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June 9, 2020

5 Tips for Hiring a Remote Team Member

Entrepreneurs often find themselves wearing too many hats. And at some point, it becomes obvious that hiring a contractor or team member make sense for growth, sustainability and sanity.  

Remote work has revolutionized the way small to medium businesses conduct themselves. It’s become an attractive and affordable option for many reasons and  COVID-19 just helped raise awareness of how feasible and advantageous it is. Once you’ve decided to hire your first or next remote team member, you’ll need some guidance on the process.

 

Here are 5 tips to get you started with your new hire:

 

Crafting Your Job Description

The first step is to get the job title right. You want to make sure you attract relevant candidates to your posting — and your job title is your headline. Think about what roles and responsibilities you’d like your new hire to take on and match the job description to them.

Your job description should define the overall goals of the role. 

What is the main goal of this role? This should not be just the most important tasks of the job, but also the outcomes you desire for this role.  For instance, is your goal an increase in sales? Is it building followers on social media and attracting new clients? Or are you looking for the highest levels of customer service? Knowing your goals will help drive your job description and the qualities and skills you are seeking in a candidate.

If you are seeking an assistant to take over some of your day-to-day duties, it’s sometimes helpful to keep track of your typical day. Pay attention to the tasks you like doing and the ones you don’t and write them down. Do the same for tasks you struggle with. It’s a lot easier to put those into your job description so you can attract the right candidate who is qualified and experienced with the areas of your business you need the most help with.

 

Where to Find Your New Hire

There are many places you can post your job to:

  • Social media like Facebook and LinkedIn
  • General job sites like Indeed or Monster
  • Niche or boutique job sites like WeHireHeroes.com (Vets) and HireMyMom.com 


With the social media and general job sites, you are likely  to get upwards of a thousand or more applicants in a 24 hour period. That’s one reason many have switched to the more niche sites where they can attract high quality candidates without spending days sifting through resumes. Boutique sites filter out the best of the best leaving you with quality candidates who are serious about working for you to choose from. We cover other advantages in this blog.

(Note: At HireMyMom our professionals are independent and not employed by HireMyMom. We do not charge any commissions to the job seeker or employer.)

Screening Your Candidates

Once you’ve received applicants for your job posting, it’s time to start reviewing who you want to interview.  Here are some keys to moving through this step:

Cover Letter – ask for specifics in the cover letter title to filter out those who are not paying attention to detail.
(Traits: attention to detail, invested time, not cut and pasted).

Portfolios – you can ask for samples of their work to evaluate the quality and efficiency (depending on the job).
(Traits: Depending on the portfolio you can ask for web design examples, market research samples, or ask them to submit a short video answering a couple of questions).

Resume – make sure the resume you’re presented with is professional and speaks to the traits and skills you are seeking.
(Traits: Attention to detail, articulation, grammar and spelling, time invested).

Skill Tests – there are some really great online skill tests available that you can ask your candidates to complete to help you determine their personality traits and competencies. One to consider is 123Test.com. 

Conducting Interviews


When it comes to the interview process, a couple of the most common platforms for video interviews are Zoom and Skype.

It’s important to ask the right questions during the interview process. We’ve put together a really great interview cheat sheet featuring our Top 10 Interview Questions To Ask that you can download here.

The last step in the interview process is to screen for references. You can ask your candidates for 3 references but there are other ways you can screen them too. 

If they have a LinkedIn profile you can preview it to see if they have any referrals or endorsements. You can also preview any shared social media profiles so get a better understanding of their work (if applicable) and personality traits.

 

Creating Your Job Offer

Once you’re ready to take that big step you can prepare your job offer.

Job offers will vary depending on whether you are bringing your candidate onto your payroll or hiring them as an Independent Contractor.

The common job offers will include the following:

The job classification – part-time, full time, contract-based, etc.

  • Hourly or salary rate.
  • How and when candidate will be paid.
  • Expected work hours if certain hours are required.
  • For employees: benefits, vacation allowance, and any other job perks disclosed in the job description.
  • Conditions of employment – include contract term (if applicable) and probationary period.
  • Start date and training / onboarding period.

If you’re in need of some guidance for independent contractors, check out our article 7 Essentials to an Independent Contractor Agreement.)

At HireMyMom, we feel blessed to have helped thousands of employers find talented remote team members for their businesses for over 13 years now.

We hope you have found this article useful. If you’d like more information about HireMyMom and the services we provide to employers you can visit our employer page here.

 

 

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June 1, 2020

Top Jobs and Tools for Today’s Virtual Assistant

The year is 2020 and times have sure changed compared to where we were last year. A huge part of the COVID-19 prevention has resulted in the closure of many small to medium sized businesses. For the companies that can continue to operate, they have been able to convert to remotely running their businesses to meet the changing protocols within their cities and states.

The demand for a quality virtual assistant is becoming more of a necessity now, which means great news for VA’s around the world.

In fact, as the world revolutionizes to functioning almost 100% remotely, businesses are recognizing the true value and positive impact a virtual assistant can make on their company’s growth, success and retention rate.

