It starts with the cover letter.
This one-page document is the first impression recruiters will have of you. It needs to be succinct and focused on the skills highlighted in the advertisement if you want to stay in the 'yes' pile.
So, how do you know where to begin? Start with the job ad:
Program Operations Assist
Full time position open for a responsible and experienced operations assistant based in Barre. Managerial level duties include financial and information systems as well as support for staff, technology applications and facilities.
Experience with nonprofit fund accounting required. Must have demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office 2007; QuickBooks; database systems and data entry; business communication; financial and program reporting.
1. List the skills they are looking for:
- Nonprofit fund accounting experience
- Microsoft Office 2007
- QuickBooks
- Database systems & Data entry
- Business communication
- Financial and program reporting
- QuickBooks: For the past five years, I have run my own part-time tax return business and have always trained my clients in QuickBooks to help them improve their financial organization throughout the year.
3. Review your resume to make sure that all of the skills appear somewhere.
4. What if you aren't proficient in one of the desired skill areas? Sign up for a course to gain confidence in that area so that when the interview comes and they ask, 'what is your weakness?' you can say:
- "Well, I know you were looking for someone with financial reporting experience. Although I have had some general experience in that area, I decided to take a course at Champlain College in financial reporting so that I could excel in all of the skill areas you are looking for."
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