Monthly Archives: October 2018

Getting your Foot in the Door: How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired

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Cover letters are often key when applying for a job. They let your future employers know who you are and get a glimpse of why you might be a great fit for the position. Needless to say, cover letters are a vital part of any job application and can make or break your chances of getting hired. Learning how to write a good one takes some time and effort, but once you master this skill it can help you reach your goals in the future and land your dream job.

Using the right format, length, and customizations are of course vital, but it’s also worth having a professional proofreader look at your letter to help you avoid making simple mistakes and turn your letter from good to great.

Use the Proper Format

While there’s no official way to format a cover letter, there are certain things that you can do to make your cover letter look more professional and appealing to the eye. Always keep it as concise as possible; a guide is to stick to a maximum of three paragraphs that are around three or four sentences each, but you may need to extend this depending on the situation. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to formatting your cover letter, a good template can be found here: https://bit.ly/2ITEgnQ

Customize the Letter to the Specific Job

If you’re applying to multiple jobs at once or you’re on a job hunt, never write a generic cover letter that could be used for any job on the market. While it’s a good idea to have a base template that you can customize for each job, every letter you write should be specific to the position you’re applying to. The more specific a cover letter, the better. Take time to do some research on the company, the person you’re addressing the letter to, and the position you want so you can tailor your cover letter accordingly.

Don’t Rehash Your Resume

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing a cover letter is to summarize the information that is already on their resume. Your cover letter is a space for you to show your talents, your likeability, how good you are with language and writing, and your attention to detail. Think of your cover letter as a place to write about things that your resume can’t convey.

Be Authentic

Using a conversational tone in your cover letter is a good way to show your authentic self and personality without coming across as too formal or robotic. That being said, you still want to uphold the standard rules of grammar and language in your writing and avoid things like overused clichés or aphorisms. Show why you’re excited about the job, what led you to apply to this position, why you’d be a good fit, and how likable you are as a person.

Edit, Edit, Edit

Setting your cover letter aside for a few days and coming back to it with fresh eyes is a great way to make sure you’re getting across what you want to say, but getting someone else to look at your letter is also imperative to check for things like typos and confusing wording, and to provide additional suggestions. Your cover letter provides the hiring party with the first impression about you, and is your ticket to an in-person interview, so getting it right can make a world of difference to whether you’re considered for the position.

The Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Method—Improve Your Productivity Levels

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Scientists believe that, thanks to technology, the human attention span is now less than that of a goldfish. If you’ve ever had a hard time focusing while studying or writing, a short attention span can be to blame. While there’s not a lot we can do to change our shortening attention spans, there are a few proven techniques that can help you stay focused and improve your productivity levels. Being productive is all about staying away from distractions and keeping your head in your work. The Pomodoro Method of productivity encourages you to take regular breaks while you’re working, in order to stay focused. Keep reading to learn more about the Pomodoro Method and how you can use it to improve your productivity levels.

What is the Pomodoro Method?

Developed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, this time-management technique gets its name from the common tomato-shaped kitchen timer. The system operates on the belief that by dividing your work and breaks into regular, short increments you can avoid feeling overwhelmed by looming tasks while also preventing burn out. Today, it’s a widespread method that’s used by professionals in a variety of fields, from science and technology to writing and academia.

How Does it Work?

  1. Set a timer for 25 minutes, and start your task. You don’t have to use a traditional kitchen timer, of course—there are several apps and websites that were specifically developed to be used with this method.
  2. If a distraction pops into your head, write it down on a piece of paper and return to your task.
  3. When the buzzer rings, put a checkmark on your paper. You’ve completed one increment, also known as a pomodoro.
  4. Take a five-minute break. During this time you can check the distractions that popped into your head, stretch, grab a cup of tea, and so on.
  5. After four pomodoros, take a 30-minute break.
  6. Repeat!

How Does the Pomodoro Method Improve Your Productivity?

Although taking frequent breaks may seem counterproductive, in reality they help keep your mind fresh and focused. The official Pomodoro website says, “You will probably begin to notice a difference in your work or study process within a day or two. True mastery of the technique takes from seven to twenty days of constant use.” By keeping up with the Pomodoro method, you should see steady improvements in your productivity.

 

Whether you’re working on a short project, studying for an exam, or writing something longer, like a thesis, the Pomodoro Method can help you get through projects faster by forcing you to adhere to strict timing. Watching the timer go down can give you the motivation you need to finish up a task before the clock runs out. The constant timing of your work also makes you more accountable for your tasks and minimizes the time you spend procrastinating. Instead of trying to ignore distractions completely, by carving out a specific time for yourself to address distractions you can actually be more productive in the long run.