Your Professional Appearance
In Career Advice - for Resumes and Cover Letters
How do you ensure your Resume/Cover Letter looks professional to the prospective employer? Read this Career Advice article for 10 tips on your professional appearance.
Career Advice - How to keep a professional appearance.
- Don't use "cute" email addy's - even if you have to create a new account - get one with just your name or a version of it. For example, use your first initial and your last name, or your full name - and add a number to it (as chances are your name is already taken): pbergson25@anywhere.com Read more in Mario R.J. Corbin's article. here.
- Ensure your Resume is not longer than two pages unless you are in a professional line of work where published works or accreditation is imperative (and yes, of course there can be exceptions).
- Ensure your Resume letterhead matches your Cover letter (yes, this means create one - see this article or this free course.
- Leave a phone number and email addy that you do actually check daily - there's nothing worse than a prospective employer (or potential client if you do contract work) who has to wait more than a day to hear back from you.
- Which means if you are going on vacation and will not be able to answer that call or email - state that you will be available for interviews after such-and-such date, and to leave a message or email after such-and-such date. Rest assured if you return after a week's holiday and then call the employer with the excuse "I was away" - you will still be kept away from that employer.
- The use of humour often helps in your Cover letter - but only mild, and not a lot - and keep it clean!
- Use an appropriate closing such as Sincerely in your Cover letter - do not go too cute or too personal.
- Ensure there are NO typos in your Resume or Cover letter.
- Ensure there are no grammatical errors in your Resume or Cover letter.
- Sign your Cover letter, and ensure you still have included a valid address/way for them to reach you.
Next time - the wanted/desired/dreaded/feared INTERVIEW.
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Copyright July 4, 2006. Paym Bergson and Suite 101. All rights reserved.
The copyright of the article Your Professional Appearance in Career Advice is owned by Paym Bergson. Permission to republish Your Professional Appearance must be granted by the author in writing.
