Am I Hindering My Job Search if I Dont Write a Cover Letter

Am I Hindering My Job Search if I Dont Write a Cover LetterQ Can it hinder my job search if I dont write a titelseite letter?A In short, yes. It absolutely can reduce the response rate youll receive from yur resume and application by not submitting or including a cover letter when you apply. Why is that? A cover letter opens the door to communicating information that isnt appropriate to include on your resume.Here are some advantages to using a cover letterA cover letter makes a personal introduction. Think, Hello, Mr. Smith, my name is Jane Doe, and Im the best project manager for ABC company because This shows you did your research, you know who to contact, and youve made the effort.It gives you the ability to plainly state why youre the best candidate for the job. You can share three reasons why youre the best personand you offer more value to the company than candidates X, Y, and Z.You can make a PERSONAL connection. Do you know someone within the company that referred you? Name drop Why are you specifically interested in this role? Is there a connection there of personal interest that may be valuable to the employer? What do you know, what information or wisdom do you have that they need?You can ask for the bewerbungsinterview. Asking for the interview increases your chance of getting a call for an interview by somewhere around 50% (Ive read several different stats about the actual percentage being between 50%-75%, so Ill go on the conservative side and say it will increase your chances by 50%). Im not a mathematician, but if theres a 50% chance theyll calland a 50% chance they wont call youand then asking for the interview increases your chances of being called even more, doesnt that mean that now theres a 75% chance theyll call and only a 25% chance they wont? I dont know about you, but Id want to up my response rate and results by asking for the interview. Want to know more about how to ask for the interview and exactly what to say? Check out this arti cle for more information.You can leave them drooling for more My writers always find this great little tidbit of information to include in the cover letter at the very end that guarantees the employer will read it and want to know more. We utilize a PS in our cover letters to ensure maximum impact. Its not just about including oneits also about what you say in that P.S. And I can guarantee you, we write some incredibly captivating onesthe kind that will have the employer picking up the phone the same day to call you.With all of these great benefitseach of which increases your possibilities for a response and call for an interviewwhy wouldnt you want to utilize a cover letter? It really is a wise decision to utilize oneand its in your best interest So if you were on the fence about whether you should or shouldnt use a cover letter, I hope Ive convinced you that its one tool you definitely want in your job search arsenal.Want more great advice like this? Check out these two articles5 Things You Should Never Say in Your Cover Letter7 Things You Should Never Include on Your ResumeP.S. Id love to meet you on Twitter here.WANT TO WORK WITH US? Find out more here

Gig Economy How Part-Time Work Became the New Full-Time Reality

Gig Economy How Part-Time Work Became the New Full-Time Reality By the year 2020, the gig economy will make up around 43% of the workforce, according to Intuit. Even now, Intuit says, many workersaround 34%are contractors and freelancers.What exactly is a gig economy? With so much work being done online and the rise of the sharing economy with apps like Uber, Lyft, Task Rabbit, and Airbnb gaining traction, part-time workers and indepedent contractors are replacing full-time workers as the new norm. Many businesses are increasingly hiring independent workers over salaried staff. This is the gig economy.With roughly 68 million gig workers, its clear that the trend towards a freelance workforce over tradional full-time, 9-5 jobs, is growing. Its definitely true that part-time jobs and freelance work have their perks. But is it all roses?While many freelancers report being happier than those who are employed with full-time jobs, thats really only true when these independent workers are d oing it by choice. Some part-time workers simply cant find full-time employment.One factor that led to the creation of the gig economy is the economic downturn. In 2008 and the several years after, many millennials were entering the workforce for the first time. With many companies instituiting hiring freezes, many millennials had difficulty finding full-time jobs. Today, some are still unemployed. Gig work is more affordable for employers, but many millennials prefer traditional 9-5 jobs. According to DeVry Universitys Career Advisory Board 2016 Survey, 91 percent say they would like a single full-time job.I graduated college during the recession and struggled to find full-time work. Or at least thats what it felt like. In reality, I found a full-time job just a few months after my graduation. I worked there for a year and a half, before the small company laid me off, along with the seven other full-time employees. This seemed like a crisis, but I found another full-time job relati vely quickly, and stayed with the company for several years.Last week, I left the company where I had worked for so long to join the ranks of other gig employees. Combining new part-time jobs with freelance work, Im hoping to make independent work my full-time employment.Of course, it wasnt a decision I made lightly. The idea began brewing a year and a half ago, when I took on a freelance content-writing position. I worked to pick up new clients and part-time positions, until I had reached a point at which I felt I could sustain myself and would enjoy a more satisfying career going my own way.Both my parents have been self-employed for most of their careers, so I have some excellent role models. And while I believe (and hope) this new life will offer many advantages, such as more flexibility and the ability to focus on the kind of work I particularly enjoy, I also realize what Im giving up, such as the benefits I received as a full-time employee, particularly health insurance, and t he stability a full-time job brings.While Im anxious, Im excited to see what opportunities this new life brings. Many independent contractors report being happy with their careerssome even more so than full-time employees. Still, its not for everyone, so time will tell how the gig economy evolves in the coming years.

