Employers are very busy and receive hundreds of resumes leaving little time for individual review. Submitting a thoughtful and well-written cover letter can help you outshine your competition and get you one step closer to an interview. Don't let the energy you've spent on developing the perfect resume go to waste by failing to deliver an effective cover letter.

Here we offer some tips to help you craft the perfect cover letter that will get you noticed:

1. Understand what the Cover Letter Must Achieve

A cover letter is basically a sales letter. You are trying to motivate a specific action - an invitation for an interview. In addition to reinforcing the key skills and experience you reference in your resume, a cover letter provides you with the opportunity to:

• demonstrate your desire to work for the employer
• identify specific ways your expertise can benefit the organization
• differentiate yourself from other job seekers
• demonstrate your individual personality
• explain anomalies that may stand out in a resume such as gaps in employment
• arouse interest that will help you get that interview.

Article courtesy of Salary.com®

So if you're looking for get-fit advice, I'm the last person you'd want to consult. But if your resume is in need of a shape-up, I can help!

Follow the suggestions below and I guarantee that with a bit of effort, you'll start 2009 with a more "lean and mean" career marketing tool that can help you win the employment race.

Trim the fat. Is your resume loaded with flowery language? Does it suffer from "adjective-overkill?" Are there chunks of text screaming for white space? Is it guilty of bad resume lingo, fluff fillers, or information overload? Any of these things can weigh down your resume. My colleague and mentor Kim Isaacs is so masterful at eliminating excess on a resume that I affectionately refer to her as "the slasher." See her article on how to write a concise resume.

Beef up the content. A common problem I see on resumes is weak content, which can creep in on virtually any area of the document. For example, does your resume begin with a cliche-ridden and "me-centered" objective (like "Seeking a challenging position with a growth-oriented company offering advancement potential") instead of a powerful qualifications summary? Or is the experience section heavily focused on your responsibilities (what you did), but with minimal examples of your accomplishments (how well you did it) for each job? Are you missing strategic sections, like a list of your key skills or a technology summary? Have you maximized keyword density on your resume (crucial if you want employers to find you online)? With most resumes typically given only 15-30 seconds on the initial read-through by a prospective employer, strong content will help propel you to the interview pile vs. the circular file.

Go the distance. Another misstep I see almost daily when I review resumes is accomplishment statements that only go half-way. For example, I recently ran across this bulleted accomplishment on a corporate trainer's resume: "Implemented 'Service Excellence' staff training program, which increased customer satisfaction scores." This isn't bad, but it leaves the reader hanging. By how much did customer satisfaction scores increase? Did this individual develop and/or conduct the training program? How many employees participated in the training? How long did it take for customer satisfaction to increase after the training was completed? By including just a few more details, the revised accomplishment statement is much stronger: "Designed and delivered 'Service Excellence' training program to 500+ employees, which increased customer satisfaction scores by 35% within two weeks."

"But wait," you might be thinking. "Isn't that just going to make my resume even longer?" Great question. Yes, fleshing out your accomplishments may mean adding a few more words, but that's where judicious editing comes into play. You shouldn't be trying to cram every single thing you've ever accomplished onto your resume. Only include stand-out achievements that bear the most relevance to the positions you are targeting. So while you're boosting the impact of these key accomplishments, you'll also be looking to cut less-essential statements. (That employee picnic you planned may have been a big hit, but if you're not looking for a job where event coordination is important, then rethink this content). You can also combine similar accomplishments into a single hard-hitting bullet point to preserve space. And here's a final tip on editing: if you are unable to quantify or explain the benefit/result of something you did, it probably should be cut from your resume.

The bottom line is this: scrutinize each of your achievements to ensure that they are resume-worthy and that they go the distance.

Make your word choices more "muscular." On a resume, every word counts. If you rehash phrases like "responsible for" or "duties include," you will lull the reader to sleep. The same goes for repeating lazy verb choices, like starting every other sentence with "managed." Use dynamic language and varied, powerful action verbs to keep readers engaged. Get intimate with a thesaurus to reveal synonyms that might work for you.

Present a "buff" appearance. A beautifully designed resume is the equivalent of six-pack abs. Conversely, a resume with too little white space, margins set too tightly, too many or too few bullet points, inappropriate fonts, or text set too large (amateurish) or too small (headache-inducing) can be likened to the dreaded "spare tire" and dimpled cellulite that none of us want. Even if your content is strong and your spelling and grammar are flawless, a poorly designed or lackluster presentation will hinder your resume's effectiveness.

