How to Secure Your Dream Job in 40 Days or Less

8/11/2019 How to Secure Your Dream Job in 40 Days or Less

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www.infopreneurqueen.com

HOW TO SECURE YOUR

DREAM JOB IN 40 DAYSOR LESS

WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BYAderonke Favour Bamidele

(A.K.A Infopreneur Queen.Consultant/Information Entrepreneur)e-Mail: [email protected]

www.infopreneurqueen.com www.asimforum.com

www.queenwebhost.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aderonke Favour Bamidele is a Graduate Of GeologyUniversity Of Ilorin. She realized her passion forwriting when she decided to quit her formal day job

to start a career online. She has created so manyinformation products ranging from wealth creationproducts to life changing information products.

Infact, one of her e-books Titled The InternetWealth Secrets is one of the hot selling InformationProduct on the Internet right now. The book features

several online job opportunities (i.e Work from home jobs) that are highly suitable and profitable for anaverage Nigerian.

She is fondly referred to as the Infopreneur Queen (coined from the term Information Entrepreneur )by friends and colleagues.


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She is dedicated to helping individuals and smallbusiness owners to believe in themselves and to knowthat, you can actually do what you love and get paid.

All that you need is determination, hard work and apositive mental attitude. A positive mental attitude iswhat will drive you to your success.

To know more about the I nternet Wealth Secrets E- book. Vi si t her website on www.infopreneurqueen.com

or cal l her on this number 08136499063
http://www.infopreneurqueen.com/http://www.infopreneurqueen.com/http://www.infopreneurqueen.com/


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All Rights Reserved

No part of this book should be reproduced, stored in retrieval ortransmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyand recording or otherwise without the prior permission of theauthor/publisher.


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PREAMBLE

How to get a good job is a mindset phenomenon, and it is the utmostdesire of every undergraduate or fresh graduate. Getting a job begins with

a job search plan which will help the person in question to remain guidedthroughout the process.

How to get a high paying job is a very important career aspect when itcomes to taking full grasp of the job market. Job-hunting has existed eversince man required others to help in carrying out numerous tasks. And asthe year goes by, it gets tougher and tedious because of the recession andcrippling economies.

Due to the limited number of jobs available in our country these days,every employer applies elimination screening method in order to reducethe influx of job hunters and to get the best candidate who are competentenough knowing all the necessary recruitment requirement and meetingup to it.

In thi s much applauded book titled How to get your dream job within40days or less you will only need to understand the basic strategiesneeded for a successful job search and be able to quick decisions on howto get yourself the job of your dream. This book provides in details all theneeded requirements for every job hunter and to land his/her desired jobin all the sectors.

My desire with this book is to reach out to millions of people with thedaunting task of getting a dream job. If you are an undergraduate,graduate or a job seeker, congratulations because, this book is for you!

HOW TO BEGIN YOUR JOBSEARCHThe following steps will guide you on how best to begin your jobsearch.

Use career planning to secure the job you really want in record time.

Taking time to plan your job search strategy will actually decrease theamount of time it takes to find the job you really want.


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Identify what you are really looking for in your ideal job and what youhave to offer, it is easier to discover opportunities for a person with yourunique skills. Know yourself, know your market, and combine thisknowledge into a winning job search strategy.

Start by changing the way you think about yourself. Identify what youhave to offer and then find employers that are looking for people withyour skills - employers that are actually hiring. Quickly write down whatyou would like to see in your next job description. Then, write a brief listof your interests, abilities, values, and skills.

Do your interests, abilities, values, and skills match the tasks you haveidentified for your ideal job? If not, identify the key differences. You maydiscover that you have been spending your time pursuing positions thatdo not interest you, or you may identify skills that you need to build on toget the job you really want.

Don't be discouraged if you don't have the time or money to get theeducation or training required to obtain your ideal job today.

Thoughts like I dont know anybody in that company, I dont think mykind of person can cope with that firm My grades are too poor bla bla

bla should be completely avoided.

Such thoughts can weigh you down and this can mar your chances ofgetting your dream job.

You can look for a position that you know you can secure in the rightindustry and plan to make valuable connections that will ultimately helpyou achieve your goal.

Every industry hires skilled workers from a wide variety of disciplines, tounderstand the scope of opportunities available for people with yourskills, review information and projections from the sectors that interestyou most.

Many great job-hunting resources are available on the Internet. Forexample, review the company website and read recent press releases, job

postings and any financial information that you are able to access.

Press releases answer many of the questions you have about a companyor organization. Look for answers to some, or all, of the following

questions: Have they developed, or will they be developing any new


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products in the near future? Is the company planning to grow throughacquisition? Have they merged recently?

Find out as much information as you can about each organization before

you call to arrange an informational interview.Approach the folks you believe could provide the most relevantinformation, but agree to meet with anyone in the organization that willgive you twenty minutes of their time. Remember - current employees areone of the best sources of referrals, and they may be the eyes and ears forthe hiring manager.

Preparing Your ApplicationsA quality job application can make a big difference to your chances of

being invited for an interview. It is not enough simply to provide factsand information; you need to present your application persuasively andthoughtfully.

The complete application may include any or all of the following -resum, cover letter, application form, selection criteria document,academic transcript and your photograph.

Applications for a particular job needs to be tailored. Use the

selection criteria to help you decide what to highlight in the variousdocuments.


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Become familiar with selection criteria generally. Employers likeapplication forms because they can ask for the information they

want, rather than take what applicants choose to include in theirresumes.

Applications dont always ask for a cover letter, but include one ifthere is the opportunity it is professional to introduce yourself,and gives you an opportunity to highlight your most relevantselling points.

Employers/recruiters read through applications differently someread cover letters and place a great deal of emphasis on them;others skip straight to the resum or application form. So alldocuments need to be equally well prepared.

Always contact an employer or recruiter if you are unclear aboutrequirements. In most cases a contact name and number is givenfor this purpose. Job advertisements are not always well written, sodont be reluctant to take the initiative and ask for clarification!

Review your experiences and skills. Many parts of an applicationrequire or can be enhanced by giving examples from yourexperiences (for example where you demonstrated a skill or atype of achievement).

Research the organisation and role you are applying for.

Try to lodge your application well ahead of the closing date. Avoidlast minute dashes to the finishing line as systems get overloaded.


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APPLICATION FORMS

Application forms are commonly used for Graduate EmploymentPrograms and by some large organisations for general recruitment.

Types of questions can include:

Biographical questions about your education, results andexperience.

Open-ended questions relating to your interest in the position,career plans, skills and strengths, knowledge of the organisation orindustry, extra-curricular activities, achievements andunderstanding of the values of the organisation.

Behavioural questions which ask you to give an example of atime when you demonstrated a particular skill/competency.

Key Points About Applications FormsWriting Job ApplicationsYour written application provides a summary of your education,qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the duty statement of the

position for which you're applying. To successfully gain a new position

you must clearly demonstrate in your written application that you meet allthe selection criteria before you will be shortlisted for an interview.The written application is important because it is probably the onlyinformation that the selection panel has about you.

The selection panel does not have access to your file (for currentemployees) or to details about you from previous applications, and theywill normally contact referees after interviews have been held.

Even if there are some members of the selection panel who know you,there may be others on the panel who know nothing about you. A written application also indicates the following things about you:

how clearly you are able to express yourself your ability to be brief and to the point in describing your skills

and experience your ability to exclude irrelevant information your use of grammar, spelling and punctuation, and appropriate

use of language your ability to present information neatly, logically and clearly.


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For these reasons it is important to prepare your written application as well as possible. Your aim is to persuade the selection panel that you are the best person forthe job and worth interviewing. Suggestions on how to do this are outlined below.

Writing Skills

When the Appointment Committee receives your application, they are notonly looking at your range of skills and experience, but will also assessyour written communication skills. The Committee may examine any ofthe following:

how well you structure written information how well and how clearly you express your ideas how well you target your communication to your audience your grammar and spelling ability your understanding of document formatting your attention to detail in regards to typos and information.

