job search Archives - Linguix Blog https://linguix.com/blog/tag/job-search/ Writing about using technology to create content and build effective communications. Tue, 13 Dec 2022 17:03:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 Spelling, Grammar, And the Importance of Getting It Right When Job Hunting https://linguix.com/blog/spelling-grammar-and-the-importance-of-getting-it-right-when-job-hunting/ https://linguix.com/blog/spelling-grammar-and-the-importance-of-getting-it-right-when-job-hunting/#respond Sat, 23 May 2020 15:08:40 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=2027 Everyone can make a spelling mistake. Everyone can make a grammatical mistake. But if there is ever a time you should do your best to avoid such mistakes, it is when you are trying to make a good impression. And when searching for a job, it’s all about making a good impression. Indeed, there are […]

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Everyone can make a spelling mistake. Everyone can make a grammatical mistake. But if there is ever a time you should do your best to avoid such mistakes, it is when you are trying to make a good impression. And when searching for a job, it’s all about making a good impression.

Indeed, there are several important reasons why good spelling and grammar is a must on resumes, job application forms, cover letters and any correspondence you share with the hiring company in advance to you potentially getting the job. And of course, good spelling and grammar shouldn’t stop there either.

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However, here are some of the most important reasons why correct spelling and grammar is essential when job hunting in particular:

First impressions count

Whether we like it or not, we all know that first impressions do leave a legacy. So, if your first contact with a hiring company includes basic spelling and grammatical mistakes, for whatever reason, then it is not going to reflect well on you, especially in relation to other candidates who are applying for the job and have been able to make contact without any mistakes.

Finding a job is a competitive business, so do not put yourself at an immediate disadvantage in respect to the competition.

The Horn Effect

The Horn Effect is a psychological bias which occurs when someone displays a single negative trait. That negative trait then convinces others of negativity in other, non-unrelated areas. 

So, for example, any grammatical and spelling mistakes may lead someone to believe that you display negative characteristics in your design, your ideas, or whatever other qualities you must display in order to do the job you are applying for. It may be unfair (after all, why should poor spelling reflect on your physical abilities, let’s say), but the fact is, that is the kind of bias that has been scientifically proven to take place.

Your attitude and approach will be questioned

Again, this may be unfair, but many people will associate spelling and grammar mistakes with an attitude that is slightly careless. Certainly, your accuracy and thoroughness can be questioned, because the fact is you did not implement a system in which you checked for mistakes. Once again, that doesn’t reflect well.

Most jobs involve some form of written communication

Writing may be only the tiniest element of the job, but most jobs will require you to write something, at least on occasion. The truth is, your spelling and grammar mistakes in your resume, cover letter or whatever it may be, can lead the recruiter to believe that written communication will be an area of the job that you are not particularly well-suited.

So, what should you do?

Of course, not everyone is born equal, and if you are a non-native speaker of English, let’s say, then of course communicating without mistakes is a huge challenge. In this way, if you are using a language that is not your mother tongue when applying for a job, you are immediately at a disadvantage, even if language ability has no relationship with the requirements of the job. 

But even if it is unfair, the negative impression is still made. And the fact is, there are many processes and tools out there to help in this situation. Indeed, software and applications have been developed to help everyone produce error-free writing, no matter their ability.

Here are some of the steps you should follow:

Proofread your own communication before you send it

Whether it is an online job application, a resume sent by email, or even a physical, posted cover letter, you should proofread your written words before you hit ‘send’ or pop it in the mailbox. You should re-read your communication several times in fact. It’s incredible how many people don’t do this, and how many mistakes you can self-correct just by taking the time to do it.

Of course, if English is not your first language, you may think this will not help you, but fear not, for there are other important steps to take.

Get someone else to proofread it for you

Even if your English is normally pretty-much perfect, mistakes are possible, especially when you are concentrating so hard on the content of something.