So print out this blog, power up those laptops, and by all means pass the Pringles - this is probably the only shape-up resolution that you can achieve in a single weekend and with no calorie-counting required.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Article by, Karen Hofferber and courtesy of ResumePower blog.

From Times Square in New York City to Tiananmen Square in Bejing City, people will be ringing in the new year with a glass of cheer, a toast, a song, a display of fireworks. And the following day they'll dive into 2008 with new dreams, goals, resolutions, and commitments for the months ahead.

What will yours be? Perhaps among your goals is an exciting new job. To make that a reality, however, you'll need to brush up your resume or better yet, create a fresh one.

But don't just list your previous jobs and responsibilities,
important as they are.

Add a bit of spice! Include a section that focuses on your good will, your volunteer work, and your acts of kindness in your previous work place, church, and community.

Such activities often say more about you than your professional profile. For example, consider how valuable you'd be to a company as a department manager or sales trainer if the hiring manager read in your resume that you managed a group of lay leaders who banded together to put up housing for the poor in Mexico. Imagine how well you'd be thought of for spending one day a month teaching homeless men a skill they can use in the workforce.

How can you share this cup of kindness in a resume without sounding self-satisfied or arrogant? Here are some workable ideas that may spark some of your own.

1. Place a headline at the top of the section of your resume reserved for these activities. Example: Community Affairs Volunteer Work
2. State the name of the organization, your responsibilities, and the relevant dates. Example: Edgewater Young Adult Club, taught basic life skills, goal-setting, and personal hygiene to impoverished youth, monthly starting in January 2006 to the present.
3. Describe how your volunteer work relates to the job you are seeking.
Example: My work with youth has prepared me to train, lead, and motivate salesmen and women to serve others, not merely sell. By building relationships with the young men and women of this club I learned the value of interpersonal relationships, networking, and common courtesy toward others--skills that can increase the bottom line of your company and improve employee-customer relations.

A well-worded statement such as this will show the hiring manager what kind of person you are, where your values lay, and the level of integrity you operate with when you engage with people on the job and in the community.

If your objective is to land a job interview, what could be more important than harnessing the reader's attention with your ability to do the work and exercise kindness toward others at the same time.

Spice up your resume with a cup of kindness--and see your new year's resolution come to pass--an interview with the hiring manager of the firm you want to join.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new, Amazing Resume Creator." Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Amazing Resume Creator for your "instant" resume today. "In just 10 minutes flat you will have an amazing resume guaranteed to land you more hot job interviews next week.

As a result, these changes have inspired the creation of jobs meant to contribute to and aid our environment rather than destroy it. These jobs are called "green collar jobs." If you are interested in learning more about this industry, take a look at how it affects you and how you can fit in.

What are Green Collar Jobs?

Green collar jobs are typically defined along the lines of blue collar jobs. However, these jobs were created by companies that want to help improve the environment. You can see minor changes in the everyday activities of some businesses. For instance, some grocery chains have stopped passing out plastic bags for free and have began charging customers with the proceeds benefiting the environment. Because so much more effort is being placed on "going green" there are many more jobs coming available to help create zero waste, conserve water, develop residential solar energy and more.

What Types of Jobs are Available?

Some specific job types that you might be able to get into that very directly mean to enhance the environment include bike delivery services, gas station jobs related to biodiesel, green waste composting, landscaping, construction material and debris hauling and reuse.

A few others include:
- Hazardous material clean-up
- Developments for non-toxic household cleaning products
- Expansion of open spaces such as parks, recycling, solar installation
- Printing with non-toxic inks and dyes
- Maintenance and repair for public transit
- Tree cutting and pruning
- Water efficiency and conservation
- Weatherization for homes
- Energy conservation

Many businesses are hopping on the "go green" bandwagon. So this is a good time to begin searching for employment in this area.

Can I Get Involved?

One of the perks of green collar jobs is that many of them offer on-the-job training. So if you're looking for an environmentally-responsible career change, or post-retirement job that can make you feel good about what you're doing, many green collar jobs can be easily moved into. Additionally, if you want a mid-to senior-level position, those jobs are available too.

The industry is growing so rapidly that in fact it is predicted that jobs in the energy-efficient industries could grow from the currently estimated 8 million available to as many as 40 million by 2030. If you are interested in finding out where you fit in, you can visit a career consultant who can help you find your way based on your specific skills. You can, for instance, use your human resources background to become a human resources manager at a solar energy company. As the industry grows, the opportunities will be endless.

