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5 Things to Remember Before Asking For a Recommendation Letter

5 Things to Remember Before Asking For a Recommendation Letter

by | Apr 5, 2016 | Career, Communication, First Job, Resume, World of Work

Whether it is an application for admissions into a university, for an internship or for a job, a recommendation letter or reference letter is a critical part of the process. These are especially important as they vouch for your character, as well as serve as a testimony to the skills you hope to demonstrate. They help give an insight into you as a person beyond your grades, your experience or your achievements.  It also matters who the recommendation is coming from and how well-known the person is in the field you are hoping to get into. Having good recommendations from the right people can help you turn from a potential candidate to the preferred choice. What is your role in making sure you get the kind of recommendation you need and deserve? Take care of these five things, and the rest will take care of itself.

1. How you ask matters –

Always reach out to someone who actually knows you and you have been more or less in touch with. Even if you haven’t kept in touch with this person in the sense of the term, it shouldn’t be the case that you haven’t spoken to him/her in years and end up asking for a recommendation out of the blue. Provide context and explain why you think h/she is the best person to recommend you. Word your email/conversation in a manner where you are actually asking him/her and not taking it for granted that (s)he will be writing one for you.

2. Ask well in advance before deadline –

The deadline is in a day or two and you suddenly remember you haven’t reached out for the recommendation. One of the worst ways to go about getting a recommendation, ever. Value the time of the person you are asking a recommendation of, and make sure you reach out well in advance, with at least two weeks’ notice, so that there is ample time for the letter, and the follow up and any edits if necessary.

3. Be specific in your requirement –

Mention exactly what you need the recommendation for. You may be good in a number of things, but writing any of that in the recommendation letter wouldn’t matter if it doesn’t speak about how good you are at what you are applying for. Make sure your recommendation letter is perfectly suited to the opportunities you are aiming for.

4. Include all relevant details –

Include your cover letter/statement of purpose, your resume and any other document which may give your referer a good sense of your accomplishments in the area. However, include only the relevant details so that your referee doesn’t have to spend time looking for parts which are important.

5. Be patient, and polite with the follow up –

Allow at least one week before sending a polite reminder enquiring about the status of the recommendation letter. Sending frequent reminders is a sure way to sabotage a fine recommendation letter. Understand that your referee is doing you a favor and not the other way round. It can be hard to be patient during this time, but it is a virtue worth mastering!

One of the most important things in the process of asking for a recommendation letter is to remember to be grateful and thank your referee appropriately after (s)he submits it. It would also be nice if you kept your referer updated about your application process, regardless of whether or not you make it. Keeping in touch and investing time is always worth it, having to ask for a recommendation is only one of the many situations where this effort pays off!

Writing a Resume for the First Time? Here is what you should know as an entry level professional

Writing a Resume for the First Time? Here is what you should know as an entry level professional

by | Mar 21, 2016 | Career, First Job, Resume

The very first thing that should be in place, when you start applying for jobs is your resume. If this is your first job application experience, writing a resume for the first time can get confusing – what to put in to your resume, what to leave out and which format to follow. Also, all the information out here on the internet, could get a little overwhelming, leaving you more confused than ever. A few weeks ago, we compiled an essential guide to writing the perfect resume. While going through that will give you a fairly broad and exhaustive idea about everything that you need to know about resumes and how to write them (believe us, we’ve done our research); in this post we tell you four things you should take care of especially if you are an entry-level professional.

The Layout –

We speak from experience when we say, it is tempting to create an ornate resume. We have been at both ends of the spectrum, when we’ve given in to the temptation as entry-level professionals, and now, when we screen resumes and cringe at some of the chosen layouts and styles. It is only natural to feel like you have to do everything possible to stand out, however, remember that a simple, honest and crisp resume is your best bet to get to the next stage. Maintain a standard font size, and a decent font style (Times New Roman or Arial, preferably). Strictly avoid using colors or fancy borders/designs. Unless of course, it’s a design job you are applying to! Like they say, exceptions prove the rule.