In order to show that you have high quality written communication skills,your job application should use of action words (verbs) to indicate therange tasks you can achieve, and use of a positive tone to demonstrateyour abilities. This will indicate that you are proactive (rather than

passive) in your job, and focuses on what skills you do have rather thananything you might not have as much experience in.

Action Words

When putting together your written application, you will need to describeyour skills and competencies.In describing the skills you have and use, it is important that you describethem accurately. Often we undersell our skills by using 'inactive' words,such as 'do' ( do the mail, do minutes).Sometimes we go to the other extreme and use terms that come across tothe reader as bureaucratic jargon ('utilise interpersonal communication').Occasionally we give an inflated indication of our level of responsibilityfor a task and use 'manage' and 'control' when we actually 'administer' and'monitor'.

Positive Tone

How you phrase what you say and the words you use in your written

application can convey either a positive or a negative message to theselection panel.


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Try not to include what you can't do; avoid phrases such as:

'I don't have any experience in...' 'My knowledge of... is limited.'

or adjectives such as:

unfortunately only quite.

Use of such words and phrases may convey a negative message to theselection panel that you either do not have the necessary skills andexperience, or that you lack self-confidence.

Instead, focus on positive statements about what you can do, such as:

'I have experience in...' 'My knowledge of... includes...'

and adjectives such as:

very several many good/excellent.

Such positive words and phrases convey to the selection panel that youdo have the skills and experience, and that you have confidence in yourown abilities.

JOB APPLICATION DOCUMENTSAs you already know these are all the required documents that need to be

well written by any prospective job applicant before he/she can beconsidered and invited for a job interview. Im going to treat them oneafter another ensure you flow with me.This usually includes CV/Resume, Cover Letters, thanks you letters,follow up letters etc.

A CV is an acronym for the word Curriculum Vitae. It is the outline ofones edu cational and professional history usually prepared for jobapplications. It is generally the course of ones life. A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to make applications. itconveys your personal details in the way that presents you in the best


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possible light and can be used to make multiple applications to employersin a specific career area.

Professionally packaged curriculum vitae makes you stand out from the

crowd. And because of the fact that hiring of applicants from differentdiscipline can be very competitive, it is important to get noticed for theright reasons. Work experience and skills developed throughextracurricular activities will give you an extra edge in a pile of CVsfrom similar applicants.

Your CV goes a long way in determining whether your services can beemployed in any given company of your dream. First impressionsdefinitely counts when it comes to your CV. Recruiters may only glanceat it briefly and they dont waste time trying to locate hidden details. Itmust be logically structured and broken down into clearly marked,readable sections. Use your CVs structure to build up a picture ofyourself.

WHAT IS A RESUME?Though a resume and a CV are synonymously considered as same, therestill exists slight difference between this two application documents. ACV is basically prepared by individuals with an account history of

previous career experiences or a person who wishes to leave the present job, to switch to a better paid job having at least two years experience. Itcontains the details of the achievements, career history from other

previous jobs.

A resume on its like is an American English word for curriculum vitae. Itdoes not entail details of job accomplishments, rather it focuses on theskills and talents possessed, in other words a resume is written by thosefresh graduates with little or no previous job experiences.

Most CV and Resume follow the same format but it does mean that theynearly all look the same. How you choose to structure your CV is up toyou, as there is no rule of thumb as regards this. But the most importantthing is to decide on a layout and style and then be consistent with youruse of headings and fonts throughout.

TYPES OF CV/RESUMEThere are various kinds of CV/Resume such as:


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TraditionalFunctionalMultimediaChronological

E-mailed & WebI shall explain them one after another to your appreciation lets starts withthe first one.

THE TRADITIONAL CV/RESUMEThis is the out dated type of CV/Resume style but this is still used by alot of people to make themselves appear boring by having the kind oflayout and headings that people used 30 years ago when all documentswere prepared by typist with limited possibilities in terms of design. The

style was like a list and began with the unnecessary title curriculum vitae,usually more prominent than the candidates name.

When recruiters receives such documents they had to work hard todiscover who the candidates was, what they could offer and what exactlythey had so far achieved in life. Everything was shrouded in mystery,conformity, formality and the fear of being different.

CHRONOLOGICAL CV/RESUMEChronological CV/Resume presents your education and work experienceeither in the order in which they happened, or in reverse order, with yourmost experience first. Since recent to an employer, this latter method isnow widely used.The advantages of a chronological CV are that it emphasizes thecompanies or organizations you have worked for (the periods of timeinvolved) and your continuity of employment. The disadvantages is thatif your career has had ups and downs, especially if it includes periods ofemployment, these shows up very clearly. The employer who is looking

for a steady and reliable employee will probably favour this approach.Its other disadvantages includes that it:

- Emphasizes your career growth

- Easy to follow, read and understand

- Extremely common and is therefore typically preferred.

FUNCTIONAL CV/RESUME:


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A functional CV is organized by skills and qualities. If, forexample, your experience is in book sales, the functions you coulduse as headings might be:

Presenting the product rangeCustomer care

Information technology etc

Under each one you can provide further details of specificexperience. The advantage of this approach is that you can focuson your strengths without having to spell out relative inexperienceor periods of unemployment. The disadvantage is that it may notmake clear important periods of employment with impressiveemployers. The employer who is looking for applicants with

particular skills and capabilities will find the functional CV morehelpful than the chronological.

This format is often used by fresh graduates that just finished fromtheir NYSC primary assignment.

REASONS FOR USING FUNCTIONALCV/RESUME INCLUDES

If you are aiming to sell your skills to target specific competences.If you do not have a consistent employment history you are/have recentlychanged careers. You have employment experience but it is not related tothe position you are interested in.

Take time to weigh up the pros and cons of a functional CV purely because they are no more common and easy to follow. However, there arecertain circumstances when functional CV/Resume is useful.

E- MAILED AND WEB CVS/RESUME The online CV/Resume model allows you to post a CV where it can beviewed by recruiters looking for candidates. The whole system isnormally database driven and must have specific fields into which youenter particulars types of information about your self.


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You can, however, choose brilliant words to place into this kind of onlineCV, words that summarize your skills effectively and accounts of youremployment that show what a powerful candidate you are. Like everyother writing task to achieve results you must take time and prepare what

you want to say. It is in your best interest to post a CV/Resume that hasenough quality and energy about it to make recruiters pause enough tofind you interesting.

Many employers in this computer era accept application in CV format to be sent as an attachment to an email.This is normally in MS WORD (.doc) FORMAT or HTML (Web pageformat). Also say youll send a printed CV if required. PDF (portableDocument format) also quite widely used and you can download a PDFconverter such as cute PDF www.Cutepdf.com/products/cutePDF/writer.asp for free:If you have a laptop or any computer systems install it and then printthe document to a folder on your pc. If in doubt your CV in severalformats. Ensure you email back to yourself to check it before sending itout.

MULTI MEDIA CV/RESUMEThis format usually on CD-Rom or published online are a superb idea for

lodging a portfolio if you are an actor, a web designer, a radio announcer,a journalist, a model, a Tv producer or an interim consultant withimpressive presentations to display (contact our webmaster department ifyou are interested in this).For other professions there are risks that this could make you seemedgrandiose? They would be useful as a portfolio to accompany a goodCV/Resume or letter of approach in the firms that suit them like the onesI used in the above examples.

GENERAL FORMAT OF A CV/RESUMEWHAT TO I NCLUDE

Personal details Name, home address or college address, phone number, email address,date of birth, sex and state of origin.If you have y our own web homepage? Include it (if its good)

Career objectives;A persuasive statement on what you can offer.


