Tips for Writing a Cover Letter After Youve Been Laid Off

Tips for Writing a Cover Letter After Youve Been Laid OffTips for Writing a Cover Letter After Youve Been Laid OffThough the jury is still out on whether writing a deckblatt letteris actually useful anymora, its no secret that they can be especially beneficial when you feel like you have something to explain or elaborate on from your resume.No, were not saying the cover letter should read as one long excuse, but instead, it can be used as an opportunity to briefly addresssomething the hiring manager may binnensee as a red flag.For instance, if you were recently laid off,you shouldnt dwell on this in your cover letter, but you probably should mention it before going on to explain why youd be the perfect candidate for this role.Here are a few tips for writing a cover letter after youve been laid offBe honest. If youve been laid off, you can do one of two things. You can either try to avoid the subject entirely, or face it head-on and disclose your layoff in the cover letter. You dont h ave to apologize for it you can say something like, I was laid off from my last position, but have been doing Xto keep my skills fresh and my knowledge current.If the layoff was due to budgetary cuts or a reason that was beyond your control, you can include that information as well.Dont feel like you need to make excuses.Layoffs happen. They stink- but are nothing to be ashamed of. Over explaining, apologizing, or making excuses will not paint the best picture of you. It might even make the hiring manager think the situation was worse that it was, and that youre trying to hide something. Dont draw more attention to the situation than you need to.Dont make the whole cover letter about the layoff.Like your resume, every inch of your cover letter is considered prime real estate. Dont waste the whole thing dwelling on your recent layoff. Instead, you should use your cover letter to sell yourself. Remember this is your opportunity to expand upon the highlights on your resumeand prove to a hiring manager that youd be perfect for the role.Mentionat least two or threeof the job duties listed in the job description and show how you already have these skills or knowledge.Dont use it as a tactic to make the hiring manager feel sorry for you.You may be tempted to use the cover letter to explain how unfair your recent layoff was, and how you need a job to pay your mortgage and support your family. But dont That would be highly inappropriate. Never, ever try to guilt an employer into hiring you.Writing a cover letter after a layoff isnt always the easiest thing in the world. But if youre honest, include the right information, and write from your heart, you should have no problem writing a cover letter thats really worth reading.Looking for even more help recovering from your layoff? partnered with LinkedIn Learning to create a whole course for you. Get a 30 day free trial with unlimited access to LinkedIn Learnings full course catalog Heres an overview on Recovering from a Layoff to learn more about the course.

How to Source and Interview Java Developers

How to Source and Interview Java DevelopersHow to Source and Interview Java DevelopersHow to Source and Interview Java Developers Rossheim Are you looking to hire a java developer? To successfully source and interview these IT professionals, keep these IT recruiting tips in mindHow to Source Java DevelopersTo win their loyalty, provide career guidance to emerging Java developersNon-traditional institutions such as the University of Phoenix are providing an increasing share of graduates with Java skillsDont ignore mainstream social media the friends and followers of known Java developers likely include more Java developersRecruiter tipsWe visit a variety of top 25 universities, and we do career fairs for graduating students, says says Jenny Chynoweth, talent outreach manager at WhitePages. When resumes come in, I go over them with the hiring manager and get him to point out which qualifications hes looking for in a given search.Particularly with the introduction of Facebooks Graph Sea rch, recruiters will be able to search for those who are friends of (insert your favorite employee) and also are a Java developer, says Sam Jones in his blog, Hiring-Hub.com.How to Conduct the InterviewTo develop interview questions for Java candidates, seek input from a Java expertTest the candidates ability to communicate the business implications of technical issues, in plain languageRecruiter tipsIts useful to have in hand hypothetical questions designed by the CTO or the tech wizard of the company, for the internal recruiter to ask and report back on, says Jones.Ask one question that requires the candidate to write code, says says Rogers Cadenhead, author of Sams Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days.Youd be surprised how many computer science grads cant pass the Fizz Buzz test.If you ask questions that are too simplistic, you risk insulting the IT candidate, or worse, says John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology, Menlo Park, California. Reed recommends that you take t ime to research your interview questions, jot down notes about the correct answers and then listen for key phrases. mora ResourcesIT Recruiting How your Business Can Assess IT Candidate SkillsJava DeveloperSample Job DescriptionJava Developer - Entry Level Sample Job DescriptionHow toHire Java DevelopersJob SkillsHow Much to Pay Java DevelopersHow Todays High-Demand Jobs Impact Salary

