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October 5, 2020

How to Wow Your Audience with Amazing Blog Content

If you’re reading this, you understand the power of blogs. Blogs offer fun and interesting ways to learn new things, connect with others who share similar interests, and interact with your favorite personalities, brands, products, and services. 

As a business owner, entrepreneur, or mompreneur, blogs offer a fantastic opportunity to increase your online profile, share more about your business or area of expertise, and grow your brand. Some blogs are personal passion projects, and others are geared toward selling. But all great blogs have three things in common. They all:

  • Speak to a specific audience.
  • Are relevant and authentic.
  • Encourage action, discussion, or debate among readers.

If you have a blog or are thinking about starting a blog, these tips can help you take your blog to the next level.

 

Know Your Readers

Part of the magic of a blog is that it lets readers and writers connect in new ways. Thanks to the vastness of the internet, readers can find blogs on almost any topic imaginable. That same vastness means that your universe of potential readers is gigantic. Because your blog’s reach can easily exceed your customer base, the key to tapping this magic is finding the right readers for your blog. As a creator, this means that your blogs must be targeted to specific readers. 

When you create a business blog, you want your content to find the right people–those who might have an interest in your product, service, or business. To make sure your blog lands with the right audience, picture the reader before you start writing. Ask yourself what you want the reader to:

  • Know
  • Feel, and 
  • Do differently as a result of reading the blog.

The answer doesn’t have to be serious–many blogs are for fun or branding. Your answer can also be part of a goal, such as creating interest in a new product and converting a certain percentage of readers to buyers. Starting with the reader in mind makes it easier to write content that resonates with your readers and accomplishes your goals.

Like all communication, understanding your audience is vital. Think about what interests your audience, what drives them, and what moves them to act/buy. Consider spending some advertising or promotion dollars to help find your followers and make sure they see your content. A social media consultant can help you find and entice the right readers. (Hiremymom.com is a great place to find a freelance Social Media consultant.)

 

Write Relevant and Authentic Material

With your audience in mind, it’s time to start creating content. Here are some tips to help you start writing:

  • Determine what you want to say. Pick one topic for each blog. It’s tempting to try to put several ideas into one blog but stick to one. Once you start blogging, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to share all your content. And, sticking to one idea makes it easier on you as the writer and for your readers.
  • Make sure the content you are considering is relevant and authentic to your voice and your brand. When you write about things you know and care about, your expertise and enthusiasm shine through. 
  • Choose words, phrases, and an overall style that reflects you and your business. If you are blogging about decorating, a fun, breezy tone is probably the right fit. If you blog about estate planning or insurance, you likely want a style that shows more gravitas to help you establish credibility and reflects your expertise.
  • Add photos and graphics to create visual interest.
  • Use spell check and tools like Grammarly to make sure your blog is free of spelling or punctuation errors. You can use a free-level grammar check or purchase an annual subscription to help make all your writing sing. 

 

Need help writing?

Not everyone loves the process of blogging, but that doesn’t have to be a barrier to starting a blog that supports your business. If you don’t love writing or don’t have the time to do it well, consider hiring a ghostwriter. You share your ideas with a writer who then drafts your blog in your voice. You still get credit as the author while saving a lot of time. 

 

Invite Engagement

The best blogs make readers think and create engagement, measured through likes, comments, and discussion. So, be prepared to engage with your audience and have a conversation.

End each blog with a question for readers. Invite your readers to weigh in on the topic–whether they agree, disagree, or have experiences to share. Have a plan for responding to comments. Engagement is what keeps readers returning. You may even identify a staff member or hire a virtual assistant or social media consultant to take point on responses.

Blogging is a fun and rewarding way to grow your online presence. These tips can help you take your content from ho-hum to fantastic. Leave a comment sharing your experience with blogging.

 

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April 22, 2020

How Important Is Your Cover Letter?

Guest Contributor: McLean Mills

Job applicants across all industries and level of employment are typically asked for two key documents when applying for a position: a resume and a cover letter. In most of our eyes, it’s the resume that dominates the stage. We think it’s what hiring managers really care about and what will ultimately make or break our chances of being given an interview. The cover letter, on the other hand, is seen as something that compliments the resume. It provides a little intro that leads up to the main act performed by the resume.