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Education:Give places of education where you have studied most recent educationfirst. Include your degree grade (GPA) if its excellent e. g. first class,

higher second class upper and distinctions. Include any special project,thesis, or dissertation work. Earlier courses, taken at say age 15-16, maynot need much detail.

Work experience:List your most recent experience first. Give the name of your employer,

job title, and very important, what you actually did and achieved in that job, part-time work should be included.

Interests:T hey will be particularly interested in activities where you haveleadership or responsibility, or which involve you in relating to others ina team. A one-person interest to them, unless it connects with the workyou wish to do. Give only enough detail to explain. (if you were captainof a sports team. They do many games you played, and how many winsyou had! They will ask at the interview, if they are interested.) if youhave published any articles jointly or yourself, give details.

If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, don give details.Include swimming if you are applying in an oil and gas company. Includegames like scrabbles, chess, monopoly, gym etc avoid hobbies likeeating, sleeping, singing, dancing and the likes, they are un-professional.

Skills:Ability in other languages, computing experience, or possession of adriving license should be included.

References:Usually give two names one from your place of study, and one from anywork situation you have had. Or if this does not apply, then an olderfamily friend who has known you for sometime. Make sure you informyour referees before using them and ensure that they willing to give you areference. Give their day and evening phone numbers if possible.

TIPS ON CV PRESENTATION

General research by human resources department suggested that 60% ofCVS from job applicants are mailed to the wrong person: usually the


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managing director. Applicants who addressed their application to thecorrect named person were 15% more likely to get a letter ofacknowledgement and 5% more likely to get an interview.

Applicants sending CVs and letters without spelling mistakes are 61%more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an interview. In theage of spell checker, there is no excuse for spelling mistakes. The most common mistakes to not show up in a spell check were: e.g fro instead of fo r, grate instead of great, liased instead of liaisedand stationery instead of stationary.

Other turnoffs include:Misspelling the name of the company addresses, not having a reply

address on the CV, trying to be amusing.

CV DOS AND DONTSHere are some simple Dos and Donts that can help you avoid many ofthe more common mistakes associated with poor CV.

CV D0S - Your CV should be carefully and clearly laid out not too cramped butnot with large empty spaces either. Use bold and italic typefaces forheadings and important information.

- Each page of your CV should be on a separate sheet of paper. Its agood idea to put your name in the footer area so that it appears on eachsheet.

- Be concise a CV is an appetizer and should not give the readerindigestion. Dont feel that you have to list every exam you have ever

taken, or every activity you have ever been involved in, consider whichare the most relevant and / or impressive.

- Be positive, put yourself over confidently and highlight your strong points. For example, when listing youre levels, put your highest gradefirst.

- Be honest- although a CV does allow you to omit details (such as examresits) which you would prefer the employer not to know about, you

should never give inaccurate or misleading information.


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- If you are posing your CV, dont fold it - put it in a full size A4 envelopeso that it doesnt arrive creased.

- Make it interesting.

If you follow a boring format or copy out your job definition it will bedull as ditchwater or recruiters who have read lots of applications everyday. You need to reach these people where they get interested. The storyof your career needs to tell them the context in which your achievementshave taken place and let them know what value you offer for the valueyou offer for the future.

- avoid Yucky claimsThe medium is in the message. If they have reached the third paragraphof your letter and glanced at your CV, you have already shown them thatyou can communicate. There is no need you are a Good communicator, aself starter or a great team player in so many words. It needs to beimplicit in your account of yourself, not stuffed under their nose as agrandiose claim.

People who do not look nave; people know how to say things that matterabout the real issues involved. Yucky claims are like unsubstantiated

bullet points-n they have no substance.

- Edit and edit againProfessional writers throw away more stuff than they publish; put it alldown and then reduce it until you fit two pages. If necessary group allyour EARLY CAREER under separate heading and just give each job aline or two. Place the focus on the last 5-10 years and the highest level ofactivity and achievements. Cut the minor roles and competence, whichare already implied by the big stuff you do.

Write brief and powerful introduction last, when you know what youneed summaries your offering, and dont bother giving it a headinganyone can see what it is. Think headline and a few strap lines, makingsure they hang together to lead into the story your story.

IN SUMMARYTry to keep your CV straight forward, check the spelling thoroughly(using word processing software) balance the content against length i.e.cut unnecessary information such as relevant back dated job descriptions.


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Adjust the CV to suit the required qualities in a concise manner. Anddont forget that your CV is basically a selling tool and a way of

persuading a consumer to buy product: i.e. your dream /company/ firmdeciding that your skill accomplishments experiences are worth paying

for.

CV DONTS- If youre considering enclosing a photograph of yourself, dont! Itsnecessary, and no matter how attractive you may be, its possible that youmay bear a striking resemblance to someone the reader doesnt lik e, andthat could mean a strike out for you! You should perhaps, include a

passport with a cheerful facial appearance only on demand.- Avoid odd size paper or loud colors. 81/2 11 inch paper in white, buff

or beige, is appropriate. Also, be sure to use a good quality paper.

- Your salary history or reasons for leaving previous jobs should never beincluded in a CV. Also, dont mention sexual harassment issues, lawsuits,workers compensation claims, or say, They fired me for no goodreason. In additio n, leave out any discussion about musical instrumentyou play, sport you enjoy, your marital status (with the number andgender of kids), age or race. This is a business marketing document, solimit the information on it to business related issues.

- Dont include references to areas of your life that are not related,or have nothing to do with your current career goals. Membershipin outside social organizations, military service, etc. have no placein a CV, unless they somehow apply to your job objectives.

Last, but certainly not least- dont have any unreasonable expectationsof what a CV can do. You will be guilty of a grave error in judgmentif you expect someone to hire you because of your CV. It neverhappens! Your CV is simply am piece of paper. It comes with noguarantee of truthfulness, and it certainly cant close a deal. You maychoose to believe that your record speaks for itself, but the truth is:only you speak for yourself. See you one day of the interview.

RESUME DOS AND DONTS Most employers scan resumes for less than 30 seconds, so job seekersneed to learn how to make that time count. Grabbing the spotlight with a

page or two of information isnt easy, but luckily, there are steps you cantake to ensure that your resume is clear, comprehensive and delightfully


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tempting to employers. Learn how you can make yourself stand out withthese Dos and Donts.

RESUME DOs

Make the resume as reader friendly as possible: be concise and neat.Bullet point work well. In addition, put together a version of your resumethat will be easy to read when you paste it into online forms and careersites; a beautiful formatted may be illegible in some such instances.

Include as much contact information as you can : you want to make iteasy as possible for employers to contact you, so be through.Have a clear aim : you need your reader fast, so let them know whatyoure after. An easy way to do this is with objective statement. The morespecific it is, the better.

Include a summary section : title a section Qualifications and outlineyour most important qualities and skills at the beginning of your resume,especially if is longer.

Focus on your employers needs : this is an opportunity for you to winover your potential employer, not to showcase your favorite

accomplishment. Focus on what appeals to your reader most. Study theadvert experience that meet the qualifications required.

List your work experience in reverse chronological order: start withthe most recent job and work backward.

List your information in order of importance to the reader: for your job experience, this will usually be the position/title, the location ofemployment. For education, it is usually the degree name with the

university, the location, the graduation year and then any peripheralinformation like your minor or your GPA. Keep in mind, however, thatinformation such as a GPA or unrelated minor becomes trivial as you

become more experienced.

Use action verbs : you want your resume to have life, so avoid the passive voice. Also, mix up your verbs. Try collaborated, established ordirected avoid verbs such as work that are vague and generic.

Focus on your accomplishment : these are what attract employers; theyare familiar with jobs description, so highlight what makes you unique.


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Did you increase profits? By what percentage or naira amount? Howmuch?

Emphasize transferable skills : its great to have a lot of skills, but

employers want to know what you can do with that position youreapplying for, so tell them.

Use numbers: be specific, list the number of people you have supervised.The same goes for sales increases, clients you represented and so on,quantitative skills are impressive.

