Make a Good First Impression The Introduction Email - Your Career Intel

Make a Good First Impression The Introduction Email - Your Career IntelAs an Executive Senior Partner with Lucas Group, I have both received and sent hundreds of introduction schmelzglasles. There are two main purposes of an introduction email to introduce yourself and to explain why you would add value to the recipients organization or career. In todays digital age, an email introduction allows you to make non-invasive, initial contact with a potential candidate or employer while giving them the opportunity to respond at their convenience.So, how do you craft an introductory email? The first thing that the recipient will see is the subject line. Consider something attention-grabbing or catchy to immediately attract the reader. If I see email subject lines that include who referred the individual to me, Im likely to read those emails first. If you cant include a referral or mutual friends name, write a creative headline such as, Public Company CFO with Turnaround Experience. Definite ly do not leave the subject line blank.Next, introduce yourself, immediately explaining why you would be an asset to the reader. Include various professional skills and experience to provide a frame of reference for your career history. For example, My name is Elaine Beagle, and for more than eight years, I have driven results and surpassed goals, recruiting top talent for clients and providing rewarding career opportunities for my candidates. I understand that your company is expanding and I believe my skill set and experience can assist your organization in achieving its financial objectives.If you are searching for a new career opportunity, be sure to attach your resume to the email. Before attaching it, review it for any grammatical and spelling errors and make sure it is tailored to the company or position that youre interested in. Also, if you can find common ground with the recipient, include that in the email body as well. Check out his or her LinkedIn profile and see if you went to the same high school, share a mutual hobby or have any connections in common. One way to weave this into the email is by saying, I saw your LinkedIn profile and noticed you went to the University of Texas I graduated from there as well.Lastly, ask questions to attempt to entice a response. If youre emailing a potential employer, ask about the position for which youre interested. You can also ask the recipient to meet to further discuss the opportunity or to have a call at his or her convenience. By asking questions, you are more likely to get a response to your email.Have you recently sent or received a good or poor introduction email? Share your experience with us.

The 4 Rules of Resume Design You Probably Didnt Know

The 4 Rules of Resume Design You Probably Didnt Know Youve decided to begin your job search and the first thing on your list is making a new resume. The prospect of exploring new opportunities is exciting, but how do you keep yourself top of mind for potential employers when they are receiving hundreds of applications a day? The answer with a little bit of work and a lot of imagination.Whether you are using a resume maker, or trying to build your resume from scratch, here are five rules you probably didnt know about making resumes. Following these tips will help you on your way to landing a job.1. Custom headers are crucial.Making a great first impression is one of the hardest parts of the job search. But with a great header, you can do it with ease.The header is the first thing employers or, rather, HR managers, notice when they receive a resume. The header of your resume is your one-stop-shop for grabbing their attention, and by customizing it to reflect your personality, you are m ora likely to be an attractive candidate.Images make for good headers. However, ensure the image isnt overly busy, or it will make your header hard to read. If you dont have a good image on hand, a simple text overlay with your key information should suffice, as long as it is clean and not overcrowded. With a great custom header, you have a better chance of reaching the next step having your resume read2. Column layouts are a must.You are the kind of person who keeps themselves abreast of changes in the marketplace. But how do you convey that? By creating resumes that are sleek, clean and convey your personality in an easy-to-digest form.While only a few years ago resumes were little more than a long list of your previous employment and education, each with its own paragraph of text, you should now focus on making a short and beautiful resume. The way to accomplish that is with column layouts that allow you to employ the entire page, rather than presenting your information from righ t to left in one list.In a column layout, one column is usually dedicated to your contact information and maybe a small thumbnail photograph, unless you have used one in your header. You can also choose to put snippets of information, such as references, education and skills, in this column, so you have more room in other columns to write about your experience.With this simple layout, anyone reading your resume will be able to get all the relevant information they need about you in one glance.3. Use icons.We know employers and HR managers are busy people, so using visual aids will help them notice your resume. Icons are a great tool to use in your resume, either to convey information or to break up the monotony of text.For instance, if you have experience creating videos, you can use an icon of a film strip or play button to illustrate that. The clever use of icons will make your resume more attractive and easier to recall.4. Limit your font use.Though it is tempting to use a pletho ra of fonts to show off your creativity, fonts are one area where less is more. Too many fonts can make it difficult to read your resume, so choosing only two or three fonts is the best option. Choose one font for headings, another for subheadings and one for the body copy. You are trying to make your resume easier to scan, so the right fonts will do wonders for your chances of winning an interview.With companies now investing more time into employee engagement, a well-thought out and easy-to-read resume will show potential employers that you are ready to put in the effort right from the application process.But remember to follow up your resume with more evidence of your ingenuity, such as a website and portfolio. Most applicants should have websites of some kind, and to further the impression that your resume has made, you should work on creating a landing page that is just as attractive as your resume and personality.With the combination of your unique abilities and these resume m aking tips, you should be able to earn your dream job in no time.--These resume samples were provided by Venngage. Ronita Mohan is a content marketer at Venngage, the online infographic and design platform. Ronita is interested in a variety of topics with regards to digital marketing, visual content, and online engagement, which she enjoys researching and writing about. Follow Venngage on Twitter atVenngage.