Today, we’re going to cover the top highly sought after virtual assistant jobs as well as the most utilized software pertaining to these roles so that you can take advantage of the many workplace opportunities that are arising.

 

Administrative Assistant

The need for administrative assistance has become increasingly popular especially now when a lot of businesses have been pivoting to accommodate the changes from COVID-19.

Common tasks for administrative assistance include; email and calendar management, scheduling meetings, booking appointments, answering and returning phone calls, initial research and more. If you are interesting in attaining training as a VA, look at some of the training options available here.  

Commons Tools and Apps

Email & Communication

You’ll want to become well versed in the most common communication platforms such as

Email Marketing

You could also be expected to send out emails through software like;

Booking Calendars

It’s also important to learn the most popular Calendar applications such as;

 

Content and Website Maintenance

A virtual assistant can become a huge support for an online business’s website.

Whether you are helping with writing or editing of blog posts or maintaining the overall content of the company site, more and more businesses are leaning on their virtual assistant to help with this time consuming and sometimes highly repetitive task.

Suggested Software Experience:

Website Platforms:

Content Management Software

 

Customer Relations Management


With so many businesses now operating online and e-commerce on a steady incline, the key to customer retention is to stay on top of the customer service department..

Building a really great customer service protocol helps ensure that customers are happy, coming back, and referring others.

If your job as a virtual assistant includes handling aspects of the customer relations department, you’ll probably be responsible for handling customer inquiries and any concerns/issues. Providing solutions quickly and effectively helps deflect any unhappy customers and converts them to happy ones. This leads to positive word of mouth advertising and customer loyalty.

Below is a list of the most common CRM platforms:

 

Project Management

The debate is on for companies right now … do they need a virtual assistant or a virtual project manager? The answer in most cases is both!

Virtual assistants have started to take on many hats in their roles. We’ve already highlighted the three most common roles in points 1-3. 

There’s a difference between a VA’s role to take tasks away from companies and alleviate workloads compared to managing other departments and teams to ensure projects get done. 


Companies are recognizing a synergy between the two so we are seeing an increase in the level of responsibility a virtual assistant can take on. 

If you do find yourself taking on the role of project management, you’ll probably be responsible for tasks like; streamlining projects and timelines into project management software, creating a balance between short and long term goals within the company and ensuring they are met, research and analytics, all while helping each department stay on time, task, and budget.

Most common Project Management Software include:

 

Bookkeeping 

As a virtual assistant, bookkeeping tasks could fall on your plate from time to time or all of the time.

It’s an important skill set to have because let’s face it, everyone needs to be vigilante with their books (including you!!!).

If you’re a VA who will be taking on some accounting tasks, you’ll probably find yourself doing; accounts payable, accounts receivable, data entry, and inventory to name a few. If you are interesting in getting some training as a bookkeeper, look at the training options available here.  

Commonly used accounting software:

Social Media Assistance

In order for any business to succeed, there will be some level of social media marketing involved.

Whether the company you work for uses Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or LinkedIn, as a VA you could be fitted with the task of handling some of the social media management.

There is an overlap especially where your role requires managing areas of customer service. Some tasks you might find yourself doing include; posting content, fielding comments on social media posts, tracking engagement, answering questions in social media messenger apps, and more.

Commonly used Social Media Management Software:


Chances are you’ve worked in some of the software programs we have mentioned. The more experience you have in these platforms, the better. If you are lacking training, be sure to check out the Training & Resources section of HireMyMom for some FREE and some paid training options. 

Some benefits that you can draw attention to during your interview include; less transitioning and training, faster onboarding, and an overall cost efficiency for your future employer. They also make a great asset to your resume.

At HireMyMom, we have experienced a fluctuation in employers seeking out virtual assistants. The opportunities range from part time to full time which is perfect depending on your availability. Are you a VA currently seeking employment? Start here.

(We also have plenty of resources to help you spruce up your resume, cover letter and more. Check out our tips here.)

 

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May 26, 2020

HireMyMom Success Story: Cherelle Cramer

Tell us about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

I am a military spouse, full time student and a new mom. Over the seven years of being a military spouse, I have learned that it gets harder and harder to start over everytime. Well in June of 2019, we got pregnant with our first child, a girl! We lived everyday for just us two, now we live for her. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to become a stay at home mom or put her in daycare. In July, we found out we got PCS orders to move. Now in a new place, I had to start all over again! I was able to get a job but I was on call. I wasn’t guaranteed hours so we couldn’t afford daycare. Then coronavirus hit the U.S. hard. In a financial hardship, I contacted my bank, the Navy Federal Financial Advisors to see what I could do. My advisor told me about HireMyMom.com. Within three weeks, I was offered a job! 👏🏼

What are your top tips for landing a job or jobs on HireMyMom.com?

I would say I know some of you looked at the membership fee and was like, why do I have to pay. I did the same thing but I promise you it is worth it! When you get access check everyday, apply everyday if you can. Make sure to include a customized cover letter every time.

What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your work from home journey?