Proofread carefully : typos, misspellings and grammar mistakes maycost you the job. One of the easiest ways to lose you the job. One of theeasiest ways to lose your reader is by having errors, so show youremployer the same care and work ethic you will demonstrate on the job.

Neatness counts: a poorly structured, badly typed resume tells muchabout the applicant. None of it is good; spend the extra money to haveyour resume typed or word processed, or even printed. Its well worth it.

RESUME DONTS

Lie : this is just a bad idea in general, but especially in resumes, be honest;trust in your experience and skills.Use personal pronouns: they detract accomplishment, distract the readerand add unnecessary words.

Go overboard with your job experience : fifteen years is the rule ofthumb. You dont want to drawn employers with information.

Emphasize jobs or skills you dont to do : even if they are part of yourwork experience or accomplishments, if you dont want to do them again,dont emphasize them.

Include post primary school information : quality over quantity, youwant to focus on what is most important and high-school / post primaryschool accomplishments just dont make the cut.

Use the title Resume : although this may seem logical, it looksamateurish. Stick with just your name and contact information at the top.

Include controversial information : avoid mentioning religion, politicalinformation or any potentially incendiary information.


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Include personal data : you want to keep your resume business related,so avoid giving your age, height, marital status, photograph or anythingelse personal.

You want to keep your resume business related, so avoid possibility of being discriminated against for these things. In addition, if you provide aURL for a personal website, ensure that it doesnt contain personalinformation or pictures that might give employers the wrong impression.Also, remember that employers can easily run a Google search on myspace, facebook or similar sites.Include hobbies or interests : employers often see this kind ofinformation as filler for a weak resume. In addition, hobbies such asreading, analytical thinking for instance, provide little insight.

Include salary histories or reasons for leaving previous jobs : thesetopics should be avoided at all cost. Money should never be discussed soearly in the job process, theres no way to come across positively whentalking why you left a job. In particular dont bad -mouth an employer,

because it speaks poorly to your professionalism.

List references : list references should be offered only when requested.

How to cover gaps in your CVBy gaps we mean a time of relative inactivity or a time when you do nothave any job/ career. The fact remains that CV is like a replica ofourselves without our being and we should try as much as possible to

portray our selves in the best true color.

Out-of-work gaps are not a big deal by itself. People are not comfortablewith it because it looks like they were not productive for sometime, andthat implies some sort of failure. The essence of this write up is tohighlight how best one can cover up gaps in the CV /Resume whereapplicable.Lets proceed:

Suppose you have a minor gap of a few months (less than a year). In thatcase nobody needs to know about it really. All you have to do is writeyour CV with yearly gaps instead of giving the month and year. In thisway, when you mention only the years, it will not be visible that there is a

gap of a few months in between. If the gap indicates the time period youtook for having a child, then it is good to tell them without much trouble.
http://careers.joblistnigeria.com/http://careers.joblistnigeria.com/http://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/resumehttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/resumehttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/resumehttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/resumehttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/


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Suppose you have a two years gap in your CV between two jobs whenyou did not have any job. What happened in the gap period? theemployer will ask. In most cases, people leave their jobs to pursue higher

studies if that is the case with you, let your employer know. In thiscontext the gap will be seen as a benefit.

If this is not the case, and you have just been in between jobs for a gap ofmore than one year You may like to say that you have been self-employed for some time, you might say that you have helped your father,uncle, bother, friend, etc to set up their business (be sure you have thedetails ready as you will be asked for them) Be careful to have a plausibleexplanation as to why you are seeking employment again.

A good reply here would be that the business is now successfully handled by the friend, partner, father (or someone who could take over) and youare looking forward to pursuing your main career goals; you may also saythat you have volunteered to work for some philanthropic cause that yourfamily, community, or friends created (again be ready to give details);you can say you wanted to be with your family for sometime before youstarted working again (be sure you have plausible reasons likegrandmother sick or wife/husband having a too demanding career whichneglected the children who were young at the time.As a last resort and not one that I would personally advise anyone to do

you could just fib saying that from the year so -and-so to present I wasworking in the following capacities and enumerate your jobs withoutgiving the years. It is possible that the employer assumes that your workis uninterrupted. However, such deceptions (however mild it may seem)can create a deep sense of mistrust when found out hence it is advisableto always use the truth in your answers.

However, it is best to explain the gap in as simple and realistic situationas possible, which in all probability, will not recur in the future. Look fornormal, legitimate ways to bridge the gap. However, you should notworry too much if you cannot really carry it off- in that it is better to tellthe truth directly (such as you could not get the right job) and highlightthe fact the you would be a valuable asset to the company.

SUBMITTING YOUR JOB APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

When a prospective employee submits a job application in writing, the job application documents usually include a covering letter, a curriculum
http://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/jobshttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/jobshttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/employmenthttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/employmenthttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/employmenthttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/jobs


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vitae, a photograph and copies of references. The job advertisement itselfoften states what documents are required. The employer is under anobligation to ensure their safekeeping and to treat them as confidential.

Employers ask for information about job candidates in a variety of ways.When reading a job ad, pay special attention to any instructions abouthow to apply, and make sure to include any documents the employerrequests.

Below are some of the documents an employer may ask for, along withsome tips for preparing each type successfully.

Some employers will only accept information electronically. Others willonly accept completed job applications. Some will not accept phone callsabout openings. Other employers will want additional material, like worksamples or references. Don't be disqualified for an opening because youdidn't follow the instructions.

Common methods of applying for jobs include:

Job applications . Many employers have a standardized formwhich they require all job applicants to complete. They use this

method to make sure that they have the same information abouteach applicant. If you're asked to complete an application, makesure you follow directions, provide all requested information, andwrite neatly.

Printed cover letters and resumes . Many job ads ask applicantsto mail these documents. Find out how to make your resumes andcover letters stand out in a crowd.

Electronic cover letters and resumes . Some employers will onlyaccept these documents electronically. They use software thatelectronically scans resumes and cover letters for key skills andexperience. Understanding how to include vital keywords in yourdocument is becoming more and more critical. You may also beasked to e-mail copies of your resume and related documents.

Letters of reference . These are written evaluations of your work performance and work habits. Your present or previous supervisor,manager, fellow team member, or teacher can write one at your

request. However, some employers will not give written letters due


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to liability issues. It never hurts to ask for one, though, especially ifyou feel you've demonstrated good work or study habits.

Portfolio . A portfolio is a personalized collection of items thatillustrates your skills and experience. It might include worksamples, letters of recommendation, a resume, school transcripts,or awards and honors.

Above all, your goal is to communicate your education, skills, and pastaccomplishments to the employer in a clear, straightforward manner. It'sup to you to show why you'd be a good fit for the job.

THE SAMPLES OF A WELL PACKAGEDCURRICULUM VITAE/CV

Example oneOYADIJI OBINNA28B Udoma Street, EnuguEnugu [email protected]

OBJECTIVESTo contribute to the strong background in solution implementation andcustomer services, along with unique drive for excellence and success toyour firm in a project manager capacity.

PERSONALDate of birth: 16 th Nov, 1978Sex: MaleMarital status: SingleLocal Government area: NjikokaState: Anambra

Nationality: Nigerian

EDUCATION
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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1999-2003 Bachelor of Arts in businessAdmin/marketingUniversity of MexicoAlbuquerque, NM.

1994-1998 B.sc in Computer Science/ Networking, NnamdiAzikwe University AwkaAnambra State

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:Solution Architect New Mexico Software Albuquerque, NM 2003-2004

Promoted from implementation consultants and collaborated withclients team to define corporate strategy based on business goals

strategic initiatives; developed creative and profitable solutions forinternal/ external clients.

Over saw software platform design and custom software deliveryfor multimillion dollar accounts

Defined and directed project goals, objective, critical successfactors, milestones and risks.

