Career break cover letter template

Career break cover letter template by Michael Cheary There are many reasons why you might need to take some time away from your career.But whatever the reason you decided to take a step back, re-entering the workforce and getting your career back on track can seem like a challenge.We’ve already focussed on how to write the perfect CV after a career break. But underestimate your cover letter at your peril. After all, it’s often the first impression a recruiter will get of your application, and a valuable tool to help get your personality across and put your career break into context.If you think you know the basics of how to write a cover letter, but want some more tailored advice, look no further. Here’s our cover letter template specifically designed for people looking to return from a career break.Just here for the template? Click the link below: Career Break Cover Letter Template Email address: Please enter a valid email addressmessage here By clicking Submit, you accept our Terms & Conditions and consent to receive emails and career related topics. See our Privacy policy for details. Continue without submitting Download Career Break Cover Letter TemplateOpening the letterAlways play it safe when it comes to the opening paragraph.Quite simply, the best way to start is with a brief explanation of the position you’re applying for and where you found the vacancy. Name-dropping is fine.Keep it relevant and to the point. Remember: it should be a short sentence introduction, not a prolonged paragraph.Example: I wish to apply for the role of Executive PA, currently being advertised on reed.co.uk. Please find enclosed my CV for your consideration.Second paragraph Why are you suitable for the job?After the introductions are out of the way, it’s time to go on the offensive.Ignore your career gap at this stage and use your previous achievements and/or specific academic or vocational qualifications to help sell your suitability. This will demonstrate that, regardless o f the break you’ve taken, you still possess the capability and mindset to undertake the role.Always make sure your examples are as quantifiable as possible. ‘Increased revenue by x%’, for instance, sounds a lot more impressive than simply stating you ‘Increased revenue’.Leading with the positives will help show what you can do for the company and ensure your contributions are front of mind before moving on.Example:As you can see from my attached CV, I have over four years’ experience as a PA, as well as experience in office management. In my previous role as an Executive PA, I worked closely with the managing director, providing administrative support and representing her in any meetings she could not attend. My role also included full diary management, working with a budget of £5,000, and organising training events for upwards of 50 members of staff. Third paragraph â€" Explain the gap The third paragraph is your opportunity to briefly explain the reason for your caree r break.However, more important than explaining the gap, you need to define the reason you feel this is the right role for you to return to work.One of the main objections you’ll face is that recruiters may worry you’re not ready to return. Alleviating these fears will be key for your application to be a success.Example:At the start of 2008, I had my daughter and took some time out to be with my family. However, she has now started school full-time, and I am ready and determined to resume my career and take up a new challenge. Fourth/Fifth paragraph â€" What can you do for the company?Once you’ve addressed your career gap, use practical examples of how you’ve tried to keep your skills relevant during your time out.This could include volunteering, work experience or any events you may have attended to broaden your knowledge of the subject. You may also want to include any books you’ve read, courses you’ve undertaken or any other qualifications or experience relevant to th e role.Reinforce your credentials and show you can hit the ground running, and your gap can easily be overcome.Example:During my professional break I have done my best to refresh my skills and keep up-to-date with the latest industry developments. For example, I’ve recently been working as a voluntary Administrator at a local charity, which has really helped me re-acquaint myself with the sector.I have also completed a great amount of independent study, in particular completing my Executive PA Diploma, allowing me to expand my knowledge of the subject beyond my previous work experience.Fifth paragraph â€" ReiterateHere’s where you reiterate your interest in the role and why you would be the right fit for the company.Example: I am confident that I can bring this level of expertise with me to your organisation and help Well Known Company LTD build upon their reputation as one of the brands in the UK. I am available to start immediately. Closing the letterTo finish the letter, alwa ys thank the employer.Sign off your cover letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ (if you know the name of the hiring manager)/’Yours faithfully’ (if you do not), and your name.Example:Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my application further. Yours sincerely, [Your name] Final thoughtsRemember: Just as with our basic cover letter template, this is a template, not a ready-made cover letter. Without tailoring what you write to the role in question, you’ll run the risk of looking underprepared and disinterested, whilst also passing up a key opportunity to really sell yourself.Never be tempted to try and hide your career gap. Even if you make it to the interview stage, you’ll often easily be found out and run the risk of undermining your entire application.Remember: taking time out from your career to concentrate on other things is nothing to be ashamed of. It is not a reflection of your work, and many employers are often incredib ly understanding when it comes to gaps in employment history.Place precedence on the positives and assure the employer that you’re ready to return to work, and your career gap shouldn’t prove to be as much of a hindrance as you may think.Still searching for your perfect position? Have a look at all of our current vacancies nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Cover letter templates Cover Letters