The Content –

List only the most important things your recruiter would want to know about you, this should also include things that are pertinent to the role you are applying to. Internships, term projects, summer jobs all add credence. If you’ve won a fancy dress competition when you were in grade two, or a debating competition when you were in grade six, you can be sure it wouldn’t fascinate your recruiter much. However, if you have been a consistent debating champion, you must show it on your resume (in a balanced manner, not in a boastful way).

The Language –

State the facts, don’t narrate. The point of a resume is to get you a foot in the door – that coveted interview call. Save the narration for the interview. Avoid writing in first person, apart from a short ‘about me’. Do not make it seem as though you are blowing your own trumpet. Believe us, a lot of times we may not even intend to sound arrogant through what we write, but end up sounding thus. Read it out loud to yourself or have a friend read it aloud to you – is the tone professional and confident ? Then, you are all set!

The Length –

Ideally, your resume should not exceed one page (especially if you are an entry-level professional), however, if you do have valid accomplishments to display on your resume, make sure it does not exceed two pages, at any cost. Anything beyond two pages will come across as content put together simply for the sake of it and won’t hold your recruiter’s interest for long, no matter how credible the work you’ve done is. Compress your resume to one page, or at most two pages.

Once you’ve created your resume, it is essential to run it by people whose experience you trust and value, your mentors (ideally, some of them should be professionals). Gain as much feedback as you can, and work on it until you feel happy with the results. If you get this first step right, the rest of it becomes easier here on. Don’t forget to read the post we have put together on complete details (including different formats you may use) on creating the perfect resume. We wish you success on this new step of your career journey!

How to Write the Perfect Resume – Your Essential Guide!

How to Write the Perfect Resume – Your Essential Guide!

by | Jan 5, 2016 | Career, Infographics, Job Offers, Managing Yourself, Resume, World of Work

Anytime is a good time to write the perfect resume. The beginning of the year is an especially good time since it leaves you feeling hopeful for a year full of opportunities and possibilities in the World of Work! And helps you to recap all your achievements and accomplishments of the year gone past. We strongly believe that the resume is not just a document to be written or rewritten for applying to job opportunities. The resume is a faithful journal of your career trajectory – a record of all your successes and learnings at every stage of your working journey. A reminder of where you started, how far you have come and where you still need to go.  So whether you need to apply for a job right now or not, it is always a good time to perfect your resume. For all of you who’ve missed our previous posts on resumes, and for the rest of you who may have enjoyed reading them, here is our essential guide for everything you need to know about resumes and how to write them right.

Write the Perfect Resume – Decide the kind of resume that suits your profile the best

Spend some time deciding the flow that your resume should follow so that your experience and skills are displayed to their best advantage.

Chronological Resume – This format of resume is most popular and common, and is always sought after by the employer for its efficient timeline layout. The contents, i.e. your work experience, education and other details are listed in a reverse chronological order – the most recent being on top. Each position you list has to be supplemented by the qualifications you hold for the position and accomplishments achieved while in that position. Your education section is to have your latest degree first followed by any other degrees you may have acquired previously, and information about your schooling (up to 10 +2). Additionally a Skills section would help you to highlight any additional skills-centric workshop/certificate courses you may have participated in (again listed in reverse chronological order with the most recent one being on top).

Functional Resume – Going by the name, a ‘Functional’ resume is one which focusses more on an elaboration of your skills and experiences rather than a timeline format of positions held by you. Thus, if you have skills in the categories of Human Resources, Communication, Customer Service, and so on, your skills, experience and accomplishments pertaining to these categories are to be listed in bullet points under each heading. It has to be followed by a separate heading – ‘Employment’ in which you list your work order in reverse chronological order. This format gives more focus to skills than your work experience, however any kind of resume has to have a section in which your employment history is listed.

Combination Resume – This format lets you have the best of the Chronological Resume and the Functional Resume. It helps you highlight your skills as well as your progressive work experience in a timeline format.

For more on types of resumes, sample formats and how to tailor yours to suit your profile, have a look at our post, here.

Write the Perfect Resume – Get your Basics Right!

It does not matter whether you are writing your resume for the first time or brushing the dust off your long forgotten resume to make it perfect for today, keep these basics in mind.