Implementation consultant; New Mexico power software,Albuquerque, NM 2000-2003

Promoted from technology manager and was selected to handlehighest level accounts based on ability to build trust withcustomers.

Teamed with engineering to design and manage consistent andreliable learning systems.

Managed technical platform implementations and integrationswith third party software.

Earned highest customer satisfaction rating of allimplementations consultants.

Technology manager, 1 st kings power software company Ltd Nigeria

1999-2000 Promoted from senior support


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Managed 70 accounts throughout Kaduna, Lagos, Abuja and PortHarcourt, supervised software installation, system configurationand testing for fortune 1000 customers.

Collaborated with products development team to implement product improvement.

Designed and conducted client workshop for technical softwareenhancements, provided customers with marketing ideas and in-house training to promote their success company wide.

OTHER SKILLS AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE- Highly experienced and proficient in blue print design

- Facilitation

- Business needs assessment

- Project management and consulting

- Technical pre-sales and presentations

- Requirement management

- Product implementation

- Articulate communicator who can fluently speak English, Igbo,Yoruba and Mexican languages.

- Blending technical expertise with exceptional interpersonal skillswhile interacting with customers, sales staff and technical/engineering teams

- Willing to travel extensively

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

Playing monopoly and scrabbles, Gym

REFERENCES

Dr. Roland Steiner General Manager and Area General ; NewMexico softwares, Albuquerque, NM


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0086-1391179-7904

[email protected]

Prof. Emeka Uwankwo

Md 1 st kings power software company Ltd FCT

Abuja, Nigeria

08037855803

[email protected]

Example Two

ANTHONY, CHIKELUE UDEZE

13 UDOKA CRESCENT, AWADA

ONISHA, ANAMBRA STATE

[email protected]

OBJECTIVE

A versatile analytical and hardworking Environment protectionofficer with practical hands on approach, who always perseveres toachieve the best results, Able to collect and analyze information,digest facts/ figures and quickly grasp complex technical issues.

Excellent negotiation and problem solving skills and swiftlyidentifies the root of any problem and develops an effectivesolution. Proven ability to manage and complete projects to thehighest standard, with a meticulous attention to detail and withinagreed deadlines.

PERSONAL INFORMATIONDate of birth: 16 th Nov, 1978Sex: Male

Marital status: SingleLocal Government area: Njikoka
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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State: Anambra Nationality: Nigerian

EDUCATIONAL PROFILE

1999-2003 Bachelor of Arts in businessAdmin/marketingUniversity of MexicoAlbuquerque, NM.

1994-1998 B.sc in Computer Science/ Networking, NnamdiAzikwe University AwkaAnambra State

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT

Successfully achieved environmental regulation targets andobjectives for land. Water and air, set by the NigeriaEnvironmental Protection Agency (NEPA); substantially raised the

profile of NEPA in south west Nigeria and significantly improvedthe performance of landfill sites, quarries, factories industrial/sewage plants and farms.

Managed major environmental incidents for NEPA includingindustrial, agricultural and road traffic accident spillages, andillegal waste disposal, coordinated the clean up, handled mediarelations and was personally interviewed on both radio and TV.

Reduced landfill and saved a major local producer 1.4 millionnaira (securing 10 jobs) by innovatively devising a process to reuseindustrial waste rather than pay for landfill; this also saved theforestry commission from using non-renewable recourses.

Developed and built good relationships with stakeholders at alllevels, which led to improved co-operation and reduced the needfor enforcement notices or legal action; stakeholders includedmanagers/ operatives, council chief executives, members of the

parliament (MAPS) and members of public.

CAREER HISTORY

Environment protection officer, Nigerian environmentprotection agency, 1996-Date


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Applied environmental regulations relating to land, water and air,in line with NEPAs objectives, procedure and targets.

Monitored the performance of landfill sites, quarries, factories,

industrial/sewage plants and farms ensuring they complied withenvironmental regulation.

Carried out site inspections, acted in an advisory capacity anddetermined whether any enforcement action was required(collected evidence and prepared reports).

Maintained regular contact with both the public and stakeholdersto deal with their enquiries, requests, complaints or possible legal

action.

Ensured all deadlines were met (these were often set by legalrequirements or NEPA policy) this required excellent databasemanagements skills.

Assessed planning proposals and carried out environmentalimpact assessments, reviewed authorizations/licenses and newapplications for authorizations/licenses.

Assistant area Inspector, Jiga River purificationBoard, 1994-1996

Transferred to NEPA following the formation of NEPA on 1April 1996

Assisted two area inspectors with the prevention of water pollution (implementing the control of pollution Act 1974) thisincluded surface / ground water. Rivers lakes and coastal areas.

Assessed application to discharge, carried out site inspections,handled pollution reports and provided advice to the public and theindustry.

POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSISTANT, FORTH RIVERPURIFICATION BOARD 1992-1994

Supported two pollution prevention officers and maintained thesampling and inspection plan for authorized discharges.


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Sampled a wide range of discharge points and determinedenvironmental monitoring locations which include sewage works,factories, and power stations, inland waterways (Forth & Clyde andUnion Canals). River and coastal locations.

Metal Works, Trivet Sheet Metal 1988-1990 Fabricated industrial components, which included forging

moulds, producing ducting (carried out installations on site). Liftcar refurbishment and hydraulic oil tanks.

Gained extensive experience in a wide range of weldingtechniques including gas, MIG and TIG on a range of metalsincluding ferrous steel, aluminum, stainless and nicks; was alsoresponsible for spray painting many of the finished components.

Tractor Driver/Machine Operator, Mattson Farms. Montana USA,1998 Worked overseas on an industrial exchange programme on a

large scale grain farm in the USA, operated large filed tractors andloading shovel, and drove grain trucks and a large dump truck,handled all aspects of equipment maintenance.

Farm Worker (Part Time and Full Time), 1982-1988 Worked on numerous farms across Scotland and north Yorkshire,

gaining a wide range of farming experience, which included tractordriving during grain and vegetable harvesting, grain dryeroperation and livestock work (e.g. Lambing)

HOBBIES OUT OF WORKBasket balling, playing chess, reading and travelling.

PERSONAL REFEREE:Dr . chucks OkekeHead of department AgricultureCollage of Agriculture,Umudike080.. [email protected] Very Rev Victor Nwosu

Archdeacon Onitsha central AnglicanArchdeaconry


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0808.. [email protected]

Example ThreeCHIKEZIEM, ADAOBI ONU25 Johnson Street, Victoria Island, Lagos08033426754.. [email protected]

CAREER OBJECTIVELooking for a challenging career, where there is scope fordemonstrations, always on look out for a positive and bigger outlook,thrive on imagination and passion, Rigorous thinking and boundless

curiosity sets levels and standards that exceed expectations. A learner forlife.

EDUCATIONB.Sc Applied Biochemistry (2 nd class upper division (4.21), Amadu BelloUniversity Zaria. 2003-2007 central urban secondary school Ilorin,Kwara State (WASSCE) 1997-2003.

PERSONAL SKILLS-

A good team administrator/ leader- Verbal and written fluent in English, Igbo, Yoruba and French

- Highly enthusiastic and optimistic

- Excellent knowledge on computer micro soft word, excel,database computation and internet.

- Effective in meeting up to deadlines and in the use of initiatives.

WORK EXPERIENCELaboratory Technologist, Hyjanimon Biomedical laboratories and blood

banking Ltd, Onitsha, Anambra State.August 2007/2008Chief Lab. Scientist, Biochemistry department general hospital cross riverstate2008 date

HOBBIEScomputing, web designing, analytical thinking and reading


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REFERENCESCan be provided on request.Ready to send in any more information and to come with my certificates

for the interview.