Opportunity or Obstacle 3 Ways to Identify Career Distractions

Opportunity or Obstacle 3 Ways to Identify Career Distractions An article by Quantum Learning Solutions Inc. lists six startling statistics about interruptions in the office. They are The average employee spends 28 percent of his/her time dealing with unnecessary interruptions followed by recovery time to get back on track. (2009, Basex)The time spent per day being interrupted and trying to refocus is 2.1 hours. (2009, Basex)Physically co-located workers spend longer chunks of time engaged in tasks for which they are not accountable. (University of California-Irvine)The average manager is interrupted every 8 minutes. (Study conducted by Priority Management)The Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London suggests that your IQ falls 10 points when youre fielding constant emails, text messages and calls, an equivalent loss to missing an entire nights sleep. (Yoga Journal, p. 22, 12/2005).The cost of managing interruptions at work costs the US economy $588 billion per year. (2009, Basex)As evident, in our careers and in our lives, distractions can be costly. We do as people always seem to fall pray to distractions. WellFor one, theyre easy to fall victim to (especially if you have a short attention span or are uninterested in the task at hand)And two, most distractions are appealing. Catching up with Janet in the break room and having a good laugh sounds much more enticing than inputting data into a spread sheet. And reading the latest sports stats will provide more excitement than reading over the latest company report.But as the old saying goes, all that glitters isnt gold i.e. just because something looks good, doesnt mean it is.This concept makes me think of our career paths. We all have goals we wish to accomplish, and as we travel down our different roads, were sure to encounter various scenarios. Yet, how do we learn to distinguish between the opportunities we enc ounter and the obstacles? Because there are plenty of opportunities that exist, yet some may lead to creating obstacles in our lives, especially if the opportunity wasnt meant for us.Case in point Dan is studying to go to medical school, but in the meantime, Dan needs a job. Dan meets someone who offers to give him a job managing rental properties. It offers a decent salary with the potential for bonuses. (Opportunity)Because the offer sounded so good, Dan accepts the position. Yet, he soon realizes just how heavy the workload is. Dan works 12-hour days, and even some weekends and rarely finds time to study anymore. Before he knows it, the MCAT testing date has come and gone, and now Dan must wait even longer to pursue his medical school dream. (Obstacle)Everyone may make a Dan decision every now and then, but the following are three simple steps to take to minimize confusing obstacles with career opportunities1. Evaluate your long-term goals. What is it that you ultimately hope to accomplish? Then, think about all the necessary steps it takes to get there. Now analyze how the opportunity fits into your plans. Will it benefit you in the long run, or will it ultimately set you further back?2. Consider your short-term goals. These could be things like getting a degree, getting a job in a specific field (to eventually work your way up), or, like Dan, having a source of income. Consider the opportunity thats been presented to you to determine whether or not itll help you achieve your short-term goals, while also pushing you closer to the long-term goal. Remember, quick fixes can also mean temporary fixes.3. Weigh the opportunity costs. What are the benefits of you taking this supposed opportunity? What are the disadvantages? Are there any other solutions or alternatives you can choose from, and, if so, how do they measure up to each other? Weighing the opportunity costs will help you decide whether or not the opportunity will produce more harm than good, or vice v ersa.