If your passion falls in line with caring for the environment then green collar work may be right for you. So take your time, explore what's out there, and seek counseling if necessary. Then enjoy getting paid to make a difference in our world.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top resume writers in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

Is a job search during a recession doomed for failure?

Not if you think creatively, search aggressively, and maintain a positive outlook and forward momentum!

- CNET's Webware blog reported just ten days ago that there are more tech companies with job openings than there are ones initiating layoffs.

- Monster Worldwide's CEO Salvatore Iannuzzi said in a recent interview with CNBC that a number of sectors are still hiring strong, including government, healthcare, protective services, mining, and exploration.

- In their recent "Who's Hiring in This Economy?" special report, a Cleveland, OH TV network news affiliate checked the latest numbers from Manpower (the world leader in temporary, temp-to-hire, contract, and permanent employment services); Forbes magazine; and the networking service JobFox.com to find what each consider to be the top "recession-proof" jobs. They predict continued job openings in areas including:

• Accounting: The more companies reorganize, the more accountants they need.
• Nursing: One field where there is still a shortage, with openings at many hospitals.
• Physical Therapy: Openings exist at many hospitals.
• IT: With companies keeping computers longer, they need people to fix them and update software.
• Commission Sales Reps: In a recession, companies are desperate for good salespeople.
• Security: You can't have enough security these days.
• Building Maintenance: As companies hold off on new offices, it's paramount that they take care of existing facilities.
• The U.S. Census Bureau: Now hiring thousands of workers to prepare for Census 2010.

Arm yourself with a recession-proof resume. With increasing numbers of laid-off workers competing for jobs, it's important that you have a flawless, compelling, keyword-rich, and employer-focused resume. Consider hiring a resume writing firm to write your resume. Your initial investment is well worth the competitive edge you'll gain, and it will be more than recouped in your first paycheck.

Harness the power of the web. The internet is a job seeker's best friend. Use it to find and apply for jobs (major job boards post openings daily), research companies, create job search agents, develop/update your online profile, and more!

Network, network, network! Networking is still one of the best tools in a job seeker's arsenal. Check out Quintessential Careers' compilation of how-to's, tips, resources, articles, and strategies on this topic.

Get organized, keep a schedule, and follow-up relentlessly. Resist the temptation to become complacent, discouraged, or lazy. Bad daytime TV, king-size chocolate bars, and internet solitaire are not your friends right now. Create a schedule with at least three job search items to accomplish each day and stick to it. Print out and file all job ads that you respond to, attach the customized cover letter and resume that accompanied each ad for your future reference, and follow-up with prospective employers. When the phone starts ringing for interviews, you'll reap the rewards of your efforts!

Freelance. A number of career fields lend themselves well to freelancing, including writing, designing, IT, and more. There are various sites on the web that allow you to advertise freelance services for free or for a nominal fee. The demand for talented freelancers is bound to increase during a recession, as employers look for the most cost-effective way to get the work done. In addition, the more you freelance, the more contacts you'll make - and each of these assignments presents the potential for a full-time job offer down the road.

Volunteer. What are you passionate about? The humane treatment of animals? Global warming? Your child's school? Get out and volunteer! Just spending a couple of hours a week contributing to a cause you care about is incredibly therapeutic, and it offers the added bonus of giving you something you can add to your resume to fill the gap between jobs. Plus, you never know where it may lead. Your enthusiasm may catch the eye of a hiring manager, or you may meet a fellow volunteer who knows of a job opening in your field.

Supplement your income with creative "moonlighting." My friend Chris is brilliant at this. She's a talented HR executive who is currently searching for her next full-time job, but in the meantime she's supplementing her income by advertising various services on Craigslist, including house cleaning, overnight babysitting, dog-walking, and pet-sitting/house-sitting. It pays the bills and allows her to expand her network of contacts

Consider temp and temp-to-hire options. Temp agencies typically thrive during times of economic cutbacks, so start interviewing with them now. Many of these firms require testing to measure your proficiencies in various areas, so the sooner you begin the process the faster you can find placement. And keep in mind that a temporary placement can lead to a full-time job offer.

Don't buy into the myth that the holidays are a bad time to job search. Check out Alison Doyle's blog on Job Searching During the Holiday Season for more information. Still not convinced? Dust off your old copy of "Kramer vs. Kramer" and wait for Dustin Hoffman's "find-a-job-at-all-costs-right-before-Christmas-Eve" scene. I dare you not to be inspired!

Happy job searching, everyone!

Best wishes.

Article by, Karen Hofferber and courtesy of ResumePower blog.

