Readers: Dr. Randall Hansen, a nationally recognized career expert, is the Career Doctor.
Discover more about Dr. Hansen, read about the purpose of this column,
and find previous issues of this column at the home of The Career Doctor.
Dr. Hansen writes this column on a biweekly basis. If you have any college, career, or job-related questions or comments that Dr. Hansen could
provide valuable assistance with, please
feel free to email him at: careerdr@quintcareers.com.
Tanya writes:
I saw your web site while searching for advice on cover letters. Someone told me that
cover letters are really obsolete, yet I find a lot of stuff written about them. So, what’s
your advice? Should job-seekers like me really still be concerned with writing cover letters?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I wonder where some of these ideas come from, but I can tell you as directly as
I can that cover letters play a vital role in the job-search process when done correctly.
Cover letters should entice the reader, draw him/her into your story -- enough so to
turn the page and review your resume.
Is that all, you may ask? Yes, that’s the function of a cover letter -- to get your resume
reviewed a little more carefully than without it, which in turn, ideally, leads to an invitation
to a job interview.
A cover letter specifically addresses the job you are seeking and how your unique
attributes make you the ideal candidate -- the ideal fit -- for the job and the organization.
Here’s a quick rundown of what your cover letter should entail.
First, the length. Always err on the side of being brief, so no more than one page,
and really about four paragraphs total. If it’s an email cover letter, it should be even shorter.
Second, the content. The first paragraph must engage the reader. Make it dynamic.
Make it weave the reader into the rest of the letter. Don’t waste it with some boring
formulaic sentence. The second and third paragraphs give specific details that highlight
your qualifications and your fit with the position and the organization; if possible, use
some of the employers own words here. Your last paragraph should thank the reader
and request an interview. You should also say you plan to follow-up the letter at a
later date -- you must be proactive.
Third, the follow-up. Sending out the cover letter and resume is an extremely important
step, but only the first of many. Job-seekers must follow-up by contacting the employer
shortly after they expect the letter to arrive -- to show your interest and enthusiasm for
the job and organization.
Melissa writes:
I've been researching resumes and updating my resume. I have just completed a
series of interviews and wondered what your opinion is of sending thank-you letters
electronically. Must one mail thank you letters via snail-mail or is it okay to email
a thank-you letter?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Yours is becoming a more common question asked of me, and my answer
is to do both.
If you have the person’s email address, sending a quick thank-you email
shortly after the interview gives you the immediate impact you desire and
showcases both your manners and your interest in the position.
Even if you send an email thank you, I would still also send the traditional
thank-you note or letter by mail because it tends to be more formal and more
likely will end up in your file than an email note will. And this thank-you note
can be longer than your email one and really focus on the one or two things
you want the hiring manager to remember. And besides, I don’t really think
you can ever be overly polite.
And as readers of this column know by now (I hope), sending any kind of thank-you
is better than sending nothing. And while timing is important -- I recommend
hand-delivering thank-you letters the next day if possible -- it’s more important
to just do it and showcase your interest and thoughtfulness. Plus, writing a
thank-you gives you two more follow-up opportunities -- one with the letter, and
one a short time later to make sure the manager received the letter (and to
show your continued interest).
Read more about thank-you letters in this article published on Quintessential
Careers: FAQs
About Thank You Letters.
Q:
Nicole writes:
Hi, I am writing to ask you for your advice if a business minor is good to have
along with a speech communications major. I am interested in the public
relations/advertising field. I am not big into politics and government, so I
am staying away from that area. However, I have only taken one econ class
which was in high school. Do you think that a business minor would be to
my advantage or an English or journalism minor? I enjoy writing as well.
I would really appreciate it if you could let me know your opinion. Thank you!
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Let me first disclose my bias. If I ruled the world -- or at least the education world --
every college student would at least minor in business. No one, and I mean no one,
can escape dealing with business concepts, whether in your life or your career.
And having at least a minor in business will make that transition from college to
career that much smoother, and help you have more success in just about any field.
And even though you are more interested in the “creative” side of advertising and
public relations, these career fields are both critical parts of marketing and business
strategy, and thus an understanding of these concepts will make your ideas even better.
That said, especially for public relations, a journalism minor would also be a smart
choice because in public relations you have to be an excellent communicator. And
combining the speech with the journalism would be a powerful one-two punch.
If I were your adviser, I would advocate looking into whether you could accommodate
both the business and journalism minors and still graduate on time.
But, as with any decision you make, you should seek advice from others. If you have
not done so, seek out professionals in advertising or public relations and ask their advice.
These informational interviews are a great tool for building your network and obtaining
excellent educational and career advice. And, of course, you should consult with
your professors and academic adviser.
Amber writes:
Sometimes people at my office come into work on days when they are very sick.
One recent incident in particular involves a woman I work for. She has been
walking around for the past week or so hacking and coughing all over things,
including paperwork for me to do. She never misses work! How can I ensure
my health around a person like this? Should I wear a mask or something?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
The workplace is a funny microcosm of life, isn’t it? Some of us spend more time
at work, with the people we work with, than we do our own families. That’s why I
try and stress to job-seekers the importance of finding a corporate culture that
matches your values; otherwise, you may find yourself miserable.
In your situation, I can’t tell the enough about the culture of the organization, but
I can tell you that while just about all employers offer some sick day allotment,
none of them ever really want you to take sick days.
Somehow, over the years, the norm in many organizations has become that workers
who don’t “tough it out” and work while they are sick are somehow not loyal to the
company. And I find this attitude just sad. Are there employees who abuse sick
days? Sure. Of course. But these folks are in the minority.
So, I am not sure what to tell you. This woman might just be making a statement,
might be trying to lead by example (I don’t ever call in sick, so I don’t expect my
employees to do either), or perhaps does want the payoff from cashing in her sick
days (although I don’t think many employers do this anymore; personal days and
vacation days yes, but not sick days).
So, especially now, in the cold and flu season, the best you can do in your situation
is to take precautions. Wash your hands often throughout the day, avoid direct
contact with her, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