A fresh pair of eyes is truly valuable, so get someone else to have a read-through before you send anything. Of course, if English is not your first language, you can engage someone with a mastery of English to re-read your writing for you. That’s a sensible step to take, and also convinces the hiring company of your commitment to producing error-free work, even if you did need to engage another person’s help to assist you. You were conscientious, which is a positive quality.

Use tools

From spell-checking software to AI-powered writing assistants such as Linguix, use the tools available to help you avoid making these types of costly mistakes in your writing.

Linguix, for example, can be downloaded as a Chrome, Firefox or Edge extension, and will then correct your text on any webpage you write it: directly in an online job application, for example.

Furthermore, copy and paste your text into the writing assistant, and Linguix’s catalogue of corrective analysis will identify spelling, grammatical, punctuation and stylistic mistakes that can affect anyone’s writing. 

With help like that at hand, error-free writing can be a reality, no matter what your English ability. 

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How To Write A Good Cover Letter: Seven Practical Tips https://linguix.com/blog/how-to-write-a-good-cover-letter-seven-practical-tips/ https://linguix.com/blog/how-to-write-a-good-cover-letter-seven-practical-tips/#respond Fri, 10 May 2019 17:34:08 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=784 A cover letter or an application letter is an integral part of a job search process. Usually, employers require applicants to send their cover letters along with the resume or CV. The primary purpose of such texts is to filter the most relevant potential hires. If your cover letter is good, the hiring manager is […]

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A cover letter or an application letter is an integral part of a job search process. Usually, employers require applicants to send their cover letters along with the resume or CV. The primary purpose of such texts is to filter the most relevant potential hires. If your cover letter is good, the hiring manager is more likely to proceed to read your CV.  

Hence, you need to write a cover letter that will stand out, and it has to be perfect. But how do you set about coming up with such a letter? Thankfully our guide is here to help. Read  on to find out how to write a good cover letter.

Why do you need a template?

Typically, when you are in the middle of a job search process, you send out a lot of applications. Additionally, you will find that you need to include a cover letter for 90% of jobs listings.

It takes too long to write a new cover letter each time you are applying for a job. This is why you need to base your text on an effective template (dozens of useful templates are available to our Premium users). Here you can find the  one you could use to skyrocket your chances of landing a job.

1. Don’t forget about the header

In most cases, you will be allowed to attach a cover letter as a file, and it is a good idea to structure it properly. In doing this, you can follow the rules of formal business letter writing and include the following information:

  • Name;
  • Phone number and email;
  • The name of the person you are writing to (the hiring manager) and the company name;
  • Links to your professional website and social media profiles.

Try to keep it professional. For example, your email address should be more or less formal: if your primary email looks something like sexyjohn@mail.com get an additional one like John.Sanders@mail.com. It is also a bad idea to send resumes using your current work email: it is just the not correct thing to do.

2. Follow the three paragraphs rule

The main goal of sending a cover letter is to attract the attention of the hiring manager and get this person to review your CV or resume.

This means a good cover letter should not be too long. Three paragraphs will be enough. The basics of writing brief texts such as these are as follows:

  • In the first paragraph, you should try your best to grab the reader’s attention.
  • The second paragraph is used to describe your offer.
  • Polish the impression in the last paragraph.

Here is what you can include in each section of your cover letter.

3. Writing an introduction

According to stats, recruiters spend an average of just 6.25 seconds on reviewing a specific resume. This means that for the cover letter you have even less time to convince your reader. And so, the opening paragraph is crucial.

Try to avoid wordy and overly official sentences. Such texts do not make any particular sense, and lack the details that might help the hiring manager in determining whether you are a good fit for the job. Here are two examples of opening paragraphs:

Bad:

I am writing to you in response to the PR Manager job posting. I have 7+ years of experience in PR and would like to apply to this position.

At first glance it is OK. However, if you put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager, you will see some problems and gaps to fill. For example, there are no details about what exactly the candidate was doing for those seven years of their career. The main point is that the applicant considers him or herself a good fit because they have done something similar before.

