Writing an Effective Cover Letter

So here you are browsing the Internet for ways to improve or help you get started with your job hunt. You are on the right track.

Although some companies do not require a cover letter anymore, many still do, and you don't want to regret a chance of employment just because you failed to give them the information they need to know about you.

First impressions last. The same is true when you're applying for a job. The cover letter is the first document you will ever send a potential employer. With it, you will either make or break it and the risks are high.

Parts of the Cover Letter:

• Date - The day you plan to send the letter. You may write this 2 weeks or even a month earlier, but make sure you update this information so that it will show the date the letter was actually sent out.


• Sender's Address - This part is optional and I would not recommend it unless you are currently working in a fairly good and known company and you have a remarkable attractive position.


• Recipient's Address - This is the name and address of the company you are sending your letter and resume to. If you know the exact name of the recipient, you can write his or her name instead, position, company name and company address.


• Salutation - Sir/Ma'am, Mr. LastName or Ms LastName.


• Body - This is the most important part of the letter. The body text has three (3) parts. First, a simple but brief explanation how you learned about the vacancy and that you are interested and applying for this particular position. The second part should summarize all your skills and strengths. The final and third part is a paragraph calling for an action. This is where you tell your reader that are available anytime for an interview, exam or to answer any question. Do not forget to leave your contact number/s and email address.


• Closing - Use "Sincerely" always


• Signature - Your full name. Your current position in your company usually follows under your full name.

Tips in Writing your Body Text:

• Being direct and simple is the way to do it. Start by describing your main skills. Do not use complex sentences. Active verbs are also preferred over passive. Try to sound as professional as possible. Do not claim to be an expert of anything unless you are, but do not be too humble either. You can talk about your attitude towards work and other people in a second paragraph.


• Use simple font styles. The most commonly used font styles are Times New Roman, Arial or Palatino Type, but never Papyrus, Raavi, Comic Sans and the like.


• Use a known word processor in writing your letter like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer.

• Pay attention to details. Check all the information: names, dates, contact information; and make sure they are correct, and then check again. Before sending it, check everything for the last time.


• Never misspell anything.

Now you're ready to write your own cover letter. Goodluck!

Jumper Movie (2008): A Review

Warning: This article contains spoilers.

I’m no movie expert but after watching Jumper yesterday, I find it a must to leave a little note for the viewing people.

For starters, I can say that the effects were great. It started off with the story of his (David Rice) accidental discovery of his ability to jump (teleport) when he fell into an icy pond for retrieving a snow shaker (like this – snow globe - but simpler), after his love interest’s (Millie) boyfriend/suitor threw it. Trapped into the icy pond and nearing death … (Read more)

Travel to Barbados

Barbados, also known as Little England is in fact no "little" at all.

It is perceived as virtually far because it’s not very easy to reach and is detached from the rest of its neighboring islands, yet it is one of most visited tourist attractions in the Caribbean. It is a hideaway to most travelers because it’s hard to get to but then harder to leave, as one travel site described it.

Barbados is a small island located at the southern Caribbean region and has a growing population of 280,000. It is part of the Lesser Antilles island chain that runs with Bahamas and Greater Antilles to form the West Indies.

With its subtropical climate, the Barbados Island’ forests and mountains have been naturally nourished, which makes it a great site for nature tripping, hiking, jogging and cycling. Even golfers, professional and amateurs, have found a haven in this paradise. Yearly, several sporting events are held in Barbados, including events for boat and parasailing.

As their habitat was protected, so were Barbados’ wildlife and marine life. Animal lovers will be happy to know that there are great destinations in Barbados where you can actually interact with the animals. Most recommended in Barbados is the Wildlife Reserve where a whole day can be spent just looking at all the beautiful creatures. For aquatic life, there are several options, too. You can visit Ocean Park where big and small aquariums display the most colorful and unique marine living creatures, where children can see them up close. Another way to do it requires further physical challenge, which is to go snorkeling or diving. Some can book for one of the packages in a cruise company where visitors can actually swim with the turtles.

There are many a great beaches and parks in Barbados for all water sports lovers out there. The sandy beaches send tingles and excitement beneath the feet of children and carpet for a couple. Rich in corals and undisturbed marine life, beaches in Barbados are also great for scuba diving. You can check out the Grand Barbados Beach Resort, Almond Resorts Barbados and a lot, lot more.

