won’t miss the chance to get your product and thus get onto your email list.

How to Write a Small Business Plan

The first thing to do when starting a small business is to write a plan for your business, it is very essential and useful if you really want to focus yourself and get a whole picture of what you have to do in order to build your enterprise. A business plan is the road map for the success of your business

What do you have to offer?

What are your products or what are your intended products? What are your products or services? What kind of income will these activities be generating or what is the expected range of income once the products are launched? Give answers to these questions giving a complete picture of the principal activity that you are engaged in or will be engaged in during the timeline of your business plan.

Where are you located?

Do you work from home or do you have a business premises? If you have a business location such as a store or factory, then explain about the size and capacity of this establishment. What is the business climate like in your area? Are there significant competitors and what are your prospects or advantages of competing in this market? Find answers to all these questions as best you can and give yourself and would-be investors a clear picture of where your business is situated geographically and with relation to your overall market.

How to make it happen?

Your sales and marketing research or plan should be outlined in this section. Explain how you intend to establish your product or service and what steps you will take to create or expand your customer base. How will you fund the start-up cost and the expansion of your business? Explain the source of your funds whether you have existing loans, your savings, borrowing from friends or liabilities. How much money do you need to raise in order to get realize your entire plan for the launching or expansion of your business? Explain how you are going to put your business idea into practice.

Having a good business plan is your key to success. A well-thought-out business plan forces you to think about the future and the challenges you will be facing. As long as your forecasts are realistic and you have done plenty of market research you will definitely come out with a good result. Go ahead with your plan and stick to it.

To your success!

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