However, before you simply dismiss the importance of cover letters and just treat it as a mindless chore to complete within the application process, you should be informed of new research that challenges our preconceptions of its worth. In a recent study conducted by resume writing service, ResumeGo, the majority of hiring managers and recruiters indicated that a well-written cover letter that highlights the candidate’s qualifications was, in-fact, very important. So let’s go into the details of it a little:

 

Applications With Tailored Cover Letters Get More Callbacks

In the study, it was found that including a tailored cover letter increases a candidate’s odds of getting an interview by 50% compared to those without a cover letter at all. That is a staggeringly high number to throw out there, but one backed by hard evidence and a large sample size.

As part of the study, 7,287 fictitious applications were submitted either with no cover letter, a generic cover letter, or a customized cover letter. These applications were tracked during a 6-month period between July 2019 and January 2020. 

Applicants in the study who did not submit a cover letter with their applications had a callback rate of 10.7% in the 30 days following the submission. So about 1 in 10 applicants with no cover letter were extended an interview.

Comparatively, applicants with a generic cover letter received a 12.5% callback rate and those with a tailored cover letter that perfectly matched the position hung at 16.4%. The results were undeniable, a cover letter resulted in a better chance of getting a callback. But more specifically, applicants with a customized cover letter tailored to the specific job application ended up receiving the highest callback rates of all. 

 

What do Hiring Managers Think of Cover Letters?

The two-part study by ResumeGo also surveyed 236 recruiters and hiring managers to find out how they view cover letters. Through a series of questions, they found that the vast majority of recruiters and hiring managers do appreciate a cover letter in the applications they read and report that it does positively influence their perception of the applicants.

87% of hiring managers will read cover letters. If you always assumed hiring managers just skipped over cover letters, think again!

More than half of hiring managers report that cover letters can influence their hiring decisions. To be exact, 65% of recruiters and hiring managers say that content contained in a cover letter has directly influenced their decision to pursue a candidate. So not only do hiring managers read cover letters, they also find them important.

76% of recruiters will not reject an applicant due to a poorly written cover letter. Interestingly enough, recruiters aren’t just throwing away applications just because they see a poor cover letter. While it certainly doesn’t help, submitting a poor cover letter doesn’t necessarily mean you’re entirely out of luck.

81% of hiring managers prefer a tailored cover letter. This reiterates the main takeaway from the study – tailored cover letters lead to more interviews! Remember that hiring professionals are likely reviewing hundreds and hundreds of applications for every job opening. They don’t have time to read through template cover letters so give them something valuable or nothing at all.

78% of hiring managers find it easy to tell if it’s a template. Even if you have found a good template that you are happy with, you are probably not fooling the hiring manager. Most of them report that it is easy to tell if a candidate has used a generic cover letter or if they have taken the time to craft a unique one. 

74% of hiring managers do not punish candidates that do not provide a cover letter. Interestingly enough, although the field experiment found that candidates with a tailored cover letter are more likely to get interviews, most hiring managers insist that they do not “punish candidates” if they don’t submit a cover letter at all.

 

Bottom Line

I get it, tailoring your cover letter for every job submission is tedious stuff – and perhaps even impractical if your strategy is to mass apply for jobs. You may only be able to tailor your cover letter for the job openings you truly have your eye out for. However, the data is mounting, and it’s important to be aware of just how potentially impactful a tailored cover letter is in the job submission process.

By planning ahead and prioritizing which job openings to spend more time on, you can hopefully muster up a job application strategy that includes having personalized cover letters that get the job done.

 

McLean Mills is a career coach and blogger. He was also a career counselor for the University of Florida. When not on the work grind, you can catch him rereading Harry Potter for the billionth time.
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September 10, 2019

Resume Tips For Moms Rejoining the Workforce

Guest Post by Pauline Delaney, ResumeGenius.com

For stay-at-home moms, starting a new job search after being out of the workforce for a long time can feel intimidating — especially if you have little or no professional experience.

After all, you have to compete with candidates who have the advantage of years of uninterrupted career building. Standing out from the crowd and showing employers that you have what it takes isn’t easy.

Fortunately, there’s still plenty you can do to give yourself a competitive edge and lock down an interview.

Tailoring your resume to each position you apply for is one great way to edge out the competition and make your resume stand out. Most job seekers use one resume for everything, so making yours more relevant to each position will help you get noticed and demonstrate to employers that you’re a perfect fit.