Template for your resume : Start with a professionally designed template. There are a number of free templates on the internet, we recommend you check out the ones at Microsoft:  Unless you are in the creative fields, we recommend choosing a simple template that does not have a lot of graphics and unusual fonts/icons on it. Most companies use automated systems(Applicant Tracking Systems) to process your resumes and if you don’t stick to the standards, the system may not recognize parts or all of your resume.

Use Appropriate Headings: It organizes the content of your resume making it easy to read and drawing the attention of the reader to the most important parts (remember the short attention span of the recruiter while filtering through hundreds of resumes). Here are some great dos and don’ts for the resume headings that you must read.

Format of your resume: Use a PDF format, unless otherwise told. However, it is best to save three copies of your resume, one in PDF, one in rtf and another one in a word format, so that you can use whichever is required and don’t have to fumble around for it.

Sync your Resume with all your Online profiles: This is crucial because it makes you appear consistent as well as authentic. This will also have your back in case of a background check.

Invest in your stationery: While you would have sent out a soft copy of your resume already, you will still be required to carry a hard copy of it for face to face interviews at most places. Use the best possible paper and ink to print out your resume, believe us, subtle things like this do make a statement.

Don’t make it an autobiography: Draw the line between the personal and the professional in your resume. Things like your marital status, parents’ names, their professions, your height, weight, et all are of no consequence in your resume.

Write the Perfect Resume – Do’s and Don’ts while Writing

Once you have the content and template ready, keep in mind the following points while editing your resume:

Always keep the design of your resume simple and readable. Avoid any fancy frills, those are always distract the reader away from the substance of your resume. Use ample white spaces and always prefer putting the information in bullet points, rather than in paragraphs, it is much more readable that way. Use a font size of 11 or 12, not too small, not too big!

Curate your digital footprints. Update your LinkedIn profile, and your other social networking accounts, cleanse anything you may not want your employer to ‘stumble upon’!  (for more on why this is important, read the social media mistakes you need to avoid while job hunting).

Is your objective clearly stated? If not, make sure it is. Do not beat around the bush. This is one section that you can customize for the position and company that you are applying to.

Use ‘Action Words’ like ‘growth’, ‘build’, ‘driving force’, to make an impact on the reviewer.

Edit, edit and edit until you have done away with every redundant syllable! Keeping your resume as short and crisp as possible will always make it stand out!

Avoid typos at all costs. Take all the care to avoid any grammatical and spelling errors in your resume. It could be a real dampener!

Use a professional email id. If you are still using ronitdarockstarrr@iamuseless.com from your college days, switch over to a professional email id with your full name in it, and without any adjectives or other unnecessary words.

Always furnish genuine information. Remember in this digital age, your original credentials are just a click away. So it is best to be honest to the core while writing up your resume. You don’t want a background check to be contradicting the information you have shared with your prospective employer.

For more on Do’s and Don’ts while writing your resume and a great infographic on the topic, read here .

Write the Perfect Resume – Some cover letter basics before you Send your Resume!

In this digital age, the cover letter has been replaced by the cover email – but be it a letter or email, an introduction to your resume remains as important as ever.

Do your research on the organization/company you are applying to. Most of them have detailed instructions regarding what they expect you to write in your cover letter. If you know someone who works in the organization, get in touch with him and take his advice. If there is a referral system in place, see if you can get your resume submitted through it.

Address your email to the appropriate contact person. Find out the name of the person you are mailing your resume to. Even if the organization has a generic email to send resumes, they sometimes mention a contact person who handles all recruitment requests.

Your cover letter/email should convey succinctly your interest in the organization. Introduce yourself briefly and go on to mention why you are writing the email. Be sure to be explicit about how your skill set compliments the position you are applying to. Describe your skills and experiences, as required by the organization. Be careful not to copy as is from your resume: it shows you are lazy. Remember to write complete sentences and do a thorough spell check.

If asked by the organization, mention the name of your referees and how they are related to you. Give correct contact addresses for these people and make sure you notify them in advance regarding your application. Also include your own contact information at the end of the cover letter as well as in the resume so that the recruiters can easily get in touch with you.

A fine way to murder your job application is by making your cover letter generic. The reader should feel that you have read about their organization before mailing, and not simply sent a generic mail to all companies that you are applying to. Browse the organization website and get to know about their work culture, ethics and history. You should write how these qualities match your own beliefs, and how this would help you thrive in the organization. Customizing the cover letter according to the organization grabs the reader’s attention and gives you a definite edge over other applicants with generic letters.