REMARKSIn this 3 sample CV/Resume, you will observe that the applicantsstructured there selling tool in such a way that every recruiter will notwaste much time in considering calling them for the interview. The stylesare not the same as there are no rules governing writing of a CV, chooseyour own styles but ensure you market yourself with it, the last exampleis more or less a typical Resume sample from an ex-corp member whohad little experience on his career history.

They are authentic samplesA mastery of these three examples will assist you in a constructing a well

packaged and attractive CV/Resume that can grant you a job interviewoffer, dont procrastinate, start now to practice.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is an important document in an application. It serves as a professional greeting and provides a snapshot of who you are and whatyou have to offer. You should never send out your CV without a coverletter. Even if you are applying for a job based on an advert that did notrequest one, your prospective employer will expect one. It is valuableopportunity to create a personal brand that aligns with the position andorganisation.

Key points about cover letters The cover letter should tell the employer both why you want the

position/program and why they should want you. It should communicate strongly why you want the position

employers are very interested in your motivation because theyknow that motivated employees perform well.

Your cover letter should highlight your most relevant skills andexperiences. Be selective here and focus on two or three which are

particularly relevant. It is not the place to list ALL your relevantskills and experiences as this can dilute your message.


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Cover Letters need to be professional yet personable. Avoid overlyformal or academic language and long complicated sentences.

Remember that employers will use your cover letter to assess yourwritten communication skills.

Preparing your cover letter

A straightforward approach is to use the template below. Thetemplate indicates what is appropriate to cover in each paragraph.While this is a sound professional format, it is not set in stone you may have good reasons for approaching your letter in adifferent way.

This template also sets out the business letter format required incover letters.

Always try to get the name and position of the person who willreceive your application.

Application Express has some useful sections:

Cover Letter FormatYour contact details

Date

Ms M. Employer ( always try to get a name and position )Recruitment Officer

Name of organisationAddress

Dear Ms Employer ( always try to get a name )(Position Title and Reference No. if applicable)

1. Nominate the job for which you are applying. Indicate the sourceand the date of the published job information. Provide details ofany contact you have had with the organisation, mentioning a nameif appropriate.

2. Introduce yourself in some way eg I am a final year studentat You need to convey strong motivation for the particularrole and the organisation. Try to refer to something topical


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regarding the organisation or industry or a personalexperience/sentiment that connects you to the position.

3. Over the next one or two paragraphs, indicate why you are a strongcandidate for the job that is, how you meet the selection criteria .

Dont try and cover every element. Focus on some key skillrequirements and use qualifications, experiences and achievementsto support your claims.

4. Try to include something which makes you stand out e.g adefining skill or attribute, or some aspect of your work, life orextra-curricular experience which is unique in some way andrelevant to the position.

5. Express your appreciation for consideration of your applicationand your availability for work.

Yours sincerely ( if you have the name of the recipient )Yours faithfully ( if you dont have a name )

Signed A. N. ApplicantA. N. Applicant

Resums

A resume is a document which demonstrates to a potential employer thatyou can do the job you are applying for by presenting information aboutyour qualifications, skills and experience. A resume is more than a simplerecord of what you have done; it is in fact a marketing document - whichmeans that it needs to be persuasive.To be persuasive, a resume should be:

Targeted

Concise Professionally presentedIt is no longer the case that one resume can be used for all jobapplications. You can be selective about what to include and what toemphasise in your resume. Being selective is referred to as targetingyour resume.

The key is to think about what is most relevant to a particular application. Note that if you are applying for very similar types of positions, you may

not need to change your resume substantially for every application.


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Resumes need to be targeted to suit the type of application (eg internship, part-time job, graduate position) and the type of work you are applyingfor.

At the same time, you might like to create a master resume whichcontains everything and which you update regularly. This can be astarting point for a resume being prepared for a particular application.Targeting a resume also helps you to be concise another key feature ofan effective resume.Presentation is also critical it ensures that your resume is attractive onfirst viewing and easy to read, but also sends a signal about your overall

professionalism and thoroughness.

CONTENT

The format presented here is a good starting point for any resume. Thesections listed are typically used in resumes; some sections are corewhich means they should be included, while others are optional. The format includes explanations and suggestions about options andvariations.As discussed, resumes need to be targeted to the type of application andthe position itself. Below are some guidelines about targeting.

Targeting for types of applications

Part-time and casual work (not course or career-related):

Even though the role may be simple, preparing a resume for part-timework can be surprisingly tricky as there may be no obvious connectionwith your course, career or experience.

Include an Objectiv e which clearly states that you are looking for part-time work. Try to find some point of connection to your studyand/or career interests; for example, in applying for a retail job, youmight say that you are keen to use your interpersonal skills and gainexperience in the business sector. Even for basic jobs, employerswant to see that your application has purpose. Unless you have substantial relevant experience, include a KeySkills section even if you dont have experience in the specificfield, you probably have acquired many of the skills through otherexperiences. Dont include much detail about your Education; it is important toindicate that you are studying but basic information is enough.


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A resume for general part -time or casual work should be brief perhaps 1 page, not more than 2 pages

Internships: Include an Objective so you can clearly state what you are lookingfor in an internship and make the connection between the internshipapplication and your career plans

Include detail about your Education including any relevant project or major assignment work as these will often be relevant tointernship activities

Include a Key Skills section an employer will be interested inwhat you can do; remember to draw upon all your experiences (not

just paid work) in identifying your skills, and dont neglect the skillsyou have acquired through your studies

Consider including a Profile most new grads will have had arange of experiences and developed a range of skills; a profile is agood way to pull together what you have to offer and create a senseof who you are.

Most professionals include a Profile on their resume, so its a goodtime to add this into to yours.

Targeting For Positions/Industries

Think about what is relevant to the position you are applying for and/orthe industry. This will help you to decide:

what to include in your Profile and/or what to leave out how to frame your Objective the order in which to put sections (most relevant first e.g if yourVoluntary Work is more relevant than your paid work, then consider

putting it first) how much detail to put about certain activities (e.g inEmployment, you might include more detail for certain roles ortasks which are more relevant) which skills you include in a Key Skills section

PRESENTATION


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A professional looking resume is one which: is well signposted and chunked for easy reading adheres to certain conventions e.g uses standard margins is simple rather than complicated

shows consistency in formatting e.g fonts, spacings concise generally 2 pages for undergrads and new grads withoutextensive experience

The format illustrates some key elements of a professional lookingresume using a letterhead to present personal details, clear unfussyheadings, fewer sections rather than many smaller ones, use of dot points,more space between sections than between entries within sections.

Note the particular fonts, heading styles and so forth used in the formatare not the only way to present your resume. There is scope to create yourown look. Just keep in mind the principles above.

The Cover Letter

Cover letters also demonstrate your analytical abilities. Employers will beassessing how well you have researched the organisation and the positionand how you have analysed and addressed the company's needs in theletter.Include a cover letter with every application you make but don't use thesame cover letter for different positions. Each letter should be specific tothe position and the organisation. Employers recognise standard lettersand will know you have not put in the effort they expect.

What should your Cover Letter include?

It is suggested that you include the following information in yourcovering letter:

your address the date the name, title and address of the receiver (ie: Director, Human

Resources) the title and reference number of the position for which you're

applying


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a paragraph saying what information you're including in yourapplication, ie: rsum, statement addressing the selection criteria etc.

a brief explanation of what particularly interests you about the job, the department or section etc.

a paragraph or two briefly highlighting the main skills or abilitiesyou can bring to the job and any relevant personal qualities orattributes

details of how and when you can be contacted if required toattend an interview.

Cover Letter Examples

If possible, keep your covering letter to a single page. Too muchinformation, especially if it is not relevant to the job, may detract fromthe letter. Your statement addressing the selection criteria is the place togive more detailed information about yourself and your ability to do the

job.

Example 1 Proforma letterThis example shows the key elements of a good covering letter. Theinformation does not have to be in the same order as the example, butmake sure it is logical. How you lay the letter out and what information

you put in each paragraph is up to you.