You can also use a resume format that diverts attention from your employment gap. That will move the hiring manager away from your work history, and towards the aspects of your resume that more effectively market your talents — such as your skills section or resume objective.

Additionally, using a functional resume format, which highlights your skills, is an effective way to demonstrate to employers that, even though you haven’t recently held a job, you still have the relevant expertise.

For more information, this infographic breaks down five simple resume writing tips for stay-at-home moms who are looking to rejoin the workforce. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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October 1, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips to Improve Your Writing

Writing is an important part of marketing and advertising these days. Even if you aren’t doing either of these things, you might still have a personal (or business) blog, or simply want to improve your writing skills. Whatever your reason for writing, we can always improve!

If you’ve ever wanted to expand upon your writing skills for personal or professional reasons, read along for some of our top tips.

Practice

If you want to improve your writing, you have to practice! This can begin with reading others’ writing – blogs, newspapers, books and magazines, to name a few, and going from there.

It might be helpful to start your own personal blog, or a blog based on your current industry.  If you don’t feel ready to publish for the world to see, write on your own time. You can create your own daily journal, or write a short story that’s updated on a weekly basis.

The more you write, the more comfortable you become. Once you’re comfortable writing, you can work to improve sentence structure, grammatical errors, and flow.

Gather feedback

When we write our own pieces, it’s hard to disconnect.  Ask a friend or family member to review your writing for errors, flow, and any other suggestions.

They can also let you know if you need to be more concise!  Sometimes we get on a roll with writing, and we tend to get a bit too wordy.

Develop your own style

To find your own style, begin by writing in a variety of ways.  From standard AP style to casual blogs, it all requires some different perspectives.  If you really want to improve in general, try to incorporate them all.

From here, you can discover what you like best! Discover your own style. Is it more conversational in nature? Do you enjoy technical writing?  You might stumble upon a skill or career that you never knew you had!

Tell stories

The best writing and presentations includes telling stories. People want to relate to you, so it’s important that you incorporate details that allow them to do that. Stories are always more interesting and give your audience something to relate to.

Whether you’re writing a more “dry” piece or writing for an entertainment magazine, short stories are intriguing.  You can write about the subject(s), something that happened to you, or a story from history that supports your premise.

Put yourself out there

Writing doesn’t have to be scary, nor do you have to be a professional to get started! You can create a free blog on sites such as WordPress, and it takes almost nothing to get started – just some time.

If you have a message or story to share with the world, put yourself out there on a regular basis. This can only improve your writing, as well as keep you writing on a consistent basis.

When you write often and always look for improvement, you’re well on your way to developing more skill and accuracy as a writer!

Keep learning. Keep growing!

At HireMyMom we want to help our Mom Professionals continue to learn and thrive in their business. We often provide free online training. Learn more about our memberships and how you can join a supportive faith-based community of Mom Professionals!

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August 27, 2018 0 Comments

How to Add Personality to Your Resume

We typically see one type of resume in the job hunting world – white paper, black font, and probably not much (if any) color.

While this is the standard and will work for its intended purpose, it often doesn’t have a lot of personality.  Certain jobs require more formality, so the standard is your best option, but for those jobs that ask for creativity in the job description, or simply demand something unique – add some personality!

Here are some of our favorite ways to do just that:

  • Change the design: Most resumes follow the same standard layout, but they don’t have to! You could put your document into unique, colorful sections, or simply add blocks of color for each section heading.

  • Add some color: Color is just more fun to look at! If you’re keeping it conservative, simply add color to your name at the top so it stands out.  Or, you could really go all out and do your whole resume in one color. Of course, ensure that this is still easily readable, and also send over a copy that doesn’t include so much color in case they’d like to print it.

  • Be conversational: Formal language has its place, but it’s not always in a resume. You can still talk in a conversational way that uses layman’s terms. Be sure to include all relevant data and qualitative data, but present it more casually.  For something extra fun, you can even include charts or graphs with your numerical data!

  • Make it fit: Are you interviewing for a position at an art gallery? You could change your resume to look like an easel, or feature a paint palette in a way that’s relevant.  You can always tailor your actual resume to the job position in a memorable way.

  • Add something unexpected: Most hiring managers are used the same old thing. Surprise them! Add a creative drawing or graphic, use a custom font, or simply present it in a unique way.

  • Try a different format: Resumes don’t always have to be on paper! You can try a video or slideshow resume. Of course, make sure this is okay with the hiring manager, and possibly leave these for the job positions that say they’re actively seeking something different in your application.