7 Personal Branding Predictions for 2011 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

7 Personal Branding Predictions for 2011 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Every year, since 2007, Ive made some personal branding predictions for the following year. In 2007, I predicted that we would see a surge in freelancers, which was accurate because 30% of all Americans are free agents now. I also mentioned that our education systems would start teaching classes around the new tools and web technology available then, and now many schools include it as part of their curriculum at some level, even if its meshed with a marketing or PR class. In 2008, I predicted that 2009 would be the year of inter-connectivity and systems that would make it easier to manage a personal brand. I also mentioned that there would be a shift from traditional to online advertising, and based on what Ive seen were still headed in that direction. In 2009, I predicted that in 20 personal branding would become more mainstream and that online background checks would be standard in the recruitment process. Microsoft reports that 80% of companies are using search engines and social networks as background checks. I believe that 2011 will be a revolutionary and significant time for personal branding. Here are some of my predictions for next year and please feel free to comment on each of them individually or as a whole. Im not going to talk about mobile and video because weve been predicting those two trends, along with everyone else, for years. 1. Your online personal brand will be consolidated A lot of the social networks youve heard about in the past are dissolving because theyre unable to raise more venture capital and their business model hasnt held up. Also, as people we dont have enough time to invest in a hundred social networks, most of which dont have millions of active users. Social networks, such as MySpace, are fading, and were start to see other niche networks suffer as well. We will also see the decline of Twitter and FourSquare next year. The reason is because Facebook has most of our data and relationships, as well as the capabilities that Twitter and FourSquare have now. Twitter was always a derivative of Facebook anyways, since it is a different adaptation of the Facebook news feed. Facebook places has and will eliminate the need for FourSquare (and its rivals). This massive consolidation is going to make our lives easier because we will be able to monitor our brands on fewer services and not have to publish fresh content on multiple services everyday. The bad news is that much of the equity weve built up on these social networks will be lost in the process. In the end, we will be living in a Facebook and Google world, so if youre going to invest your time in any services, they are the ones that are positioned for success. Facebooks new email platform (fb.com) may eventually supersede Gmail, so thats something you should pay attention to as well. LinkedIn, which has 80 million users, will continue to grow and play more of a role in online recruitment. Takeaway: Start investing more of your time on Facebook and LinkedIn, and less of your time on Twitter and lesser known social networks. Stop using FourSquare and other location-based services because when those companies collapse, you will lose all of your content and the network that you built up. 2) Soft skills become more important than hard skills When enough people have similar talents, and are competing for the same positions and opportunities, the real differentiator is your interpersonal skills. The way you present yourself, how you communicate with other people, whether its in an interview or with management at work, can make or break you personal brand. More and more people are starting to realize that the little things matter, especially in our current competitive environment. A new research report by Kelly Services of over 0,000 people identifies verbal communication skills, as the top trait individuals need to have for their brands. Notice how technical knowledge isnt rated as high. Ten years ago this chart would be much different, but now since we have access to so much knowledge online, through peers, and other resources, youre competing on your network, your personality, writing, and how you speak to other people. Soft skills will continue to become more important to employers in 2011 and beyond. Takeaway: Brush up on your soft skills if you want to secure a job or advance in your career or business. Soft skills include all forms of communication, including writing and spoken word, as well as how you interact online through social networks. 3) As the economy gets better the war for talent ignites I believe that the economy will get better next year, and were already seeing small signs of improvement. In October alone, 151,000 jobs were created. As we head into a free agent world, and the top talent has more options, the war for talent is going to be a war zone! For instance, Google just paid an employee $3.5 million dollars not to leave to work at Facebook. There are many more non publicized offers out there too.   