Other travelers love Barbados for the cultural heritage it has retained intact. Houses, churches, museums and other structures are living proofs of how the Barbados was during the British arrival in the 1620s. Even tools Bajans used hundreds of years back have still stood the hands of time. See the displays of silverwares, prints, antiques and tools at Barbados Museum and Sunbury Plantation House. Also see the picturesque churches like St. Philip’s Parish and houses, a good example of which is George Washington’s temporary house when he went to Barbados for his only international trip.

Celebrating their culture, Barbadians are also rich in festivities. The longest taking a whole month of preparation and the event itself is the Crop Over. Other festivities include the Oistins Fish Festival and Holetown Festival.

Barbados or Little England is no "little" at all in its historical, ecological and grandeur sense, because it is one great and wondrous place just hidden away in a small island.

For more information and tips about traveling to Barbados, visit www.travel-barbados.com.

What is Freelance Writing

This is the first part of a series of articles that I plan to write about working as a freelance writer. There are many great ways to get started as a freelancer, but the best way is always to define what we mean when we say "freelance writer". How do freelance writers differ from other writers?

A freelance writer is one who writes for another and get paid for it without an employer. In other terms, these people are self-employed, mostly writers online. There are lots of ways for freelance writers to earn. First is when another person hires you to write on a certain topic. Usually the person who hires the freelance writer already has a specific topic in mind and needs a number of articles written about it. Secondly, you can write about any topic you like and then sell the articles in bulk or piece. Lastly, a freelance writer can write his or her own ebook and sell it online!

Definitely the last is the best way to earn, because all you have to finish is at least one ebook and sell it as many times as possible for as long as you like. However, if you are not likely a writer that can endure an ebook-long writing task, there are other ways, which I will be explaining in my next articles.

Just like any first step though, getting started with freelance writing is not always easy. This is mainly because there are just too many writers out there now and making a difference can be a tough challenge unless you want to get bitten. I will be talking about this in more detail hopefully soon, but as of now, I want you to prepare for my next article. I want you to answer these questions, "what topics do I love writing about?" and "what is my edge over other writers?".

In my next article, we will discuss more about getting started as freelance writer. Until next time here in WriteLance!

Tips in Selecting a Ceiling Fan

Ceiling fans are great, not only because they make a lot of difference in making a room comfortable, but because they save space and are cheaper than air conditioners. For some, these fans, especially the antique ones or those bought from other parts of the world, symbolize power and attitude.

Selecting a fan for you home is really very simple, but before going to the design, shapes and sizes, let me list the most important things to consider first across all ceiling fans, and these are its motor and its blades. You should of course stay away from any fan that makes humming, hissing or buzzing sounds. Blade architecture is equally important, so choose blades that are not too light but not too heavy because your fan may wobble. Farreys.com offers a wide variety of ceiling fans that are energy-sufficient and modern looking such as Hunter's Covent Garden. See more of Farrey's Hunter designs at http://www.farreys.com/ceiling_fans/hunter/index.html or other energy-saving Modern Fan Co products at http://www.farreys.com/ceiling_fans/modern/index.html.

Now, for the design of your ceiling fan, the challenge is to get one that complements your room, home or office. In selecting the proper size, always remember that the size of room and that of the fan are symmetric, which means that you will not select a large fan for a small room. Similarly, you will not buy one medium-sized fan for a very big room. Farrey's collection of Casablanca fans is complete with all the combinations of sizes, colors and functionality. To see their products, visit http://www.farreys.com/ceiling_fans/casablanca/index.html.

To get the exact design and functionality that you're looking for, visit www.farreys.com and use their search fields to specify your exact requirements. Good luck on your new ceiling fan!

Suklay at Sapatos

Sina Rosalia at Dino ay bagong kasal at tunay na nagmamahalan, ngunit sila'y nagdadaan sa isang matinding dagok. Wala na silang mapagkunan ng pera. Si Dino lamang ang nagtatrabaho at ngayon ay hindi rin malakas ang kita.

Sa kaarawan ni Dino, gustong-gusto ni Rosalia na makabili ng regalo ngunit wala syang maisip na paraan para maibilhan si Dino ng espesyal na regalo. Naisip nya na pasira na ang sapatos ni Dino at ang tanging paraan para makabili sya nito ay kapag naibenta nya ang kanyang paboritong suklay.

Si Dino naman habang nasa trabaho ay naisip nito ang magandang buhok ni Rosalia. Nais nya sa kanyang kaarawan na mapasaya ang pinakamamahal nyang asawa, kaya binilhan nya ito ng bagong suklay matapos ibenta ang kanyang sapatos para rito.

Sa huli, ang pagmamahalan ng dalawa ang tunay na regalo nila sa isa-t isa.

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