Telecommuting Cover Letters

Question: How do I market myself online?

Answer: With a stellar cover letter and resume.

Okay, so let's get into the meat of this. You know that you need to market yourself, and you can do that with a stellar cover letter and resume. But, why is that so important? Let's think about this. When you apply offline for a job, you are competing with a handful of people (usually) and right there you have a better chance to get called in for an interview. Online jobs you are often competing with hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants for the very same position.

In the "real world" you apply in person. Therefore, you can dress for success and put your best foot forward. You can impress them with your presence and personality. Online you can't. What's your "best foot forward" online?

That would be your cover letter and resume ? how you present yourself on paper. Your cover letter and resume have to show your skills and your personality; it has to be your presence.

How do you put your best foot forward with your cover letter and resume? A telecommuting employer (one who hires work at home employees) is looking for different things on cover letters and resumes then those offline. Let's talk about cover letters first. If you're not sending a cover letter with your resume then this might be one of the reasons you're not getting hired. The cover letter is your VERY first impression. Take the time to show you're very serious about the job they have open. See if you can find who the head of HR is, and address it to that person. Tailor your cover letter to that specific position.

This is optional, but I always put where I found the position (for example, "The position I'm applying for is Customer Service, which I found at XYZ.com"). I always did that even with offline jobs, but it's not necessary. I think some employers just like to know where you heard about their job. This is especially helpful online because jobs get passed around and around online. It could have started out on a certain website and then ended up on hundreds of others.

Make sure you pay attention to the job ad. Does it say you need DSL? Does it say you will be working with certain software? Whatever the requirements, if you meet them, put that down on the cover letter. The employer will scan over your cover letter, and you want what's on yours to stand out and grab their eye. If you have what they need, you're going to grab their attention ? and that's what you want!

Overall, you want to pay attention to detail, outline why you're the best person for the job (without going on too long about how great you are), and point out that you have what is required for the job.

Nell Taliercio is the owner of a leading work at home mom resource website packed full of unique information for the telecommuter, business owner and virtual assistant.

Visit http://www.mommysplace.net today!

Hey, You Cant Ask Me That! (How to Respond to Inappropriate Job Interview Questions)

I received the following questions from a visitor to my... Read More

Top 10 Tips for Career Advancement

Here's a list of the top 10 tips you can... Read More

Ideal Job and Handling Criticism

How many times have you been asked, "What is your... Read More

Job or no Job: The Certainty of Uncertainty

Headline from AP via Yahoo News! January 11, 2005: "Chrysler... Read More

Choose Your References Wisely!

So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task,... Read More

Career Discovery - Pinpoint Your Ideal Career

Determine your ideal career--one that's in alignment with your values,... Read More

Believe And Get Hired

Good things seem to come in bunches, especially in a... Read More

Searching for a Federal Job

Many years ago searching for a federal job was a... Read More

Salary, Raises, & Perks: Negotiate to Get Paid What Youre Worth!

Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It's important to... Read More

The Interviewable Resume

It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote... Read More

Are You Eking Out a Living, and Cant Get What You Want from a Job?

Many people are working at jobs they don't want and... Read More

Get In The Game With a Stellar Resume

During the job hunter's market of the 1990's, employers were... Read More

5 Things Every New Caterer Should Know

It has been over twenty five years since I started... Read More

Students Discover Your Niche By Using Career Assessment

In our ever changing world where job competition is rampant... Read More

Change Your Career, Change Your Life

Change Your Career,Change your Life!Lots of times I see and... Read More

Seven Ways to Say You?re Fired and What to Do When It Happens to You

Today's employers scramble for creative ways to advise employees of... Read More

Career Search from Within

Seeking meaningful and fulfilling work can become a discouraging, confusing... Read More

The Career Athlete: What It Takes to Manage Your Career

Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation... Read More

Formal Business Attire is Making a Comeback

The dot com boom of 1990s brought with it a... Read More

So you want to work at home

There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More