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EMPLOYMENT


BAKKEN BREAKOUT WEEKLY Unemployed? Put your cover letter to work


By KIM ISAACS Monster Resume Expert


For many of us, writing a cover letter is about as fun as having a root canal or being audited by the IRS. Add a period of unemployment to the mix, and the task can seem downright daunting. Don’t let time away from the workforce prevent you from writing a good cover letter. Try these expert tips.


employers’ interest so they want to inter- view you. “Talking about unemployment is a downer, and job candidates should only provide information that enhances their value to an employer and makes a compelling case for an interview,” says Linsey Levine, a licensed counselor and president of CareerCounsel, based in Os- sining, New York. Sue Campbell, president of resume-


Keep it positive The purpose of a cover letter is to pique


when you could have been engaged in career-related activities, it’s time to spring into action. “Job hunters with big gaps of unemployment should demonstrate what they did to be productive while they were not working,” says Nancy Friedberg, a ca- reer coach with Career Leverage in New York City. Friedberg coaches her clients to re-


main active and keep their skills fresh during periods of unemployment. “If you have done nothing career-related during your unemployment,


says. Friedberg suggests volunteering, go- ing back to school, securing freelance or part-time work, assuming leadership roles in charitable organizations or becoming active in your professional organization. “Every activity you undertake requires a skill whether you are paid or not,” she adds.


writing fi rm 1st-Writer.com, agrees that the cover letter should emphasize the job seeker’s strongest qualifi cations. “Focus on what you can contribute and how this contribution will benefi t the employer,” Campbell says. Address relevant skills, abilities, education and experience that will enable you to provide exemplary work, she adds, not extraneous informa- tion about your unemployment. (See our sample cover letter for an unemployed job seeker.)


recently, and employment gaps no lon- ger carry the stigma they once did. It’s not necessary to explain a few months of unemployment due to circumstances be- yond your control, such as a layoff. However, it is a good idea to account for longer-term unemployment. Trisha Scudder, president of New York City- based Executive Coaching Group, coaches


Be honest, but don’t overshare Millions of people have lost their jobs


start today,” she


Fill the gap If you’ve been sitting idle at home


explain unemployment: “Since leaving my last employer, I have been complet- ing intensive training in ____” or “I have been contributing my time and talents to the successful advancement of Charitable Organization, while actively seeking a full-time position with a leading company such as yours.” Scudder advises job seekers not to pro-


vide too much information about the un- employment. “Don’t let this gap distract you from the primary purpose of the cov- er letter — demonstrating what you could do for the organization if hired,” she says.


stances can work to your advantage. Scudder suggests thinking about how the unemployment could make you a better employee. “For example, did it inspire you to move to a new industry or career? If you took on freelance work, did it teach you


Use your judgment However, sometimes special circum-


her clients to deal with the gap and avoid making excuses. “The bottom line is that there’s a gap,” she says. “You can’t hide it. Tell it straight, and don’t make apologies. Show the interviewer how this makes you a more attractive candidate.” For example, she suggests adding a line to your cover letter saying something like, “Returning to full-time employment after caring for an ill family member, I am eager to con- tribute my 15 years’ experience in (career fi eld) to benefi t your company.” Campbell also offers verbiage to help


the value of retaining clients?” she says. Friedberg had a client who was diag-


nosed with cancer and missed an entire year of employment following gradua- tion. “In his cover letters, he confi dently and honestly wrote about his cancer,” she says. “He explained that he doubled up on classes in between chemotherapy treat- ments in order to graduate and sat for the fi rst part of the CPA exam. An account- ing fi rm was so impressed that they called him in for a series of interviews and hired him based on his character, his can-do at- titude and his perseverance.”


cause of a layoff, job termination, illness, care of sick relatives, child care, a sab- batical or any other reason, the purpose of a cover letter — to generate a call for an interview — remains the same. “If job seekers can draw a correlation between what they offer and how they will benefi t the employer, then the cover letter should achieve some real success,” Campbell says.


Copyright 2012 - Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article fi rst appeared on Monster.com. To see other career-related articles, visit http://career- advice.monster.com. For recruitment articles, visit http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best- practices.aspx.


Focus on your strengths Whether your time off has been be-


Lateral moves: When do they work?


By BARBARA REINHOLD Monster Contributing Writer


corporate life forever. And yet, increasing numbers of people are fi nding that there’s another way to move — laterally. But why? What’s in it for lateral movers and their organizations?


When do workers benefi t?


We all have an individualized career metabolism. That means when it’s time for a change, it’s time for a change — regardless of whether a spot is available or your family is ready for upheaval. When you stay put in a job longer than your mind and body want you to, there’s a hefty price to pay — emotionally and often physically.


bility, because your plate is already too full with chal-


lenges outside of work. ■ Your spouse is being moved and your company


has a facility in the same location. ■ You and your boss or a colleague have locked


move would be right: ■ You want more challenge but not more responsi-


Here are some situations where a lateral It seems “up or out” has been the watchword of horns and there doesn’t seem to be any way to set the


situation right. ■ The functions your unit performs are being out-


sourced, but you don’t want to leave the company. ■ You’re taking courses or completing a degree and


don’t want the stress of a promotion at the moment. ■ You’re preparing for an eventual move and want to spend some time in a functional area where you


haven’t had that much experience. ■ There’s an opportunity to report to someone in another unit from whom you can learn a great deal.


allowing such moves lets the company keep people with good track records after their work has become boring or monotonous. Second, it saves on the costs of fi nding and training new employees. It also lessens the likelihood of employees taking secrets to a competitor. Lateral moves allow organizations to place person-


nel where they’re needed. In an organization with few top slots available, these changes allow the company to give employees new challenges without promoting them. This solution offers an antidote to the “I’m- dead-ended-and-bored” lament heard so often in or- ganizations today.


What’s in it for the company? Lateral moves benefi t companies in two ways. First,


Shouldn’t I be moving up instead of over?


That depends. In organizations where the leader- ship emphasizes the importance of new challenges and ongoing skill development, it doesn’t seem strange at all. In fact, lateral moves are welcomed as the energiz- ing challenges they can be. In companies organized like a military hierarchy, such moves may not go down well. But then again, those places aren’t doing well in a lot of ways these days. Lateral moves work best in organizations where


employees have access to fl exibility and perks that give them a sense of career progression. Like all workplace innovations, lateral moves will succeed in places where both leaders and workers dedicate themselves to mak- ing what’s good for the company coincide with what’s good for its employees. Saying no to “up or out” and asking for a lateral


move because it fi ts with where you are in life may be a great way to start taking charge of your own career.


Copyright 2012 - Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article fi rst appeared on Monster.com. To see other career- related articles, visit http://career-advice.monster.com. For recruitment articles, visit http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr- best-practices.aspx.


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