Are There Skeletons in Your Closet

Are There Skeletons in Your ClosetAre There Skeletons in Your ClosetBackground checks explained.You have been working diligently in your search for a new job opportunity. Finally, you land an interview and get a great offer. The hiring manager indicates that the only thing remaining is a background check (BC). Your heart starts to pound and beads of sweat appear on your forehead. Questions fly through your mind. Lets answer unterstellung questions for you.Does this company trust its employees?Companies are using BCs more than ever before to be certain theyre hiring the right person. Unfortunately, BCs are more common because so many job seekers have a tendency to exaggerate on their resumes. Companies want to identify potential problems in the candidates employment or personal history.What are they looking for?BCs include criminal history, civil history, wants/warrants, leistungspunkt reports, reference verification, social security reports, education, driving history, previous emplo yer verification and even drug tests.What are they going to find?Only information of public record is available juvenile records cannot be accessed.Can they do a BC without my permission?No. Companies cannot conduct a BC without your written authorization.Can I be turned down because of a BC?If youre turned down because of a BC, the company must tell you why, in accordance with federal law.Am I in trouble because of the DUI I got when I was 20 years old?It depends, as timing plays a role here. Felony and misdemeanor searches can be conducted by county, state, or throughout the nation. Some states will only provide information for the past seven years. You need to check each state for its policy.Is a drug test conducted with a BC?Approximately 15 to 20% of all BCs include a drug test. BC companies typically contract with local medical clinics to conduct the test. It can be expensive, so it is not done in all cases. In most cases, the job requirements determine if a drug test is neces sary, particularly for anyone operating machinery or a motor vehicle. Executives are also frequently screened.Will they know if I was involved in a court case?Yes. A BC includes whether the job candidate is/was a plaintiff or defendant.Will my bankruptcy from 12 years ago prevent me from getting the job?Credit checks are a very common item for BCs. Companies are searching for financial stability. If you filed bankruptcy, it can appear on your leistungspunkt report for up to 10 years. However, this does not mean that you will have bad credit for 10 years. You can start re-establishing your credit immediately after filing bankruptcy. Even without filing bankruptcy, most negative items appear on your credit report for at least 7 years.Will they find out I got fired instead of quitting? What will my former vindictive boss say about me?Employer verification is the item that makes most job seekers nervous. Almost everyone has had some form of disagreement with his or her boss. The concern centers on what the employer will say and whether they will release employment files. In most cases, because of a dramatic upsurge in lawsuits from job seekers who received false bad references, previous employers typically only confirm dates of employment. Compensation and good or bad references are not generally provided however, that doesnt mean it is not done. A job seeker might want to consider hiring a reference check company to verify what previous employers are saying.One thing to watch out for is an inaccurate blemish on your record. Bob Mather, CEO of MyBackgroundCheck.com, indicates that identity theft and false criminal reporting are on the increase and can appear on your BC. He mentions, Errors in criminal history frequently occur as the darker side of identity theft. Most people quickly become aware of problems on their credit history as a result of identity theft. But you should also be aware that false reporting of crimes may be reflected on your BC because someone has stolen your identity.In 2007, there were over 8 million incidents of identity theft reported by the Department of Justice. If you have any concern about identity theft, or if you wish to learn what a BC will reveal about your background, you may wish to conduct a BC on yourself for a nominal fee.As far as what you can do, the next step is to relax. Too often job candidates worry too much about a BC. In the overwhelming number of cases, minor problems on your BC will not be an issue. Problems that occurred in the distant past will be overlooked based on your recent history and track record of performance. If a company is going to do a BC, be straightforward with them about any problem that might be discovered. Offer evidence that this is no longer an issue. Your hard work and honesty will help overcome any mistakes from the past.