Layoffs are an unfortunate by-product of economic recessions, but if you take steps now to "recession-proof" your resume, you won't be caught unprepared if you find yourself downsized. Here's how:

1. Emphasize ways you have boosted the bottom line for your employers. Now more than ever, employers will be trying to preserve profits and pinch pennies. Use your resume to prove your talents in this area and you're bound to leave a favorable impression. This might include contributions you have made (either independently or as a member of a team) to cost-cutting measures, revenue-generating efforts, customer acquisition/retention initiatives, or productivity/efficiency increases. Wherever possible, quantify these achievements with numbers for maximum impact and credibility. Here are a few examples using dollars, percentages, and before/after comparisons:

• Saved company $5K annually by transferring print newsletter to online format.
• Minimized costly rework on widget product line to increase profit margin by 15% (equivalent to $2.8M in annual revenue gains).
• Served on continuous improvement taskforce that cut store shrink in half (from 4% to 2%) to deliver annual bottom-line gains of $17K+.

3. Highlight versatility, flexibility, and adaptability to change. Have you assumed expanded responsibilities beyond the scope of your initial job duties? Are you handling tasks that previously were performed by two or more employees? Have you led or participated in successful turnaround or change-management initiatives? Individuals who can demonstrate their abilities to help employers survive -- and even thrive -- during tough times are sure to be a hot commodity now and in the months ahead. Include a few key details of your strengths in these areas in your opening profile summary at the top of your resume, and/or add a few bulleted accomplishments relating to change-agent leadership and adaptability in the "Experience" section of your resume.

4. Start a "kudos" file. If you don't already keep copies of your performance reviews and letters of appreciation, client thank-yous, or congratulatory emails you receive, start now. This provides excellent fodder for your resume. You can include quoted excerpts right on your resume, either in a separate "Endorsements" section or sprinkled throughout the resume. To see a few examples of how to incorporate third-party testimonials into your resume, check out the network administrator and theatre instructor resume samples on our website.

5. Keep your resume and online profile updated. If you're worried about your job security due to the uncertainty of the current economy, your best strategy is to keep your resume updated. The same goes for online profiles you may have on sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, or FolioClick. Indeed.com's blog included some excellent advice on this topic in a recent post, reminding us that "potential employers may look at any online profile of yours, so keep them up-to-date and free of content that would embarrass you."

Best wishes.

Article by, Karen Hofferber and courtesy of ResumePower blog.

With that said there are some amazing recruiters out there who are great at sourcing and placing top talent in great jobs. In order to work with recruiters and not get frustrated when they don't behave as you, the job seeker, think they should it's important to understand a few things about the role recruiters play in the hiring process.

Seven things you need to know:

1. Recruiters have tough jobs.

Most recruiters are contracted by, and nominally report to, an HR representative within whatever company they are recruiting for. Sometimes elite recruiters who are hired by a Board of Directors or a CEO to find a senior leader for the company report directly to the hiring authority. But most of the time HR is the liaison between the recruiter and hiring manager. Most companies give recruiters a very big "wish list" for their candidates because they figure that if they have to pay a fee to find a new employee the recruiter had better find them the perfect candidate. Also understand that HR people are, for the most part, overworked and under appreciated by their employers simply because they are overhead and, as such, do not generate revenue. So, HR people can be very hard on the recruiters they have contracted because, lets face it, crap rolls downhill.

Recruiters spend their days trying to find the absolute perfect candidates for their client while managing sometimes impossible client expectations. If you are a candidate who has been frustrated that a recruiter won't present you to his/her client for a job for which you are not a perfect fit you should try to look at it from the recruiter's point of view. He/she may have marching orders from the client that just don't allow him/her to take chances on candidates who don't match the exact specifications set forth by the client.

If you have every wondered why recruiters don't call you back or don't seem particularly interested in your career interests this is why. Recruiters get paid to find people for companies, not the other way around.

3. Recruiters aren't babysitters or therapists.

Recruiters don't want to hear a sob story about your mean boss or your personal problems. They want to hear carefully crafted and well-prepared answers to interview questions that are appropriate for a job interview. Share too much information and you will be labeled a basket case and loose cannon. Recruiters can't take the chance that you will show up for an interview and act like an idiot so if you seem overly emotional and/or share inappropriate information you may not get to interview at all.

4. Recruiters aren't resume writers.

If you have a poorly written resume a recruiter will probably just pass over you but a few of them might be willing to give you tips or feedback on the document. But you can't expect them do more than that. Get your resume in order before sending it to a recruiter even if that means asking for extra time before you send it along. It could mean the difference between getting a great job and being an also-ran.