Example 2 Professional Staff cover letter

Purpose Of a cover Letter

The covering letter is a brief introduction to the rest of your writtenapplication. It is the first document the selection panel will read. Your

aim is to introduce yourself to the panel and encourage them to read onand find out more about you.For this reason it is important that the covering letter looks professional,sounds positive and enthusiastic, and attracts the reader's attention. It isalso one way of demonstrating your written communication skills.

A cover letter is a summary of the reasons why you are the best candidatefor the position. Its purpose is to make the reader want to read more aboutyou in your resume and to get you an interview. It can help to answerthree questions that are often on the mind of the employer:


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Can you do the job? Have you demonstrated that you have the right abilities, skills,knowledge and experience?

Will you do the job?

Do you seem very interested in the work itself? Do you have the otherattitudes necessary for success in the role and in the company Will you fit in?

Have you shown how your values and goals match the company'svalues and goals? Your language and stories can also indicate how youmight fit in with clients and co-workers.

Application forms are becoming increasingly central in GraduateEmployment Program recruitment in particular. Dont fall into thetrap of spending most of your time on your resum, then doing arushed job on the application form questions.

Most (but not all) online systems allow you to start the documentand save it later for completion. If the document has to be done inone sitting, make sure you are well prepared do you understandthe scope of the task (will it take 20 minutes or 2 hours)?; have youdone your company research?; do you have all your information

ready?

Employers can receive large numbers of applications an easyway to cut down numbers is to discard those with spelling mistakesor poor grammar so take the time to check for accuracy.

Where word counts apply, give a response of appropriate lengthand depth for example, a 50 word response is not suitable for a250 word question

Use examples where appropriate e.g if youre asked about yourstrengths, give an example of an activity where youdemonstrated that strength (these examples would be brieferthan in a behavioural question).


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It can also be good to give examples in questions about theorganisations values for example, if asked to indicate howyour values align with the organisations values, include anexample of when you demonstrated those values.

o In the question about why you are applying, there are noright and wrong answers, but some of factors you mightrefer to include: career plans, characteristics of theorganisation itself (reputation, size, clients), the role or

program itself, opportunities in the organisation, opportunityto use your skills.

Dont spend too much time on what selling yourself in thisquestion (there will be other questions about this); the employerwants to know that the position will work for you as well.

o With questions about strengths (or what you would bring tothe position/program), focus on the most relevant strengths

but choose from strengths which you genuinely possess.

o Try to demonstrate your knowledge of the organisation there is a good opportunity to do this in a question aboutwhy you are applying.

o In questions about your career plans you are not expected tolay out a highly defined career plan, but your responseshould give some specifics e.g the industry you want to workin and/or the type of role you are interested in. Yourcomments should refer to the relevance of the position or

program to your career plans.

It can be appropriate to say that you still exploring your options but you should at least refer to some ideas to show that yourethinking about this issue.

In questions about their organisation or industry, employersexpect a good level of knowledge and understanding; employers

regularly give feedback that applicants do not do this. To setyour application apart, do some research.


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COMMON MISTAKES YOU SHOULD AVOID

It is a fact that these days virtually every king of job vacancies andcareers are advertised online; requesting applications from suitablecandidates to apply. This article is designed to help us understand andavoid at all cost, some common mistakes we make while applying foronline job vacancies.

There is generally a less formal language and approach over the internetand it is unfortunate that this attitude has crept into the manner of ourresponses to job postings.

Below are three bad habits to avoid:

1. Failure to recognize competition. The internet has levelled the playing field by allowing more job seekers to gain access to more job postings. Jobs posted online are accessible to anybody who hasan internet connection.

With this increased exposure comes increased competition. Yet,many job seekers fail to fully acknowledge this reality. When

posting an opening online, an employer can be bombarded with asmany as thousands of applications. Knowing that, you should askyourself what you have done to stand out.

2. Applying to positions we are not qualified for. The Web hasstreamlined how we communicate with each other. We often see

postings on the Web we may be interested in and quickly applyto them without giving it more thought. That is the path to failureas the whole process is built on wishful thinking.

Most people who have this habit will then have a tendency to senda short email, along with a generic resume (or no resume at all!).Recruiters can easily identify these types of applicants and will notwaste their time reviewing these applications. For these applicantsthe issue really is: If you are not interested in the position, why

bother applying and, if you are indeed interested in the position,why dont you put more effort into it?

3. Lack of professionalism when applying online. It is certainly true

that the Web has broken a lot of frontiers, including that between people. We are much more informal on the Web. Some people


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push this attitude too far however to the point of using the wrongtone when applying for a job . Keep in mind that a certain degreeof formalism should remain.

Its preferable to lean on the safe side. You probably have heardthat when attending a job interview , better dress conservatively(except if you are an artist, or working in the creative field) than

push your luck. At the end of the day, you will be hired for yourcompetence.

You dont want your outfit to be a distraction. Same thing for your job application. You dont want anything to distract the employerwhen reviewing your job application. Being too informal couldhave a nagging effect on some recruiters and might jeopardize yourcandidacy.

In conclusion, Choose which jobs are worth applying to carefully andspend as much time as needed to put all the odds on your side. You onlyneed one job, so focus on tailoring each of your applica tions. Its not anodds game.

MEANS OF JOB SEARCH

The first thing you need to consider when you want to begin your jobsearch is the best means to go about it. There are some common mistakesyou should avoid when searching for your dream job. Questions that arefrequently asked by applicants are where are the jobs?

And due to the state of our country these days, jobs are not found easilywhile the few available ones requires consistency and constant search to

enable the job seeker know when the opportunity has made itselfavailable and to catch it at once without any further delay.

When you think of searching for a job, so many thoughts could pop inyour and you will begin to say stuffs like, I do not have a good grade orqualification

I dont have a job experience

My kind of person cannot cope with that establishment
http://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/applying-for-a-jobhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/applying-for-a-jobhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/applying-for-a-jobhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/job-interviewhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/job-interviewhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/job-interviewhttp://careers.joblistnigeria.com/tag/applying-for-a-job


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Infact, I dont even know anybody in that company. My qualifications / result grades are too poor to be employed in thatcompany.Get those negative thoughts off your mind right now, get up, be positive,

dress corporate and begin your job search..Develop a self confidence always, not forgetting that God created you fora purpose, and that you are destined for greatness, dont under estimateyour potentials as a result of inferiority complex.

All these factors and many more make a lot of job hunters laze at homewaiting for their destined job to come and kiss them and as such losing allthe opportunity they can utilize in tracking a well paying employment.Ensure you dont fall a prey to inferiority and low self esteem subconsciousness, stand up, dress corporate and go out in search of job.

Below are the various job search machineries that every job huntercan use to track his/ her job successfully.

NATIONAL DAILIESOur National and local newspapers, specialist business and trade

publications, magazines of professional association etc. has been one ofthe greatest avenue through which job opportunities are showcased.Corporations and multinational companies in the country use the nationaldailies as a means to advertise their vacancy. Examples of suchnewspapers are Tuesdays, Thursdays, vanguard, Guardians, Sun,Business day and other related publications. It is the sole duty of every

job seeker to develop the habit of visiting the vendor stand everyday insearch for the vacancies that may relate to the areas his/her ownspecialization, there is a serious need to make reading habit a part of yoursystem to effectively utilize this searching machinery.

INTERNET ADVERTS

70% of job vacancies in this computer era are no longer advertised via thenational dailies, one of the ways to tap into these hidden jobs is throughthe international network, online. The internet has gone long way inassisting enormous job searchers in locating lucrative and white collaremployment opportunities.In this 21 st century, a lot of job vacancies from various sectors are madeavailable via online advert. Most multinational companies these days inthe national dailies rather they find it more flexible to place their advertsin the companys websites. Perhaps, to enab le them employ the services

of those smart applicants that browse through the profile of theirestablishments.