Google is giving all of their employees a % raise for 2011, and other companies will have competitive offerings because your only as good as your talent. Nearly one-third of employers will be willing to negotiate salary increases for 2011 too. Its obvious that recruiting and retaining talent is more challenging these days when the costs to starting a business have decreased substantially and when people can work anywhere in the world much easier because of technology. The younger generation (namely Gen-Y) is becoming increasing hard to recruit and retain. In fact, 56% of Gen-Y leaves their first company within their first year. Companies need to figure out how to please younger workers, with perks and other elements, in order to get the best of the next generation of talent. Takeaway: Despite the number of people still looking for jobs, the top talent will always win in a good or bad economy. As the war for top talent increases, the people who are best positioned to take advantage of it, will make a lot of money. 4) Social networks will become completely ineffective for one-to-many marketing efforts The most popular, in terms of comments and shares, post Ive written on this blog was calling an end to Twitter as a marketing platform. Ever since I published this post, there has been a lot of research developments to prove my hypothesis and main points. 71% of tweets are ignored, and only 6% of tweets are retweets, which used to be the most important statistic on Twitter until no one did it anymore. With 175 million users and 90 million tweets per day, theres no doubt that your tweet wont be seen by the vast majority of your followers. This is true of all social networks too, not just Twitter. These networks are meant as one-to-one personal communication devices and cant be use as email marketing campaigns unless youre Lady Gaga or Coca Cola, where people are dying to hear from you. Remember that the more effort someone puts into connecting to you, the more valuable they are to your career and business. Twitter followers are weak connections because there is no forced reciprocation . Takeaway: If youre going to use social networking to build your brand and expand your presence, its in your best interest to grow your community through individual connections and word-of-mouth rather than mass marketing. 5) Personal brands have more responsibilities There have been a few big developments this week that have me to seriously consider exploring our rights and responsibilities as brands. For instance, Amazon.com is selling a Pedophile book on their website. They didnt publish the book, but are responsible for distributing it to their global audience as an online retailer. In this way, they are perceived to have endorsed the book, and now theyre seeing a lot of negative coverage because Pedophiles are damned in this society. There are even Facebook pages that are protesting. If you have a blog, a social network, or another platform, you are also a distributor, and you have to be careful of what you publish or someone else publishes on your platform. The National Labor Relations Board, a federal agency which tries to remedy unfair labor practices, filed a complaint against American Medical Response of Connecticut, which terminated an employee after she vented about another co-worker on Facebook. This is a major development because it will set a precedent for future occurrences. Regardless of what the judge rules, you should never publish anything negative about your manager or company because it will come back to haunt you in multiple ways. If this person isnt fired, they will have no internal or external opportunities because no one will trust them. Takeaway: Use common sense when you publish online, thinking about the end result of your actions. Think of yourself as a distributor of content, not just a publisher or reader. Whatever you publish, you endorse and that can hurt your brand. 6) Social media becomes widely used in the workplace In the workplace, employee arent just using their corporate email anymore. They are on Facebook (58.5%), LinkedIn (47.9%), and some are even on Twitter (22.6%). More employees check their personal email at work over their work email. What this tells me is that our lives are becoming increasingly complicated and converged with technology. Personal and professionals lives are combining and new challenges will arise. One challenge is ensuring your online and offline brand are consistent, and not conflicting with your corporate goals and values. Since more than half of workers are using Facebook at work now, its critical that you understand who your audience is on Facebook. You dont want to publish status updates if your co-workers can see them because then it shows that youre not being productive. Takeaway: Be smart about how you interact online because it might impact your offline brand. People will not only judge you based on physical interactions, but what they read about you online. 7) People establishing their online brands earlier in life One of the most exciting trends is that people are starting to brand themselves earlier in life now. In fact, 92% of toddlers already have an online presence, which their parents actually create for them. Back in 2006 and 2007, we saw parents purchasing their childrens domain names before they were born and hiring people to give their babies unique names so theyre googleable. I also predict that more high schoolers will elect to get internships, start part-time jobs, and build their online presence before college and to get into a better college. Tufts University allows applicants to submit video resumes now too. The sooner you start to identify your brand and develop a strong presence, the more successful you will be later in life. Takeaway: Its never too early to start building your brand, and its never too late. You need to come up with a brand strategy and development plan if you want to be successful. I bet a lot of people wish that they had started their blog in 2004 instead of 20. Your turn What personal branding trend do you see surfacing next year?