Good:

I am an active follower of XYZ company, and so I was excited to see your job posting for the PR Manager position. I’d like to put my knowledge and skills forward to help in reaching your public relations goals, and think I might be a good fit. While working at SuperCorp company I was responsible for nationwide PR activities working on getting the company mentioned in media outlets like Forbes, and overall reach through this channel has increased by 23% in six months.

See the difference? Here we have highlighted achievements and enthusiasm for the job. These are always good things to have.

4. Show benefits for the potential employer

Once you’ve managed to attract initial attention, you then need to develop your success stories and offer more details. This is what the second paragraph of the cover letter stands for.

In this part you should mention why you are the best solution for the company’s need, meaning that this section has to be tied to the job description.

For example, in the case of the PR manager above, the XYZ company needs:

  • An experienced PR manager, who is used to working with media, journalists, pitching corporate stories and handling inquiries.
  • Also, they need the candidate to be tech-savvy, as the XYZ is an AI technology startup.

Here is how you can deal with these requirements in your cover letter:

….

At my current company SuperCorp, I am working on organizing and handling the PR support of new releases from planning to media outreach, and media relations to reporting. For example, this year my crucial challenge was to increase media coverage in top-tier technology-related publications (TechCrunch, VentureBeat, etc.) by 20%. By the end of the first quarter, the number of mentions in the media from the list had increased more than by 30%. Referral traffic now brings about 15% of overall website traffic (compared to 5% the year before).

At the beginning of the section, the candidate outlined their duties in their current job, then mentioned that the work relates to dealing with the technology-oriented press, and finally demonstrated some numbers and results.

Important: the text is focused on benefits for the current employer (better media outreach, traffic growth, etc.).

When reading this, the hiring manager clearly understands what the XYZ company might receive if the candidate is hired.

5. Explain why you want this job

A good cover letter not only highlights an applicant’s experience and future benefits for the potential employer but also should provide an answer to the question of why the candidate wants this particular job.

Here is a perfect three-step strategy for solving this puzzle:

  • Mention some company-related fact like an upcoming, current, or most exciting project or product/service.
  • Explain why you are interested in it: demonstrate some knowledge.
  • Mention once again how your experience will help to achieve better results with this project.

Here is an example:

….

I’ve read a lot about your new AI-based shopping recommendation app. I am interested in this project both from a personal (I am a passionate shopper) and professional perspective (It is always an exciting challenge to get a new project off the ground). I believe that my professional experience in media relations and a network of connections in online technology-related media will help in generating traction for the project.

6. Polish everything

Perfect, now you have a nicely written cover letter with all the significant questions of the potential employers answered. However, it is too early to hit “send.” First, make sure that the final result is quick and easy t to read. If your text exceeds 300 words, go through it again and cut down this number.

Also, an overall impression could be easily spoiled by grammar and spelling mistakes. To eliminate them, run your final cover letter for a job application through a grammar checker – for example, Linguix.com.

Bonus tip: use the postscript

The “P.S.” section of any letter is perceived as a place for important information. It is psychology: even if you are scrolling down, your eyes will catch the headline and the postscript. Marketers know this perfectly and actively use it in email marketing, for example.

You can leverage this technique to tell the hiring manager something significant that will add to the overall impression. In the case of the PR manager, you can offer to share your ideas and practical advice on solving the tasks mentioned in the job description.

P.S. If you are interested, I would be happy to share my ideas on getting into TechCrunch and Business Insider as well as attracting more leads around your new product based on my previous experience with SuperCorp.

Final thoughts: Do’s and dont’s

In conclusion, let’s outline the short rules to follow and mention the mistakes to avoid when working on a cover letter for a job application:

  • Focus on the employer, and the benefits you can bring once hired. Show the hiring manager why the business needs such a good professional.
  • Be brief. Follow the “three paragraph rule,” and try to keep your cover letter down to 300 words. However, there is nothing terrible about adding a valuable “P.S.”
  • Customize cover letters to better fit a certain position. Refer to a job description and tailor the description of your experience to the problems the company wants to solve with a hire.
  • Double check everything. Run your writing through Linguix.com and try to find someone to proofread the text.

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