Grabbing the reader’s attention is of paramount importance whether you realize it or not. Failing to attract and keep the attention of the reader most likely will result in failing to get an interview. Hiring managers are inundated with cover letters and resume and we all have busy personal lives. So how do you stand out from the crowd and get noticed?

There are many effective tactics to accomplish the task. Perhaps the most effective tactic is to write a headline that can’t be ignored. It’s not different than the headlines you see in magazines and newspapers. The articles you choose to read are the ones with the most intriguing headlines, aren’t they?

So why not put an attention-grabbing headline on your cover letter? Most cover letters don’t have an attention-grabbing opening sentence so the mere fact that your cover letter even has a headline separates you from the pack and draws attention to your message, wouldn’t you agree? I’ve personally sent cover letters with big, bold headlines like you’d see in a newspaper at the top of the page and they flat-out work.

Imagine you’re at a fraternity party and you see an old friend across the dance floor. For this example, your friend’s name is Jim. What’s the best way to get Jim’s attention? Would you start waving your arms and screaming, “Hello! Look this way!” That could do the trick. But you’d have better luck if you screamed “Hello Jim! What’s Up!” You’d be more likely to grab Jim’s attention that way, wouldn’t you? It’s because Jim hears his name being called. When people hear (or see) their name, the message is personalized and stands a better chance of getting noticed.

Let’s take that concept one step further as it pertains to the headline on your cover letter. A personalized headline is proven to increase the response rate. Your cover letter is much more likely to be noticed and read if it’s personalized. Hiring managers don’t normally get cover letters with personalized headlines which means they’ll read the few they get out of curiosity. They can’t help themselves; it’s human nature. Send out a few dozen cover letters with headlines. You’ll be shocked at all the attention you get.

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Powerful & proven cover letter examples. “…Robert sent me a 10 word email with a message so powerful I contacted him before 7AM the same morning to schedule an interview.I highly recommend Robert’s Killer Cover Letter System to anyone who’s serious about getting a job quickly.” - Greg Hyde

Tags: interviews, job search

Popularity: unranked

Grabbing the reader’s attention is of paramount importance whether you realize it or not. Failing to attract and keep the attention of the reader most likely will result in failing to get an interview. Hiring managers are inundated with cover letters and resume and we all have busy personal lives. So how do you stand out from the crowd and get noticed?

There are several ways actually. One way is to create an attention-grabbing opening sentence or headline as copywriters call it. Think of it like the headlines in newspapers and magazines. You choose which articles to read by quickly glancing at the headlines, don’t you?

If you think headlines are effective in newspapers, wait until you use a headline on your cover letter. You’re not going to stand out by doing what everyone else does but put a headline on your cover letter and suddenly your different, interesting and worth a second look. Cover letters with attention-grabbing headlines have proven to be so effective that I wish I had discovered this tactic sooner.

What if you were in a crowded shopping mall and you noticed a close friend on the level below. Maybe your friend’s name is Susan. What would you do to get Susan’s attention quickly? You might flail your arms above your head and scream “Hey! Look up here!” That could possibly work. But an even better idea would be to yell “Hello! Susan! Look up Here!” Don’t you think you’d have a better chance to get Susan’s attention that way? If Susan hears her name, she’s more likely to notice over everything else that’s going on around her. Using someone’s name personalizes the message and increases the likelihood of getting noticed.

Take that idea and apply it to the headline on your cover letter. Personalizing any message, including a headline, is an effective strategy. Put the person’s name at the beginning of the headline. Doing so will personalize your message and increase the probability your cover letter is read. Cover letters and resumes with personalized headlines are so different, the reader can’t help but notice them. And even better than that, the reader will be so engaged that he or she won’t be able to stop themselves from reading it to fond out more. Give it a shot. You’ll like the results.

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Discover “How to Transform a Boring Message into a Killer Cover Letter That’ll Make the Phone Ring off the Hook”…includes sample cover letters.

Tags: job search, resume

Popularity: unranked

It’s that time of year when all the losers are jotting down their list of New Year’s resolutions. Those who have the discipline to work out at a gym or fitness club year round loathe January as the month when all the fat people who’ve made the most common New Year’s resolution (losing weight) crowd the gyms. Fortunately 96% of them have given up by Super Bowl Sunday and things get back to normal.

Lots of losers have just finished their annual ritual of writing a list of New Year’s resolutions.  If you’re a member of a gym and work out on a regular basis, you know January is a hassle because all the overweight people crowd the health clubs intent on losing weight (the most common New Year’s resolution).  Regulars know that things will be back to normal in a few weeks when the masses lose their resolve and return to their couches.

New Year’s Resolutions are for Losers because:

1.  Follow the Herd

Following the herd is not a good plan for success.  Following the herd leads the same pathetic results most people get.  If you’re submitting a cover letter & resume, do you really want it to look like all the rest of them?  Is that going to get you noticed?  Wouldn’t if be wiser to do the opposite and stand out from the crowd?

2.  The Definition of Insane

Year after year, people make New Year’s resolutions and fail to achieve them.  If you didn’t achieve your New Year’s resolutions last year and the year before, it’s irrational to think things will change this year.  Fail once, fail twice, fail three years in a row.  One popular definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting different results.  Why even bother with New Year’s resolutions?

3.  A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Challenge

Does one day of “clean living” really make a difference?  If an alcoholic curtails his boozing for a day or if a smoker kicks the habit for one day, is that really going to do any good?  No way.  So why would anyone think making goals for one day would cause a reversal of fortune and make you an overnight success?  It’s ridiculous.

Successful people have goals throught the year, not just on special occasions like New Year’s Day.  And that’s exactly what New Year’s resolutions are:  goals.  If goals aren’t made an integral part of your life everyday, then don’t waste your time making goals annually.  Losers do that.

Success more than writing words down on a piece of paper.  It takes consistent action.  Are willing to take consistent action or you a loser who makes goals once a year and forgets about them until next year?

There is a simple formula for success laid out in detail here:  Six Simple Steps to Certain Success

Tags: job fairs, employment

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There are three critical factors to every negotiation:

a.    Power

The side with the most power usually fares better in the negotiation.  You probably have more power than you think.

b.    Information

The side with better information generally wins the negotiation.

c.    Time

Most of the concessions in the negotiations are made as time is running out.  The side under the most time pressure usually does worse in the negotiation.

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The first thing you should understand is that even though you may have had to impress the hiring manager during the interview (or maybe it was several people and several interviews) to get the offer, the negotiation started the day you inquired about employment.

Information is one of the key elements in any negotiation.  The employer is gathering information about you from the day they receive your cover letter and resume.  And you should be gathering as much information as possible about the employer.

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