  • Add a photo: It can be nice to put a face to a name. In some cases, you might want to include your photo.  You could also include a photo of something you accomplished, whether it was a build in your job work, or an event photo from something you planned.

  • Include what’s needed: No matter how you choose to add personality to your resume, it’s important that it still includes important information.  Be sure you’re not leaving out any important and relevant job positions, accomplishments, or education. At the end of the day, that will still be the most important part!

 

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August 20, 2018 0 Comments

4 Key Components Of a Great Cover Letter

Your cover letter is often the first thing that a potential employer will read from you, so it’s a very important document! Of course, your resume will be crucial since it lists all of your experience and accomplishments, but your cover letter is a place to add personality and make a case for your hiring.

Read along for some of our best advice for a cover letter that stands out.

Restate

When you start your letter, it’s best to restate the position and company which you’re applying for.  This ensures that it goes to the right place, and states again what you’re seeking.

In addition to restating the position and company, it’s helpful to restate some of the key qualities that the employer is seeking, especially those that match you very well.  Be sure to make the connection between the job posting and yourself as a great fit.

Add some personality

Cover letters don’t necessarily have to be boring! Especially if the job is more “informal,” use it as a place to add your personality.  It can be a bit conversational in nature, while still adhering to solid grammar. Adapt the cover letter to match you, as well as the position.  If it’s a very prestigious job that requires a strong vocabulary and a lot of formality, it may be best to stick to the basics.

One page

As with most things in your job application, do your best to keep it to one page.  All the information you should need should fit on one page:

  • Restate the position and employer where you hope to be hired.

  • Include some qualities from the job posting that fit your personality and work experience.

  • Use bullets for stand out job experience and highlights that make you a great fit.

  • End with a request for further contact and an interview, as well as a note that your resume is attached and your recommendations are available upon request.

Be specific

When you go to write your bullet points, be as specific as you can! It’s great to say, for example, that you planned an event that’s relevant to the position.  It’s even better to write that you planned an event with a $250,000 budget for 500 attendees that resulted in $400,000 being raised for a charity. Using specific facts, figures and numbers helps to drive home your point even more, and it shows that you have the detail on your accomplishments.

Your cover letter should be personable, short, and include reasons why you are the best possible fit for this job position.  Tailor each and every letter to each specific job posting with the tips above, and you’ll be well on your way to a more successful hiring process.

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August 13, 2018 0 Comments

5 Tips for A Professional Job Application

We all know the importance of a resume when you apply for a job, but there’s often more to the application than just that. There’s the cover letter, recommendation letters, resume, and anything else requested by that particular position.

We’re sharing our best tips to keeping your whole job application professional and effective, so you’re ready to apply when those ideal positions come along.

Keep it up to date

Even if you’re not actively job searching, sometimes the right position just pops up. Be ready for these opportunities! Every month or so, take a few minutes to update and review your materials.  This will keep things fresh, keep you from scrambling, and help you avoid losing future opportunities due to time.

This is also a good time to prepare all potential documents.  If you only have a resume so far, draft a cover letter and seek out at least 2-4 professional recommendations to have on file.

Short and sweet

A professional application is short and sweet! You may think you need to elaborate or sound wordy to be impressive, but employers receive a ton of applications.  They will greatly appreciate that you kept to the most essential information.

Use bullets

Along with keeping things short and sweet, don’t be afraid to use bullet points liberally! It allows employers to easily scan your information for items that jump out, and keeps information in bite-sized pieces.

You can utilize bullet points in all areas of your application – the cover letter and resume, as well as any other documents required by the posting.

Free from errors

If you want to submit a professional application, it should be free from spelling and grammatical errors. Take the time to really proofread well, and ask a friend or family member to take a look as well.  We can miss small errors by seeing the same piece of writing so many times, so don’t be afraid to have several sets of eyes on it.

Errors and mistakes can make you come across as careless, even if that couldn’t be further from the truth.  It’s worth the extra time to ensure that all of your materials are perfect!

All materials

These days, not all job postings are standard.  Some of them require additional writing samples, tests, and so on.  You need to read very carefully! They’re often looking for someone who follows directions.

Be sure that you include everything that is asked for, and don’t include other things that are not.  Each employer usually has a very specific skill set and documents that they’re requiring, so it’s best to stick to that.

