Notes

Cover Letter
One important document you need to apply for a job is the cover letter. It is a letter that states your intentions for applying for a particular job. A cover letter briefly mentions the reasons you want the job, and why you think that you are best suited for it. A job application is incomplete without a cover letter. A job application without a cover letter may not be considered by an employer.

Your cover letter should be tailored for the job you are applying for. This means you need to write it keeping in mind the job description and its requirements. A cover letter basically explains things that your resume cannot include. For example, you want to apply for a job with a fashion magazine but lack the experience for it. In your cover letter, you can explain how much you follow fashion trends and how your passion makes you the ideal candidate. Now that you know what a cover letter is, let’s discuss its structure.
tructure of a Cover Letter
A typical cover letter follows a specific pattern that covers all the important points that a candidate needs to mention. Let’s have a look at the common structure of a cover letter.

Introduction: The first paragraph is where you introduce yourself and state your intention to apply for the posted job. Follow this with your strengths that relate to this job. Ensure that your first paragraph is catchy to motivate the reader to continue with the full letter.

Body: In the body of the letter, you should express in detail how you are fit for the job and how the company will benefit from your skills and experience. The main focus for this paragraph should be the employer’s requirements and expectations.

Closing paragraph: This paragraph is where you request an interview. You can mention your contact details such as your phone number and email address.
Do’s and Don’ts for a Cover Letter
Following is a list of points that you need to remember when writing a cover letter.

Do:

Always address the letter to a specific person or individual instead of addressing it to “hiring manager” or “to whom it may concern.”
Use sentences that are precise, brief, and attention grabbing.
Scrutinize the letter for grammar or spelling errors. Have another person read it as well to catch errors you may have missed.
Ensure that the cover letter contains all the information the potential employer requested. For instance, some employers ask for salary expectations and employment availability.
Don’t:

Write a lengthy letter with unnecessary information or wordy sentences. Get straight to the point and explain how you think you can contribute to the company.
Copy cover letters available online. Instead, draft your own letter.
Brag about your achievements and goals. Ensure that your claims are genuine.
Use humor. A cover letter should be professional. Your personality will shine through at the interview.
Flatter the employer with too many praises. This may seem disingenuous.
Repeat the information in your resume. Instead, briefly summarize the qualifications pertinent to the job and a bit about why you want the job.
Resume
A resume gives a summary of your background, skills, and educational qualifications. It acts like a personal marketing brochure that showcases your achievements and gives employers information they need to know before hiring you. Like cover letters, resumes also follow a particular structure. Let’s have a look at the common structure of a resume.

Heading: The heading of your resume should contain your contact details. It should include your name, address, telephone number, and email address. Keep your email address simple and professional. Additionally, you can also add your LinkedIn account details and fax number.

Objective: In the objective section, write a short paragraph describing what kind of job you are looking for, and how you can add value to the company. You can divide the objective into two subsections. In the first section, you can talk about the kind of position you want in a company and what profile interests you. In the second section, you can mention your how your skills broadly fit this position.
Education: You can create a bulleted list consisting of all the degrees that you have received to date. This list should be displayed in reverse chronological order. This means that you mention the most recent degree earned, or the degree you are working toward, first. Along with the degrees, also mention the name and location of the college or university. Also add your major and the month and year you graduated. If your grade point average (GPA) is above 3.0/4.0, you can mention it in your resume.

Experience: Like your education, you can list your work experience in reverse chronological order. For every job title you have held, also mention your employer’s name and location.

Honors: You can add this section to mention your special achievements. If you have won prizes for extracurricular activities such as drama, scouting, and so on, mention those here.
Additional Training Courses: If you are pursuing additional courses that are important for the position that you are applying for, you can list them in this section. The list of courses should be in the order of importance for the employer.

Related Skills: Some jobs require specific skills to perform the job successfully. If you have these skills, ensure that you list all of them for the job you are applying for. For example, when applying for a job in the field of music and entertainment, you can list all the instruments that you can play. This additional information can help you get an edge over the other candidates.

Volunteer Activities: This section may appear at the end of your resume, but it is an important section. Being involved in volunteer programs shows transferable skills or soft skills such as teamwork, time management, problem solving, and similar skills that can be related to a position you are applying for.
Job Interview
A company conducts a face-to-face interview to understand and determine the social skills and the abilities of a candidate. In most cases, an interview is the final stage of the selection process. So, preparation for an interview is essential. Here are a few points you need to keep in mind before going to an interview.

Research the company. Read about the company, its sales and revenue, the primary line of business, and its latest developments. Also, read about the company’s partners and competitors. This will prepare you for the questions that your interviewer could likely ask you.
Dress appropriately for the interview. Your attire should be according to the company’s culture. For instance, you should avoid wearing a suit for an interview with a company where employees dress casually. You can opt for simple informal attire such as a button-down shirt and trousers or a skirt.
Carry with you a hardcopy of your latest resume and cover letter. Although you may have emailed a copy of your resume and cover letter to the prospective employer, the person interviewing you may not have the latest copy.
Carry a portfolio of your work. A portfolio is a collection of accomplishments that you cannot show in a resume. Portfolios are excellent tools to showcase your work. They are no longer necessary just for applications applying for jobs in photography or graphic design.
Portfolio
A portfolio enables you to showcase your talent and fill in the gaps in a cover letter and a resume. It is a collection of samples of your work. These samples clearly illustrate your achievements that you would find difficult to display in a cover letter or a resume. A portfolio acts as a piece of evidence for your skills. You can use it to prove that your abilities fit the needs of the position.

A portfolio may include the following:

Power Point Presentations
Work samples (such as memos or spreadsheets)
Class projects (such as a successful project that earned an excellent grade)
Degree/diploma certificates
Transcripts
Awards earned
Letters of reference
Interview Questions
For any job interview, there will be a set of questions that many employers ask their candidates. You should be prepared with your answer for these common questions:

What are your strengths/weaknesses?
Why are you interested in working with the company?
Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
Why are you leaving your current job?
Why are you the best person for the job?
Describe something you did well at your last job or in school.
Describe something you want to improve upon.
How would you handle a difficult customer?
Are you available to work weekends and holidays?
What do you know about our company?
Some employers like to put their candidates in hypothetical situations or ask uncommon questions. These questions help them test the candidates’ presence of mind and tact. Some of these uncommon questions are listed below.

If you had a million dollars, what would you do?
How many gas stations do you think there are in Ponca City, Oklahoma?
What is the last book you read?
Tips for Handling Interview Questions
Despite being fully prepared for an interview, there are chances that you may feel nervous and may end up making mistakes in the interview. Take a look at the following tips that will help you handle interview question better.

Always study the company. Visit the company website, and read about its newsletters, latest deals, and plans. Collect as much information as you can about the company. The information you gather equips you to answer any question during the interview.
After you study the company, try and figure out what the organization is looking for in a candidate. Some of the questions employers ask are meant to test your desire for working at this job, your problem-solving ability, or how you handle tricky situations tactfully.
Certain questions are common in most interviews. Always prepare your answers for them beforehand.
Practice interviewing yourself. You can ask a friend or any family member to ask you questions that an employer would ask you.
Do not rush to give an answer. Always compose your thoughts and then respond accordingly.
Back your claims with examples of real situations you handled. Share situations where you solved problems successfully.
Do not hesitate to ask for clarification. You can ask the interviewer to repeat or explain a question in case you did not understand it the first time.
At the end of the interview, the interviewer would expect you to ask questions. Keep your questions ready for the interviewer.