Cover letter is the first communication between you and your potential employer, but it is not simply a letter of introduction. A good cover letter shows your ability to communicate, a skill that is sought by nearly all employers. Like they say “ First impression is the last impression” and if your cover letter don’t make them interested in you in first place then there is very high chance that your resume won’t make much impact either.So it is very important that you spend time crafting a letter that will make an employer take notice.

You can create a professionally looking cover letter by following these simple guidelines:

1. When to write a cover letter? If you are not meeting the final decision maker personally then you should write a cover letter. And if you are then just introduce yourself while handing over the resume.
2. Length. It should be short and to the point. Not more then 3 paragraphs.
3. Do your research first. Find out about the company and job profile.
4. Content. It should not be a summary of your resume. But HOW your skill make a good match for the position.
5. Salutation. Write to a person and not “To Whom it may Concern.”. Find the name(point 2) or try Dear Manager, Dear Hiring Manager or Dear HR Manager.
6. One cover letter per application. You must make a cover letter that matches the skills and experience required by the employer.
7. Self-centeredness. To avoid being misinterpreted as self-centered keep your “I” to minimal. Avoid using then altogether if possible.
8. Overview. Give an overview of the specific skills you have for the position without explaining each and everything in detail.
9. Pattern. Follow the same writing style and pattern you used in your resume.

Cover Letter Template

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Applicant’s address and contact information(telephone number and email address)

Date

Contact person’s name(optional)

Title

Company name and address

Subject

Dear HR Manager

First paragraph

• State briefly the position you are applying for and how you came to know about the vacancy.
• Show interest in the position and company by providing some information.

Middle paragraph

• State your knowledge of the required skills and explain briefly why you are suitable for the position.
• Describe your background and qualifications.

Last paragraph

• Specify the time and day when you will be available for the interview.
• Refer to the attached resume.
• Indicate your plan of follow-up by telephone.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Full Name

Enclosures: resume etc.

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Finally some last minute check before sending the letter:

• Double check all your personal information.
• Specify the position and job code(if any)
• Check for any spelling and/or grammatical mistakes.
• Check for any missing or repeated words.
• Check for your signature at the end of the letter.

1. A typical technical paper would consist of many sections like programming, algorithm, data-structures, networks and hardware. Try to solve as many problems from the section you are strong in.
2. Unless it is specifically told to attempt all the sections you should focus on your strong subject only. At the end of the exam even if your score is less then others but you have shown your hold in some area, there is a very good chance that you will make a good impression. Not to mention that if you had tried solving problems from other less comfortable section then you would have scored less mark.
3. If the questions are multiple choice type with negative marking then resist the temptation of making a guess. Generally the problems are tricky and falling into the trap of examiner is easy.
4. Isolate the problems you are comfortable with. Choose the problems you have seen before. Avoid solving large problems if the time is less.
5. Don't experiment. Follow the strategy you have decided for attempting the exam.
6. Write only what is asked. For example don't write a proper code when only algorithm or pseudo-code is asked. It won't fetch extra marks. It will only slow you down and can even show your errors.
7. Finally, if there is no negative marks then make intelligent guess. Observe the pattern of the question paper. Are most of the questions require an intelligent approach, or are they testing basic knowledge?.
8. Save atleast 5 minute to revise the paper. You will be amazed at the number of errors you can find in these 5 minutes.
   

1. Get your basics right. This includes everything that is part of your course work WHICH is important to the job profile. Not remembering a 1st year course because you studied it 3 years back is not an excuse.
2. Read your resume. Get familiar with all the projects and skills you have included in your resume. You are responsible for what you have written in your resume.
3. Degree project and Work experience. These are the two most important parts of your resume. Refesh your memory and try to revise important things you did and goals you achieved as part of your final project and work experience.
   