Stop These Bad Leadership Behaviors Now!

Stop These Bad Leadership Behaviors Now! Is your boss a rude know-it-all?   Does he love the sound of his own voice? Does she insist on round-the-clock access? Lists of good leadership behaviors are everywhere. Without doubt, modeling good leadership behavior is important. Sometimes, though, we need to call out the bad behaviors. No matter your title or job level, if you are doing any of these bad leadership behaviors, you are not a leader. Taking credit Do you always claim to have been THE problem solver, the one person who made it all come out right? No matter what you think, it’s not about you. Leadership means giving credit to your team. It’s part of the unspoken deal between leaders and their teams: the leader gives the team credit for successes, and the team makes the leader look good. Always knowing everything Do you frequently say ‘I knew that’ and ‘of course, that’s obvious!’ Really? No one is that brilliant. Everyone knows that you are faking it. In fact, it’s better to admit when you don’t know: it keeps you from making foolish mistakes. As you move up the ladder, particularly into general management, you will manage people who know more about a topic than you do. That’s a privilege, not a threat. Good leaders know this and use the gaps in their knowledge to learn and to showcase their team members’ abilities. Talking more than listening An old saying says that people have two ears and one mouth for a reason; they should be used accordingly. Sitting at the head of the table is not an excuse to dominate the conversation. Leaders who talk all the time are forgetting that leadership is not about them; it’s about getting the work done well. You have 2 ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly! Demanding 24-hour work days In these days of constant connectivity, it’s easy to fall into the trap of always working, and always expecting your team to work too. Stop now. Your team is not impressed, and you are setting a lousy impression. Everyone has a life, beyond the office. Unless there is a genuine, life-threatening emergency, it can wait until the next day. Oh, and that request for a change to the font in your presentation? That is not a life-threatening emergency. Being Rude Every society has basic standards for treating one another with respect. In the workplace, blatant rudeness is inexcusable. Even if you are a CEO, your wants, needs, or wishes, are no more important than anyone else’s.  Shouting, cutting people off, neglecting to say thank you, treating employees like personal servants…all are impolite and examples of poor leadership. You can do better Anyone can fall into the trap of these behaviors, especially if they are a normal part of their work environment. Real leadership means monitoring yourself for these behaviors, and not doing them. Take the challenge, and start being a better leader today.

The UK Consultants Job Market

The UK Consultants Job Market A lot of debate has been given to the topic of consulting recently; many have been wondering what effect Brexit will impose on the industry, whereas, businesses attempting to cope with digitalisation has seen others predict an increase in demand for consultant positions. With this in mind, job meta-search engine Joblift has analysed the UK’s consulting job market and discovered that despite the numerous challenges facing consultant roles, there has been an average monthly increase in the number of consultant job vacancies of around 4%, in the last 12 months. Furthermore, Joblift has observed that there has been a move away from the traditional requirements needed to obtain a consulting role, in terms of soft skills and qualifications. Over 30,000 business consulting roles have been advertised in the last 12 months, with this job market experiencing an average monthly increase of 4%. This increase is double the rate that the UK job market as a whole has increased; the UK job market as a whole, which has seen an average monthly growth of 2% in the same time frame. This highlights that there is definite confidence in the industry even though the rising threat of Brexit lurks. Also, when looking at the most common soft skills requested in consulting job advertisements, communication skills are the most popular, appearing in around 25% of all postings. Following this, came motivation with 3,783 mentions, and the third most popular soft skill for consultants was confidence with 3,631 mentions. These skills highlight the move towards more human qualities in the face of automation and AI, whilst also overtaking the more traditional consulting skills, including; being analytical (2,987 mentions), problem solving (1,616 mentions), and attention to detail (1,315 mentions). This analysis highlights how it appears employers of consultants are sourcing candidates who can offer more than what an automated piece of equipment could and who can provide a more personal and human approach. Also, the academic requirements needed to get a consultant position are changing as well. Now, only 16% of the consultant jobs posted in the last 12 months ask specifically for a university degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or Engineering. Qualifications in these subjects have previously been vital when acquiring a consulting role. In addition, only 24% of the vacancies posted stated the need for a university degree at all which is a huge shift from the academic history of consulting in business. However, it is also important to consider that this lack of need for university degrees may be due to the seniority and need for experience in some vacancies â€" therefore, some postings may be assuming candidates already have these qualifications without specifically stating it in the advertisement. Interesting results can also be found when studying the salary range in consultant positions in the last year. Of the 19,163 positions which specified a salary in their job advertisements, 10,036 postings offered a salary of £50,000 or more, per year â€" that’s 52% of all vacancies. In terms of the most popular locations for consultant positions, London houses the greatest number of vacancies, with 34% of all positions being located here. In second place comes Manchester where 4% of all roles are located, and Birmingham ranks in third position, also housing around 4% of all vacancies. Country-wise, it may not be surprising that England dominates as the location of 85% of all postings, with 28,697 jobs having been advertised here in the last 12 months. In second place comes Scotland with 1,424 consultant roles, whilst Wales and Northern Ireland trail behind with 358 positions having been advertised in Wales in the last 12 months, and only 226 advertisements in Northern Ireland. Infographic courtesy of  Joblift.