Why You Should Work at a Startup - The Muse

Why You Should Work at a Startup - The MuseWhy You Should Work at a Startup One of the reasons I left my corporate job to be the first employee of a startup a few years ago welches that I knew it would accelerate my career. I knew that Id be asked to wear multiple hats (editor, marketer, recruiter, public speaker, event planner, and Chief Takeout Orderer, to name a few). I knew that Id be able to shape who we hired and how ur culture was defined as we grew. I knew that Id get constant access to the CEO because, well, she was typically seated next to me on the couch at our headquarters (read apartment). And if you Google why you should work at a startup, youll hear similar benefits Being part of a small, quickly growing company allows you be exposed to multiple parts of a business and get constant access to leadership.But thats not the whole story. In fact, looking back, being part of a startup has accelerated my career beyond my wildest expectations and in ways I never could have ima gined. And I hear the same from friends and contacts who have taken similar paths.I sat down recently with a few of the founders, alumni, and partner companies at Startup Institute to reflect on just how much a startup can boost your career. If youve ever contemplated joining an early-stage business, heres what you can expect to gain.1. An Impressive Job TitleIn the corporate world, the schedule for promotions generally follows a set path before advancing to the next role, you typically need a year or two of experience in your current one. In an extreme case, a friend of mine who was the top performer in her department was once told that she couldnt be promoted to the next level because that job just isnt given to 27-year-olds. Fair (or legal) or not, it happens.Not so much at startups, though. Especially in the early stages, the related experience you have matters much less than what youve proven you can do once hired. Often, people who join a startup at the early stages and are pa rt of its growth receive responsibilities, promotions, and job titles that they never could have dreamed of at a bigger company. For a great example, read this interview with Austin Geidt, who started out at Uber as an intern then quickly rose through the ranks to become a community manager and driver operations manager. Shes now the companys head of expansion. (For, you know, the world.)Jules Pieri, CEO of The Grommet, shares a similar story about employees at her company. Several people started doing temporary roles such as shipping or seasonal customer support, she says. They threw themselves at being excellent and word quickly traveled. Then they were also in the right place at the right time- those kind of expansion moves happen most fluidly in a growing company. We grew revenues 900% in the last two years, so most of the team has had a dramatic increase in responsibilities. 2. More Resume Bullets Than You Ever Thought PossibleAt a startup, you can pretty much guarantee that yo ull be making huge contributions to the business. At an early-stage startup, time is valuable, and every team member is critical, explains Alison Johnston Rue, the founder of InstaEDU, which was acquired by Chegg in 2014. This means that youll be working on projects that directly impact users, and probably immediately. In other words, youre going to be doing and achieving mora than you ever have before. (And working more, but thats another story.) In almost any role, youll be launching features, gaining users, or otherwise seeing results- and, no matter what type of job you do next, these are incredible things to be able to tell future employers that youve done. Particularly if youre making a career change. As Startup Institute co-founder Aaron OHearn puts it, Startup employees rarely work within the confines of one job description- you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in a lot of different facets of the business. If youre a sales professional who wants to transition into, say, marketing- you can bet that finding new ways to gain users, discussing the brand strategy, or even writing copy will be part of your job description. In my current role as a community manager, Ive had the opportunity to also help our company with marketing, account management, product development, and customer support, says Erika Gordon, a former Startup Institute student who now works at Mobee.Is there a faster way to get that experience on your resume? Probably not.3. An Entirely Different Way of Thinking (and Thats a Good Thing)In most jobs, a lot of what you do is following procedures for whats been done before. fruchtwein companies have a standard way of doing things for everything from manufacturing to marketing to putting together meeting agendas. And while new ideas are often welcome, they typically fall into a framework of how the company has operated in the past. (Great idea Lets put it on the Q2 product roadmap.)At a startup? Youre building everything from scratch. And as you might imagine, designing, building, and creating requires a completely different skill set than following or adapting a standard protocol. And thats a good thing. In fact, recent research by the Institute for the Future detailed six factors driving the evolution of our workforce and- more importantly- the 10 skills every professional needs to succeed in the future. Its worth a look in full, but novel and adaptive thinking (the ability to think beyond whats been done before) and transdisciplinary thinking (the ability to think beyond your functional role) are two of the key traits workers will need to succeed in the future. Consider a startup- where youll be constantly innovating and interacting with other departments- your free education. As an added benefit, youll be learning from entrepreneurs, who by nature tend to think this way. People who start their own business have a different mental and professional makeup than those who have never gone off to create something of their own, writes Kerrin Sheldon in Fast Company. Entrepreneurs are defined by seeing a problem and thinking of an innovative and original way of addressing it They approach problems differently, are constantly finding solutions, and are driven to make the most out of their time and work. 4. A Mini MBAWorking at a large company, strategic decisions about business operations, hiring, culture, financing, budgeting, and so on are typically made in the C-suite or a board room, behind closed doors. In the earliest days of a startup, theyre typically made at the other end of the table or couch. In other words, most early employees are part of all of those conversation about business operations, hiring, culture, financing, budgeting, and so on. Working at a startup, you arent just a cog in the machine, explains Startup Institute VP of marketing Bryan Maleszyk. You have agency in building a company from the ground up. Business models and organization, company cult ure, and values- you can have a say in all of this. And even if you dont have a say, youll certainly have a front-row seat. As they grow, most small to mid-sized startups Ive known or worked with involve their team members in strategic decisions, or at the very least hold regular all-hands meetings where employees can ask questions and learn about whats going on within the company. And seeing the hausintern workings of a company with your own eyes on a daily or weekly basis? Theres pretty much no better way to understand the ins and outs of business.No, startup life isnt for everyone. (Heres a helpful article if youre contemplating whether its right for you.) But in many ways, theres nowhere else you can take on such incredible responsibility, have such immense growth potential, or move your career forward by such leaps and bounds. Photo of dashboard courtesy of Shutterstock.