4. Skills required. ask yourself - what are the skills required for the job. If you have them then revise and refresh, if you don't have then study and learn.
5. Investigate the employer. visit its webpage. know about the company. In one interview I was asked if I have visited the company's webpage. This shows your interest in the job.
6. Get help from your friends. get all the information from your friends related to the interview, if you are lucky you might find someone who have actually given that interview.
7. Search. you be surprised to see what you can find on the net. there are test papers, interview experiences and many other useful information available. search if you have time.
8. Have mock interviews. sit with your friend/family member and have a full-fledged interview. This will help you keep your calm during the actual interview.
9. dressing. formals never hurts. wear the dress that suits the job profile but if you are not sure then go for formals. dressing casually might even work against you by giving the impression that you are not serious about the job.
   
10. checking the venue. Though this is not very important, but if you have time then it would be great if you can check the interview venue a day before the date.

1. You always wanted to work for that XYZ company. Now is your change. Just check it's web page. Most companies have a section called "career" or "recruitment".
2. Second best option is to post your resume on any of the free job related sites. They usually works. They worked for me. And the job offers are also from very reputed companies. If can afford then join some of the paid job-site.
3. Use your friends. Tell them you are looking for a job. They would be more then happy to refer you. Many companies run referral programs where the current employees' can refer a friend. Its a win-win situation for both parties, you gets a job, and he gets some extra bucks ;).
4. Read newspapers and keep an eye for openings.
5. Keep in touch with your friends working in your field. You never know who might tipoff you about vacancies in near future.

Ok! so now you know what not to write in ur résumé, we can actually start writing the résumé. I have explained writing every major portion in separate steps as follows:

Step 1:

Basics. Résumé should start with your name, contact address, telephone number and email address. Make sure all your information is accurate and up-to-date.

Step 2:

Job Objective. Always include your job object and don’t exceed it to more then 6-7 words.

Step 3:

Education History and Work experience. If you are a fresh grad just out of college then include your education history first followed by your summer work/internship or some part time job you might have done. Clearly state the problem, the part you played in that project and your achievements.

If you are shifting job with lots of past experience its better to begin with latest work experience first date-to-date and then education history can follow. About 10-12 years of experience is enough for this section.

Step 4:

Technical skills. Though sometimes it is considered optional to write technical skills, in my opinion it’s always good to include some job related skills. But don’t overload your resume by including every tool you have ever used.

Step 5:

References. This is really an optional part and you can omit if you are not confident about it. If some references are required you can always provide them later on.

That’s all. It wasn’t that hard, was it? Now that you have mastered the art of writing a impressive résumé here are some points to remember:

• Keep your résumé short.
• Use short paragraphs.
• Follow a fixed format. And keep the style consistent.
• Avoid using fancy fonts and too small or too large font size.
• Avoid using “I” too often.
• Always check for spelling mistakes.
• Don’t USE TOO MANY CAPITAL LETTERS, IT LOOKS RUDE.
• Try rewriting your resume to suit job profile.

"Well begun is half done" - Aristotle

The key word is ’concise’. Résumé should not be more then couple of pages long. If its only one page, great! A typical HR guy receives hundreds of applications every week.

But how to make that five pages long résumé short? Everything looks so important. Keeping the following guidelines in mind while writing the résumé can significantly reduce the size without leaving anything important out:

1. Select a format and stick to it: selecting a format that suits your requirement is the most important part of making your résumé. Three main formats you can use are:
• Chronological format: This format is suitable for an experienced person who is interested in changing his job. The résumé contains a date by date narration of previous jobs.
• Functional format: This is suitable for a fresh graduate or if someone is changing his field. You get to show your transferable skills and all sorts of achievements not necessarily part of your job.
• Chronological-combination format: Though both the formats have pros and cons, like one might have guessed, the best option is to combine both the formats. This type of résumé contains a narration of past job experiences and also describes the skills. This format is equally suitable for fresh grads as well as experienced applicants.
2. Put only the graduation and higher academic details unless specifically asked. Hardly anyone is interested in your secondary school details. Though don’t forget to include any awards/achievements you might have got.
3. Projects/job description should be to the point and not lengthy paragraphs describing every minute detail. That way you leave something to be discussed during interview.
4. If you don’t remember details of any project then don’t include it in your résumé. Remember, you are in big trouble if you can’t answer questions related to your résumé.
5. Don’t include projects that are not relevant to the job offered.