#67 Freelance Career Expert Series Nathan D. Harris - CareerMetis.com

#67 â€" Freelance Career Expert Series Nathan D. Harris The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSForEpisode 67of The CareerMetis Podcast, we will be continuing the Freelance Career Expert Series interviews.Today we will be hearing and learning from Nathan D. Harris, Founder of EaseevalGuest Introduction â€" Nathan HarrisevalNathan D. Harris is the Founder and President of Ease: a cloud based workforce solution that helps businesses manage their independent contractors and freelance workforce all in one place.In addition to providing them with access to top software developers, designers, copy writers and digital strategists.Episode Summary1. Nathan talks about the gig based economy, and how millennials are creating and shifting toward a workforce based on independent contracting.2. He also describes Ease, how it came about, and what purpose it fulfills for the people who use it.3. He talks about social media, and the part it plays in the trend toward a gig based economy.4.He al so talks about how important flexibility and fulfillment is for the modern worker, and how they think and feel about the current workplace.eval5.Nathan discusses large freelance websites, and why being in such a large pool can be detrimental to a freelancer’s business.6. He also talks about off shore work and hot it can also be a challenge for freelancers. He describes how Ease rectifies these issues.7.Finding and training talent costs a lot of problems, but hiring a freelancer has perks. Hiring for specific projects, getting skilled talent on demand, and saving money are just a few to think about.8. Nathan talks in detail about these points, and gives an even deeper look into the psychology of the modern worker, and where they will fit into the gig based economy in the next 2 to 3 years.Quotes“By 2020, Over 50% of our workforce is going to be independent contractors.”eval“What people really want is to live life fulfilled”“To become a successful freelancer, you have to b uild a personal brand”“i want to work to better my life, I don’t want to live to better my work”“through collaboration we can achieve almost anything”“No one can tell you what you can and can not achieve, it’s all about what you’re willing to learn, and how hard you’re willing to work”“You need to make a personal connection with your customer”Links ResourcesTo learn more about Nathan D. Harris and for additional resources, you can visit his site Ease.You can also connect with him or follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter,Facebook or by Email.Intro Music provided courtesy ofAccelerated IdeasEnding Music provided courtesy ofAccelerated Ideas(www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€"No Need to Rush

No One Wants to See Your Video Resume...Really!

No One Wants to See Your Video Resume...Really! Recently The New York Times published a piece called Your Career: Video Resumes Get More Popular about the fast growing popularity of video resumes with job seekers who are trying to differentiate themselves in a crowded space. This article seemed to follow quick on the heels of the Hire Me video where a recent college grad sang a song to employers explaining his background and asking for a job.   After the video resume article came out, I noticed a number of people using Twitter to spread the message about video resumes gaining more popularityand this is how bad advice, urban legends, and other nonsense gets transferred from person to person these days.If you think that video resumes are a better alternative to traditional resumes, think again. These days everyone wants their information fast. Everyone needs to be a master scanner just to keep up with the incredible amount of information that is put in front of them each day. Think about how you use LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. Y ou arent reading every post, clicking on every link, or viewing every video or podcast the community posts. You are scanning the information, looking for the golden nuggets and ignoring everything else.This is how resumes are reviewed. No one is reading them. They are giving them a quick glance and/or using applicant tracking systems to slice and dice your data and determine a match between your candidacy and their open job.   Hiring managers are looking for keywords and impact verified by strong metricsthe facts maamjust the facts. So in todays fast paced world, why would anyone want to look at a video resumeor video resumes from 500 applicants? Currently there is no real way to parse the information and no one is going to take the time to view the video or even fast forward through it.On top of this, there are many other landmines associated with video resumesMiriam Salpeter of Keppie Careers has a great post on this topic here.Im not saying that video and other rich media has no place in your job search campaign. Very brief presentations that deliver a message of value can be created through tools like Visual CV, a personal website or blog, or a presentation on Slideshare that is linked to your LinkedIn profile. But use these tools as an additional way to support your candidacy after the hiring authority has reviewed your resume or a follow up strategy to complement a first interview rather than your initial strategy for getting the hiring managers attention.

How to Get the Best Online Resume Writing Services in 2020

How to Get the Best Online Resume Writing Services in 2020If you are wondering how to get the best online resume writing services in 2020, this article will serve as a guide for you. This article will help you find the best resume writing services in the market.The first step is to find out the best website on the internet that can help you with your job search. There are many different websites that can help you find the best job. However, it would be wise if you go for a site that will provide you with a portfolio of the best companies that you can use.Job applicants have lots of options to look through for jobs. However, they have one major restriction when looking for a job. It is the limitation of their time.They can't use their time to look through tons of jobs. So, the best service that will help them get the jobs is the one that has the most up to date and updated listings.Online companies can give an applicant the advantage of applying for the jobs they have posted in a matt er of minutes. Therefore, you should make sure that you can look through the online job posting sites very quickly.The best services for resume writing include the ones that offer instant feedback as well as the ability to request a resume or a cover letter from the company you're interested in. The only way you can have this service is if you work directly with the company.Finding the best online resume writing services in 2020 will help you get the job you want. Therefore, do your homework and go for the one that has the best service and a good reputation.