For more on cover letter basics, read here.

Write the Perfect Resume – Apps that can make it easier

Did you know about these awesome free apps that can help you in building your resume?

Resume Now – If you are a rookie at resumes, this is the perfect app for you. The app has a simple interface which gives you step by step instructions on how to proceed with your resume. It has a range of templates you can pick from and allows you to save your resume in multiple formats. This app is the official resume building app for the site Live Career. You will first have to sign in (hassle free) and then you can even create cover letters, take free tests, save and download the resume you’ve worked on.

Pocket Resume – An easy to use app, with features that enable you to create, maintain, update and email your resume on your phone, on the go!

Career Igniter Resume Builder– A free android app you can use without even having to create an account. The app lets you export your resume in a word format, it also lets you save it and email it. However, their format is inflexible, meaning it is mandatory for you to fill in all the headings they have.

Resume Writing Secrets – A great app which gives you exposure to a lot of helpful tips and tricks for building a resume. Particularly handy when you have a lot of transit time!

Resume Genius – The USP of this app is that you can select from over fifty thousand professionally written resume phrases to incorporate seamlessly into your resume templates. Also, you don’t need to create an account, all you need to do is click “Create My Free Resume” and get started.

This article on techrepublic has a lot more interesting apps you could try out, have a look here.

We hope you enjoyed reading our exhaustive compilation on everything you need to know to write the perfect resume! Your resume and your cover letter are your marketing pitch to get your foot in the door. Remember that while you may have a kickass background, it may mean nothing unless you are able to communicate it effectively in the form of an articulate and well-structured resume. Craft a resume which inspires them to hire you, and we hope this article was full of the inspiration you needed to start cracking on the perfect resume!

Bonus Infographic from essaymama.com : We have included this smart checklist to help you assess your resume and make sure that you have got it all together. Check it out!

5 Secret Job Application Tips That Will Win You The Recruiter’s Attention

5 Secret Job Application Tips That Will Win You The Recruiter’s Attention

by | Dec 3, 2015 | Career, Job Offers, Managing Yourself, Recruitment, Resume, World of Work

This post comes from our experience as recruiters, and as an attempt to tell all the potential job-seekers out there about what it is that always makes a positive difference in a candidate’s application. We’ve seen some really great applications and some not-so-great ones. Whether or not you are a star performer, here are some job application tips that we would personally recommend which will help you get an edge over the other candidates (and make our lives much easier too!)

Job Application Tips #1 – Express Interest

The first and the foremost thing. Remember that the recruiter will probably be screening through dozens of other applications for the same job. What is it that will make the recruiter ascertain that you are the likely candidate? How interested you seem to be in the job. Express your interest adequately, however, not in a desperate manner. Mention the name of the company in your cover letter/email. Tell us what excites you about the job and why you are looking forward to it, it is a sign of how passionate you are about that particular job.

Job Application Tips #2 – Proofread your Resume and Cover Email

It is appalling how people seem to think it is okay to send in an error ridden resume/ application (unknowingly or deliberately) and that they would get away with it. The applications outnumber the positions available, and in such a case we need to shortlist. One or two typos won’t send your resume to the trash, but any more than that or other errors (inconsistency, insufficient information) obviously will, in the first round of shortlist itself, irrespective of how deserving a candidate you might be. Be sure to read, re-read and then read your resume and cover letter again for any mistakes or inconsistencies.

Job Application Tips #3 – Check your Online Presence

It is not a myth that recruiters and employers check the internet for extra information regarding the candidate. We actually do. And remember it is not just your LinkedIn profile we will be scanning. When you are getting ready to apply, make sure you assess how your online presence appears, yourself. The best way to do it is to Google yourself and see what information appears. You could then start filtering as per what you would want to be visible. Do look out for any inappropriate photographs and information that contradicts the information you have sent you in your application.

Job Application Tips #4 – Be Patient

Remember that the recruiter is most often not the decision maker and that (s)he is looking into the application process of several other candidates. While it is understandable that you would be anxious regarding the progress of your application, it is impractical to expect immediate feedback on your resume or interview.  Send a polite thank you email after each interview, and if you don’t hear back from the recruiter, let a few days pass before asking for an update. Be careful with the tone and frequency of your follow up, sounding angry or impatient is never a good idea.