Innovating Supercapacitor Design

Innovating Supercapacitor Design Innovating Supercapacitor Design Innovating Supercapacitor DesignMircea Dinca, associate professor of chemistry at MIT, has worked on his share of interesting projects, but he didnt expect to find himself delving into area of energy storage devices. He finds himself with a new appreciation for them now, however, after leading a team that created a supercapacitor without graphitic carbon. The development could lead to energy storage devices storing and delivering more energy.Were synthetic chemists and we make new materies and get a kick out of thinking outside the box, says Dinca. Sort of imagine what are the important metrics for any important project and were thinking about whether we can involve any material that is outside the norm. Here, supercapacitors require highly conductive material with high surface area so that you have large capacitants that scale with surface area. You need to combine electrical conductivity with surface area and, workin g with very high surface area materials, our interest welches to also make them electrically combusted. Our work took years but the results have been very positive so far.Prof. Mircea Dinca, MIT. Image Justin KnightMetal-Organic FrameworksWorking without graphitic carbon, a carbon normally found in supercapacitors, Dinca actually saw multiple advantages, and termed his new class of materials metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs. Our metal organic frameworks clearly have organic components but they are well defined molecules, he says. Its organic, its made partly of carbon but they are well defined components. And in terms of any property you can think of, they are very different from graphitic carbons. They are better thought of as a different class of materials than what had been used previously.The material can be made in temperatures much lower than those needed for graphitic carbon, he says. For what were doing, you should be able to produce it at room temperatures as a solid and i t also doesnt need chemicals we dont want to use like sodium hydroxide, he says.Their capacitor has a much lower internal resistance, he says. We have shown it can work at, say, one and a half volts but we would like to improve it, and theres no reason to think it couldnt get to four and a half volts. If we can reach it, then it will look very attractive to a lot of commercial companies.There were a few surprises along the way but one stood out. We didnt optimize it at all and, despite that, we are still beating commercial devices in a number of metrics, he says. But we want to push it forward with optimization. It will further improve in metrics.It was tested at 10,000 cycles for the first demo of the new material. We saw very good reproducibility, he says, and very good capacitance retention, meaning less than 10% lost in capacity.In addition, a decent number of adjustments were made from the first iteration to the current one and they had to do with learning how to make the devic es, along with choosing proper current collectors. But its been an enjoyable ride that just might lead to more forays into device work.Im a curious person by nature and you get a sense of the fun engineers are having, he says. This is what its all about stepping outside your comfort zone to see if you can add new abilities to the mix.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.We didnt optimize it at all and, despite that, we are still beating commercial devices in a number of metrics.Prof. Mircea Dinca, MIT