6 Ways to Make Sure Your Work Gets the Attention it Deserves

6 Ways to Make Sure Your Work Gets the Attention it Deserves6 Ways to Make Sure Your Work Gets the Attention it DeservesYour PowerPoints are powerful. Your reports are remarkable. And yet youre feeling like no one notices all your good work. Youre sometimes left wondering, Wheres the love in the workplace?Being overlooked for your contributions can not only hurt your performance and your compensation, it can also affect your relationship with your co-workers, your day-to-day job satisfaction, and your ability to feel motivated to take on challenging new projects.But solutions for getting positively noticed at work can be surprisingly counterintuitive, from articulating your disappointment to taking on a new hobby. Here are six new ways to raise your profile on the job.1. Speak Up When Youre DissatisfiedPutting on a happy face when youre feeling disgruntled or disappointed may not be helping your profile. According to a recent University of Liverpool study published in Human Relations that aimed to study the way feelings can impact the workplace, the authors found being too positive can actually backfire. Yes, getting angry (albeit, constructively) can lead to a better outcome than staying too complacent and not rocking the boat.Other research backs up these results. A study published in Emotion on how feelings of happiness and anger impact well-being revealed that those who indulged in feeling angry before a pre-arranged confrontation showed better psychological health than the subjects who were supposed to remain happy before a pre-arranged joyful event.So, if youre feeling left out and not recognized for all of the work youre putting in, consider articulating your frustration by arranging a time to speak your mind with your boss. Dont just put on a happy face and let it slide.2. Find a MentorAccording to a recent Center for Work-Life Policy report published by Harvard Business Review, finding a mentor is a form of relationship capital that is too often dismis sed. Among the paths to power, sponsorship is undervalued- and thus underutilized- by both men and women, wrote the study authors. However, men, they add, still get benefits from the old-boy networks so women should embrace just how who you know can help get them noticed in their careers.The studys authors couldnt have said it better Seizing it is, in part, a matter of women learning how to ask for more dedicated support- because with that support, they will definitely ask for more stretch assignments, greater recognition, more pay, and more leadership opportunities.Harnessing the power of sponsorship, however, is also a matter of women doing what women do best establishing lasting bonds and negotiating win-win outcomes. So make time for coffee with your superiors or grab a drink with a seasoned colleague. Cultivating those one-on-one connections could get you front-of-mind for the next promotion.3. Mind Your Body LanguageThanks to mom, you know that sitting up straight improves you r physical presence. But joint research from Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management and Stanford University now offers some scientific results to further evidence this claim.It appears that taking on a posture that makes you look like youre actually taking up more space in a room makes you seem powerful, regardless of your actual rank in the company. Dubbed posture expansiveness by the authors, opening up your body so you stand with your legs slightly apart, for example, gets you noticed in a good way. Plus, these subtle body changes dont just influence how youre perceived, they also affect your mindset. Subjects even felt more confident taking up more room.4. Schedule Shorter Standing MeetingsThink your presentations lull colleagues to complacency? Want to get noticed for your bold ideas? Then arrange for shorter meetings that make people literally stand up to listen to what you have to say.According to a recent Olin Business School at Washington University study, no n-sedentary meetings inspire groups to get more excited about projects, making ideas more memorable. By testing the physiological responses of participants as they were gathered around a whiteboard while brainstorming, study authors learned that participants got more jazzed when they were on their feet, not in a chair.5. Dont RelaxGot a nerve-wracking big presentation coming up or a critical meeting with a boss? To kill it and get on your bosss mind, Harvard Business School research has the secret. Rather than telling yourself to relax or calm down before your big event, getting really amped up can actually improve your performance. Study author Alison Wood Brooks puts it simply When people feel anxious and try to calm down, they are thinking about all the things that could go badly. When they are excited, they are thinking about how things could go well.So go on, rev yourself up6. Have a HobbyThink coming in on weekends will get you more recognition on the job? Not exactly, say San Francisco State University psychologists. After interviewing 350 subjects on how they spent their free time out of the office and compared it to their performance rankings by their bosses, they found that those who devoted themselves often to weekend pursuits scored up to 30% higher on job reports.While the studys authors couldnt determine if these rankings had to do with actual job performance or perception of their work habits, the conclusion was clear Out of work interests can garner you more points on the job. Consider enrolling in that painting class or joining that running club you always wanted to try. It just may translate into grabbing your bosss attention on Monday.mora From DailyWorth6 Ways to Stand Out at WorkHow to Survive a Toxic WorkplaceAre You Sending the Right Signals at Work?Photo of pencils courtesy of Shutterstock.