COVER LETTERS
A well written cover letter can tip the balance in your favor when competing against other, equally qualified candidates. Don’t skip this step, as it provides another opportunity to sell yourself. Use the first paragraph as an introduction that states why you are interested in this line of work and how your previous employment relates to the position requirements. The next one or two paragraph outline and give examples of how you have been successful in similar positions within your career. Stay away from listing too many years of experience. For example “over 15 years” may sound better than “42 years” in certain cases. Use the requirements of the job posting as your guide to what is required. The last paragraph should state what you would like to happen next. Something similar to “I look forward to discussing my qualifications in further detail in an interview” . Another approach that requires follow-through would be “I will call you next week to set up a time to discuss my qualifications” .
INTERVIEWS
One of the first questions asked in an interview is usually “Tell me about yourself” , or “How does your experience relate to the requirements for this position” . These open-ended questions could lead you to provide more information than is needed. Make sure to prepare a response that succinctly states how you can do what is required but doesn’t offer information that may date your experience or that goes off topic. As the interview progresses, always stress your skills and your experience. Stay away from starting any sentence with “when I was your age…” or “this is how we used to do that. …” . Tell the interviewer you have significant
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