Youre Allowed to Quit Your Job for Selfish Reasons - The Muse

Youre Allowed to Quit Your Job for Selfish Reasons - The MuseYoure Allowed to Quit Your Job for Selfish Reasons In a perfect world, you could just walk away carefree from a crummy job. Well, technically, there would be no crummy jobs in a perfect world- but just go with me here. The real world, however, is never so simple. If your family depends on your income or the insurance coverage your job provides, kicking open the exit and rushing through in a blaze of righteous glory probably isnt realistic for you. Or, maybe its not so much that others depend on you, but youve overheard your mom humble bragging about you or youve seen your significant other beam with pride when talking about the work you do. Or, maybe youve just busted your tail to climb the proverbial ladder, and youre struggling with what it would mean if you forgo everything youve clamored for. As the person who carries my familys insurance, I completely understand the I cant just quit, mindset. But no matter what dynamic s are at play, its still your life, your career, and your peace of mind on the line. If you want out of your current role and the only thing holding you back is guilt, you have permission to be at least a little selfish. That may bring to mind a dramatic scene, but putting yourself first doesnt have to be this dramatic all-or-nothing situation. In fact, taking good care of yourself really isnt selfish at all. When youre at your best, youre more productive at work and a better family member and friend in your personal life. If youre still not convinced you can do it, keep reading for a few tips thatll make it a little easier to swallow 1. Avoid AssumptionsWhether youre assuming you cant tell a loved one that youre miserable for fear of disappointing them or assuming youre stuck forever in a job you hate, youre playing a dead-end game. Instead, ask yourself, Do I really know this? If so, how do I know? You may be surprised when you force yourself to qualify your assumptions. It looks like this You tell yourself youre stuck in your job because you need your paycheck to pay rent. But when you sit down and take a hard look at your budget, you realize that between your savings and picking shifts up at the coffee shop on the weekends, you could actually take three months off to find a new job.Another approach that can help you shake harmful assumptions is to ask yourself, What would change if this isnt true? This allows you to at least entertain alternate scenarios. What would you do differently today if you didnt need that paycheck for rent? Would you go back to school? Get a job in a different field? When you mull over what you could do if your assumptions are untrue, you get one step closer to going after what you really want.2. Clue Your Loved Ones InIf someone in your lifes deeply invested in your career, you may feel tempted to stay mum. You dont want to cause your loved ones any embarrassment or disappointment. You certainly dont want to upend their lives. Tim e for a reality check Think of the person you love most. How would you feel if they were suffering and didnt feel like they could tell you? Right. Give your people some credit. Just like Its your job as a friend to support your loved ones when they need you, its their job to do the same for you. Let them do their job. Maybe they can only provide sympathy and moral support thats more than you had when you were pretending all was well and suffering in silence. They may also surprise you with an idea or insight you hadnt considered, or even a professional contact. 3. Move Beyond All or NothingWhen it comes to a crappy job, its easy to get stuck in the belief that you must either endure your current torment or quit and ruin your life (and the lives of your loved ones). Its rare, though, that we truly only have two options life is simply too complex. Changing your language and thought processes around such scenarios can certainly help. Try dropping qualifiers like have to, always, never, and substituting with and. I have to stay in this mess of a job or Im screwed because I lose my benefits becomes, Im in a mess of a job and I need to keep my benefits. Its a subtle shift, but now youve moved away from I have to do this or this to recognizing what you need. From there, you can begin thinking about how you might be able to make a change while keeping the benefits you need. That might mean you consider other options outside of your department, but still within your company that you hadnt previously thought about. Or it might mean you educate yourself about negotiating, particularly in regards to benefits, so you can consider a position with a new company without losing the coverage you need. Its not my intent to minimize or over-simplify a work situation that may be truly terrible or the reasons why you feel you cant just up and quit. Rather, I hope this offers some hope that even in a complicated situation, you do have the right to care about your own needs, and that if you can make some shifts in the way you think about and approach the situation, you may find workable solutions. Because when youre happy, thats good for everyone.