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Therefore, there is need for you to be conversant with the websites of allthe companies you may wish your services to be employed in. I was verymuch ashamed and embarrassed the day I over head some ex-corp

members to not achieving out what they needed in a job. Learn how to browse online today it is very easy, our material on internet wealth splashwill be of assistance to you, try and grab a copy of it.

The websites to use in job searchThe under listed websites may link you to that vacancy you have beensearching for start browsing and posting of your resume and CV onlinetoday delay is dangerous.www.nairaland.com www.realnigerianjobs.com www.gblcareers.com www.careerbuilder.com www.alljobsnigeria.com www.monster.com www.careerguider.com www.vacancies-nigeria.com www.dragnet.com www.mactalent.com

www.hotjobs.com www.abujajobs.com www.itcareers.com www.nigeriajobsonline.com www.nowhiring.com www.career.com www.technies.com www.oilcareers.com

And a whole lot of other sites, as you browse theses ones above you maystill come across other web links.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA(Radio and Television Broadcasting Houses)The media (Radio & TV) is another good medium through which most ofthe Nigeria based reputable firms air their vacancy, as this is one of thefastest means to reach out to the masses.Most of our home based job seekers and graduates today dont fancywatching the commercials during network and local news, or evenlistening to other news bulletin on radio. Rather they prefer watchingforeign and local movies at all times. Ensure you dont join such clubs.
http://www.nairaland.com/http://www.nairaland.com/http://www.realnigerianjobs.com/http://www.realnigerianjobs.com/http://www.gblcareers.com/http://www.gblcareers.com/http://www.careerbuilder.com/http://www.careerbuilder.com/http://www.alljobsnigeria.com/http://www.alljobsnigeria.com/http://www.monster.com/http://www.monster.com/http://www.careerguider.com/http://www.careerguider.com/http://www.vacancies-nigeria.com/http://www.vacancies-nigeria.com/http://www.dragnet.com/http://www.dragnet.com/http://www.mactalent.com/http://www.mactalent.com/http://www.hotjobs.com/http://www.hotjobs.com/http://www.abujajobs.com/http://www.abujajobs.com/http://www.itcareers.com/http://www.itcareers.com/http://www.nigeriajobsonline.com/http://www.nigeriajobsonline.com/http://www.nowhiring.com/http://www.nowhiring.com/http://www.career.com/http://www.career.com/http://www.technies.com/http://www.technies.com/http://www.oilcareers.com/http://www.oilcareers.com/http://www.oilcareers.com/http://www.technies.com/http://www.career.com/http://www.nowhiring.com/http://www.nigeriajobsonline.com/http://www.itcareers.com/http://www.abujajobs.com/http://www.hotjobs.com/http://www.mactalent.com/http://www.dragnet.com/http://www.vacancies-nigeria.com/http://www.careerguider.com/http://www.monster.com/http://www.alljobsnigeria.com/http://www.careerbuilder.com/http://www.gblcareers.com/http://www.realnigerianjobs.com/http://www.nairaland.com/


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Start today to listen to Radio News commercial for it will go a long wayin fascinating your job search.

NOTICE BOARDS

Various firms and parastatals do showcase their vacancy on their notice boards even before making it known to the general public through othermeans.Every job hunter is hence advised to always read such notice boards,dont often be in a haste to over look such notice boards, youropportunity may be laying there.

RECRUITING AND CONSULTING CORPORATIONSMost mega and multinational companies dont embark on carrying outthe recruitment of their new employees themselves; rather they employthe services of some trusted recruiting firms who are experts in recruitingnew employees. It is now your duty as a fresh graduate to locate suchfirms around your locality and submit your resume to the recruitmentofficer, collect their websites and phone numbers and ensure you visitthose websites often, call at intervals for inquiries.

Examples of some reputable recruitment firms are:The National Directorate of Employment (NDE)www.careerguide.beyond.com www.careernigeria.com www.jobsearch.com www.oilcareer.com www.topsolutionsresources.com

CO-JOB SEEKERSAs a job seeker, ensure you liase with other job hunters that are in thesame shoes with you, share your career development plans with them andthe kinds of job you want. Always gather knowledge from their ownexperiences, listen to their own ideas and strategies and also contributeyour own quota in deriving solutions. Various job hunters forums abound,you can join in and share information together. This job search machineryhas assisted thousands of fresh graduates in landing their dream jobs.

PERSONAL NETWORKSMake your plans for a good job known to your loved ones, friends, familymembers, and family friends, reputable and influential men in the society.Create time to visit firms, parastatals and companies you dream to work

with. Establish a close rapport with the key staff in the firm and makeyour intentions to work in the company known to them, inform the
http://www.careerguide.beyond.com/http://www.careerguide.beyond.com/http://www.careernigeria.com/http://www.careernigeria.com/http://www.jobsearch.com/http://www.jobsearch.com/http://www.oilcareer.com/http://www.oilcareer.com/http://www.topsolutionsresources.com/http://www.topsolutionsresources.com/http://www.topsolutionsresources.com/http://www.oilcareer.com/http://www.jobsearch.com/http://www.careernigeria.com/http://www.careerguide.beyond.com/


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recruitment manager about your qualifications and pedigree, be a goodspeculator by laying your ears on the ground for any opportunity in thecompany. If possible collect the number of the human resources managerand other staff, leave your own number also so that you can easily be

contacted and updated with information relating to their recruitments.

CHAPTER THREETIPS FOR UNDER GRADUATES ON HOW TO SEARCH FOR AJOB

I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly I can have itachieved I have been discussing the general means through which joboffers can be tracked down easily.

But even as a college student or a university undergraduate you can stillstart your job search now and can be sure in landing good one; if you willcomprehensively adhere to this tips below.

START EARLY: companies arent usually interested in interviewingfreshmen or sophomores for positions they cant fill for two years, but itis never too early to make that first contact. If you know what is out there

by your junior year, you can spend senior year honing your search.

DONT LOOK FOR A JOB UNTIL YOU FIND A CAREER: beforelooking for specific companies, decide on a line of work. Job fairs andwritten assessments are many ways of finding a match for your skills.

BEFORE COMPANIES INTERVIEW YOU, INTERVIEW THEM:information interviewing can be an effective early step in the careersearch. Call a company in a field that interest you and request an informalinterview. Talk to as many representatives at the company as possible,expanding your web of contacts. This exercise will better inform you

about the companies, and perhaps lay the ground work for them tointerview you better.


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WHO YOU KNOW IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU KNOW:the methods may have changed, but old fashioned networking is key tolanding a dream job. Networking shouldnt be limited to the people you

know well or those in your field of interest. Tell virtually everyone youmeet about the skills you have and the type of job you are seeking. Ask ifthey know anybody who would be a good contact, and take copious notesin a small notebook you carry with you. People want to help, but only ifthey are asked.

AS INTERNSHIP IS LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW THAT LASTSTHREE MONTHS: nothing looks better on a resume than been there,done that. Firms often design internship as a recruiting method, whilealso helping students develop marketable skills. Freshmen andsophomores should pursue internship possibilities with the sameaggressiveness as seniors pursue employment. Apply just as you wouldfor a job, with a resume and cover letter tailored to the companys needs.

KEEP APPLYING UNTIL YOU RUN OUT OF TIME OR MONEY:students often spend too much time thinking about the strategy of a jobsearch when they could be searching. There are differing schools ofthought on whether a few specifically targeted letters with follow up

phone calls are more effective than a bulk mailing of hundreds of genericresumes. If you have the money and time, try both approaches, but makesure your dream job compa ny doesnt get a specific letter and the versionmailed in bulk. Keep a list of the actions you take with specificcompanies, and dont make promises to call or send more informationwhen you cant follow through. Until you land that dream job, keep thoseappli

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How to Secure Your Dream Job in 40 Days or Less