To start, ensure that you have a cover letter, solid, updated resume, and recommendations, which can either be attached or ready upon request. This will give you a foundation, and any other requested materials can be created quickly!

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December 11, 2017 0 Comments

5 Tips for a Successful Blog

Running a successful blog is a very important part of running a business.   How can blogging help you?  It can boost SEO, help you establish yourself as the expert in your field, and provide content for social media posting.

We’ve all heard that blogging is important, but how do we achieve success with our blog?  Read along for some best tips and tricks to make blogging painless and effective!

Post consistently

Consistency is key! If you only blog once or twice per year, you’re not accomplishing any of the goals of blogging.  You need to get on a consistent schedule, whether it’s once per week, 3 times per week, or once per month. Decide what you can commit to and stick with it! It will take some time to see results, but it’s worth sticking it out.

Create a content calendar of topics and blog post ideas and work from there.  Once you lay out your schedule, make it easy on yourself and have everything ready to go. From here, you can simply start writing and let the words flow.

Share it

Once you create blog content, you have to share it! Start by sharing on your business Facebook page – and even your personal page if it’s a widely relevant topic.  From there, you can share to Twitter, LinkedIn, and anywhere else that your business has a presence.  This allows for more eyes on your blog post, which makes the effort even more worth it.

Another thing you can do is add the blog post to your LinkedIn page.  There’s the “Publisher” or “Write an Article” feature at the top of the page, and it’s useful to share your content there as well.

Use the content

Use the content that you worked so hard to create! You can break down your blog post into little tips and advice, which you can then share on social media.

Find a central topic and create an eye-catching graphic around it.  You can simply copy and paste the information into the graphic, making it very shareable and beneficial, since you’re reusing the content for social media content purposes.

Write about what matters

Write about things that people would want to know most in your industry! When people come to your blog, they want to know more about your expert topic.  Show your skill set! Provide answers to common questions, show the benefits of your business or service, or simply write on a topic that’s also relevant to your specific audience. When people are connected to your blog posts, they’re more likely to keep reading and to share with others.

Search it out

Try the Google Keyword Planner! It’s a great place to test searches and see what people are searching within your industry and knowledge base.  You can test keywords and see how they perform, as well as the competition around certain keywords.  This is a great way to stay above the competition; it’s like you’re reading the minds of your audience!

When you know what people want to see, it’s easier to come up with a content calendar.  Create a content calendar with post topics, titles, and blog graphics at least 4-8+ weeks out, which will make it all the easier for you to blog on a consistent basis.

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February 22, 2016 0 Comments

3 Steps to a Quality Recommendation Letter

Whether you’re looking for a job, need one for your LinkedIn profile, or simply want to add it to your portfolio, recommendation letters are a key component to your professional file.

Quality recommendation letters give you credibility and instant trust with a new employer or prospect, along with giving you a boost of confidence in your strongest areas.  Read along for some quick tips to receiving a shining letter that makes you look great!

Ask when the time is right

When you come across a happy client or end a job or internship on a high note, it’s an ideal time to ask for a recommendation. A happy client will be more than willing to share their experience while they’re still in a good place, and your past employer knows that you’ll need a quality letter to move forward in your career.

It’s not a great time to ask for a recommendation if you ended a job in a less-than-ideal place, or if your client was simply lukewarm about your product or service.

Ask the right person

In addition to asking at the right time, be sure you’re asking the right person.  Choose someone who does a good job at using words to express thoughts, as well as someone who knows you well enough to write something specific enough.  Recommendations work best when they highlight you specifically versus general praise.

Asking a close co-worker is always a fairly safe bet, but be sure that they can speak about you professionally in a way that shows you at your best.  It goes without saying that all recommendations should be honest, and while they should be glowing, they must ring true to your experience and contributions to the position or service.

Offer something in return

While most people would gladly write a recommendation without expecting anything in reutrn, you can always make your request more appealing by offering something back.

Whether you can offer them a recommendation in return, a learning session, or an opinion on something for them, it’s always nice to give back.

Recommendations are important to your professional career, and along the way, you’ll likely meet numerous past clients and employers who are willing to rave about you.  Always ask! It can be tempting to be shy and walk away from an opportunity, but you can’t receive a great review if you never ask! Get those strong reviews at the right time, post them where they’re most visible, and watch your credibility and trust levels increase substantially.

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