Job Application Tips #5 – Be Transparent

Remember that when you choose a recruiter, you expect him/her to be pitching your case. It will always help to disclose full facts about your career, expectations and limitations, so that your recruiter can help you to the best of his/her ability. Discuss any worries you have about the job role, location, compensation, benefits  with the recruiter frankly so that he/she can either allay your concerns or let you know if the job is not a good fit for you. It is best to sort these things out right at the outset – saves everyone’s time and energy.

These are the simplest things you can do to help speed up your own job application process because you will getting the attention of the recruiter by paying attention to these details. Surprisingly, none of these tips are unusual or some form of hidden wisdom. They are just common sense, and yet we rarely ever see a candidate scoring well when it comes to these aspects. And when we do, the candidate remains high on our “favourite” list for all open job positions. Remember, it is a team effort, you need to help us for us to be able to help you.

Your Checklist to Always Be Job Ready! Part I

Your Checklist to Always Be Job Ready! Part I

by | Apr 14, 2015 | Career, World of Work

Ever dreamed of quitting the job you hate, but refrained from it because you think you will not get another one easily enough? While it is true that given the current market scenario, it might be tough securing a job that you love AND that pays you well, it is also true that there are a few hacks which will help you always be job ready. Every job description requires a specific skill and competency set, however almost 75% of these skills are common across all jobs. Brushing up on them gives you an edge over your competitors, and also boosts your self-confidence!

Over the next two posts, we decode 8 such skills you must treat as indispensable learning or fine-tuning necessities for any job you apply to, or be job ready – always! Happy Reading! 🙂

Communication Skills –

To be able to speak, listen and write effectively sum up communication skills. Just this can take you a long, long way. Communication skills are one of the first things on the skill set requirements for every job you can possibly think of. Once again, this skill is often not taken very seriously. A recent survey shows that when a group of employers were asked what is the foremost skill they assess a candidate on, 95% of them answered it to be communication skills. To be able to articulate yourself clearly, correctly and effectively both verbally and on paper, is the first skill you must perfect to help yourself always be job ready!

Social Quotient –

How socially aware are you? Being socially aware essentially means knowing what’s going on around you. Often we underestimate the importance of keeping in touch with news and current affairs. Imagine walking into an interview and being casually asked about your opinion on the recent local municipal elections and you being stumped! While news and social media are crucial contributors to your social quotient, the real thing is to have socially relevant conversations within your networks and amongst your friends. Be it a casual Friday night out with friends or a formal business dinner, you will learn how to develop your own understanding and opinions regarding issues and not simply spout what you happened to listen to or read.

Tech Quotient–

Many of us come from a generation who have a bone to pick with technocracy. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it is here to stay. Which implies you need to have a decent technological IQ if you wish to secure the job you have your eyes on. Set up a LinkedIn profile, get a GitHub profile if you are a developer, master the tricks of working on MS Excel, frequent Quora. These are great ways to hone your Tech-Quotient and enhance your employability.  P.S. : You’re in a bit of trouble if you just heard these names – Quora, LinkedIn, et al.

Interpersonal Skills–

While you are entitled to your opinions and perspectives, so are others. Respecting and accommodating the views and perspectives of your colleagues even though you may not agree to it a hundred percent make you a likeable and amiable person. Being nice and agreeable with people you may not exactly call ‘friends’ sure is difficult, but that is the challenging bit about mastering interpersonal skills. If you are to work in a team, which all of us eventually do have to, no matter what the job is, interpersonal skills are vital. Ask yourself this guiding question to know where you stand when it comes to interpersonal skills, ‘do people enjoy being around me and working with me?’ If they don’t, you know what to do  🙂

Read part II of this series for the next 4 skills to be job ready. Evaluate yourself honestly against this checklist. Where do you need to improve? Do you need to learn a new tech skill or update your LinkedIn profile or step away more from your laptop and meet and interact with new people ? What are the to-dos you can add to your daily or weekly routine to help you keep yourself updated against this checklist ?