5. Recruiters aren't career coaches.

See point #2. Recruiters are paid to find talent not coach it. If you have run into some career roadblocks and you aren't sure why, don't ask a recruiter, hire a career coach instead. Jason Alba has a great list of career coaches on his blog and I have a list of coaches whom I partner with and vouch for on my website if you need assistance in finding a coach.

6. Recruiters, like everyone else, understand quid pro quo.

Don't wait until the economy has gone sour or you are about to be fired to try to build a relationship with a recruiter. Any networking guru will tell you to build your network before you need it and that applies to recruiters too. If you aren't looking for a job and you get a call from a recruiter, listen and do your best to connect him/her with any of your contacts who might be appropriate for the job he/she is trying to fill. You won't be forgotten, especially if you are sincere in your efforts and you facilitate a personalized introduction between the recruiter and your contact.

7. The time to meet and get to know a recruiter is BEFORE you need a job.

See point #6. Build relationships and do good deeds before you ever need to ask for help and you will find that when you do ask for assistance that it will be given to you happily.

Article by Liz Handlin and courtesy of Ultimate Resumes

With the economy changing as quickly as it is, you can't afford to not know what the latest trends are. Including whether companies are laying off or hiring, as well as what fields are requiring that you learn new technologies. So how can you stay abreast of what's happening in your field? Let's look at some sure-fire ways to get this done ...

Read Industry Reports and Trade Publications

One way that you can make sure you always know what's going on in your industry is to read industry reports. You can read reports about what's going on specifically in your field, as well as reports about what's going on in the entire workforce. By doing this, you can know if your industry is dwindling, or check on industries paralleling yours that you may be able to move into.

There are a variety of industry reports you can look at to find out what's going on. For example, Execunet.com offers studies on hiring trends, information on what fields are best to enter, and much more related to top-level executive employment. Another industry reporting example is the Food Marketing Institute, which functions on and offline and offers a variety of surveys, facts and figures, and more through their website and quarterly reports regarding profitability, inventory productivity, and labor costs in the grocery and supermarket industry. Also, you can visit websites like ValuationResources.com that offer dozens of reports related to specific industries. There are many more resources available to keep you informed. You just have to make strides to find out what they are.

Read the Newspaper

Reading the newspaper may sound old fashioned, but believe it or not, it is still a great resource for discovering and staying abreast of industry information. Reading the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the main and business sections of your local major newspaper can give you great insight into the trends of certain industries, as well as specific companies.

If you don't want to spend the money to subscribe to a newspaper, you can probably visit your local newspaper's website for information. However, to get in-depth access with the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times websites, you must subscribe online.

Join Professional Associations

Whether you're joining a local professional association, the Chamber of Commerce, or an online message board, you can find great in-depth information about your field and the workforce as a whole by joining other professionals in your field. It is through these affiliations that you can make necessary professional connections, link up with recruiters in your field, and simply keep your hand on the pulse of what's going on in your industry.

Staying informed in your industry is beneficial whether you're looking for a new job or not. By always knowing what's going on, you can become a major player in your industry, making a difference in your life and others.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume writer? Check out reviews of the top resume services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS?

Understanding how the resume writer works will increase the odds that you will be satisfied with the final product. Aside from asking is you are entitled to re-writes and edits, it's important to know...

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE TO COMMIT?

When I say 'YOU' I mean you the resume owner. Depending on the writer, I spent anywhere from four hours to two minutes involved in the process. Whether it was fielding questions, completing questionnaires, or exchanging e-mails, I strongly advise that you be honest with yourself on how much time you are willing - and able - to commit.

I personally felt that the writers who spent more time with me did a better job, but the panel of Jobacle judges didn't necessarily see it that way.

Ask what the writer's process is and how much involvement you will have. Know your own time constraints and the writer for an estimate before you hire someone.

Continue reading about hiring a resume writer ...

Article by Andrew G.R. and courtesy of jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

As with most experiments, we learned a lot about how we can improve the exercise for next time: and there will be a next time. In fact, the next go around will feature a lucky reader's resume getting the royal treatment.

Subscribe now so you don't miss out.

Many job seekers have e-mailed me asking what my verdict is; is hiring a professional resume writer worth the money? While I'm hesitant to give a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer, I can say that the challenge has given me new appreciation for what resume writers do and the process involved.

The decision to hire the help really comes down to what your goals are, where you are in your career, and most importantly - who the resume writer is.

Continue reading about the Jobacle Resume Challenge ...

Article by Andrew G.R. and courtesy of jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!