I wish someone would have told me that it isn’t easy working from home all the time. It is definitely different than working in a traditional office setting.

What is something about you that many people don’t know?

That I am a workaholic. I can’t stay still.

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Want to be featured here as one of HireMyMom’s Success Stories?

Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

 

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May 18, 2020

Healthy at Home: Our Immune System is our Best Defense Against Illnesses

Almost three-quarters of a million people die each year because of an unhealthy diet. We are currently at about 10% of that death rate for COVID. And while COVID is a deadly virus, the numbers in New York show that 90% of those that died had underlying health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an “unhealthy diet contributes to approximately 678,000 deaths each year in the U.S., due to nutrition- and obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. In the last 30 years, obesity rates have doubled in adults, tripled in children, and quadrupled in adolescents.”

While I know not everyone who has those health issues is a result of unhealthy diet, the numbers are still staggering. I wonder how much money is spent on prescription drugs and hospitalizations due to illnesses that are diet-related.

 

Would Coronavirus and other illnesses be less of an issue and cause less fear if we had stronger immune systems?  I believe the answer is yes and here’s why…

 

My Better Health Journey

My better health journey began in 2013 when my 18-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Grave’s disease. It was the summer before her freshman year in college and she began experiencing all kinds of strange health issues from full body rashes to hallucinations to a dangerously rapid heartbeat. The infirmary at her school called me to get her to the ER or an endocrinologist immediately. After evaluating her, the endocrinologist wanted to put her on prescription drugs for her thyroid “probably for the rest of her life” as well as heart medications and possibly remove her thyroid.

I could not accept that diagnosis for my then 18-year-old so I began researching other options. That road led me to a holistic / wellness doctor and taking a closer look at the causes of her poor health.

It did not happen overnight, but I am happy to say my daughter no longer takes any prescription drugs, still has her thyroid and is leading a healthy life by eating whole healthy foods, taking natural supplements and taking care of her body the natural way — the way God intended.

 

From Multiple Health Issues to Virtually None

I am not the only one who has learned the benefits of a natural approach to health. Shonna found herself on her own path to wellness. She was struggling with a variety of issues including an autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and a son who had social and academic struggles.

She decided to make some changes and take a more holistic approach to foods, personal products and household products. As a result, in time her son went from non-social with somewhat uncontrollable emotions (Aspergers), multiple learning diagnosis, sleep and bronchitis issues to a healthy young man who did all dual credit his senior year and just finished his freshman year with a 3.75 GPA.

She and her family are another vibrate example of how healthy whole foods are medicine for your body. It has become such a passion of Shonna’s that she now coaches others. You can read more about her story here.

 

Strengthening our Immune System

Through all of this, I recall my wellness doctor telling me we needed to strengthen our immune system. Probably something the majority of America needs to do. When illnesses like COVID come, having a healthy immune system is your best defense for staying healthy.

Dr. Hotze, an outspoken Holistic doctor, shares, “the typical American diet consists of packaged and processed foods that are depleted of most of their vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals provide the nutritional foundation for a healthy immune system; yet, most of us do not get what we need from the foods we eat.”

 

Here are a few tips on strengthening your immune system:

  • Eat healthy whole foods, not processed foods,
  • Take high-quality natural supplements including vitamin D and vitamin C,
  • Get good sleep,
  • Don’t fear or panic as stress weakens your immunity,
  • Walk and get outdoors for some exercise,
  • Reduce or eliminate white sugar. It increases risks for diseases,
  • Get some sun which offers natural vitamin D,
  • Have faith; it helps with not fearing / panicking.

I would add to make sure you drink lots of clean water for overall health. Some health professionals recommend half of your weight in ounces. And while you may not be able to make every change in a day, you can start somewhere and clean up your diet so that healthy, whole foods can become medicine to your body.

 

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May 12, 2020

Small Businesses Making Lemonade with COVID Lemons

Beauty is produced from struggling. Take a pearl for example. Without an irritant making its way into an oyster, it would have no reason to coat layer after layer of nacre on the irritant which after many years produces a beautiful pearl.

The same is true for the butterfly. Through the process of struggling to emerge from its cocoon, the butterfly gains power it needs to strengthen its wings to be able to fly.

We are all in a struggle right now whether it be health, finances, isolation, or some other struggle, we are joined together through it. 

But like any struggle, you can choose to find a way to make lemonade out of the lemons you’ve been handed.

Here are a few small businesses from our HireMyMom Community doing just that:

Big Sky Internet Design is a small family-owned website design company building websites for the Agriculture Industry since 1998.  Due to Covid-19 they discovered that many 4H, FFA, and other youth county organizations were not going to be able to hold their annual sale/auction due to the lockdown. Tom Bruch, owner of Big Sky Internet, decided that they could do something about that. They created easy and affordable websites for youth organizations to be able to have auctions online.  Now these students who have spent countless hours and sometimes large amounts of money, have a way to reach a market interested in buying their livestock. 

Dudley Court Press is a hybrid publishing house for authors. A couple of their remote team members homeschool their children. As “stay at home” orders became the norm, the rest of the Dudley’s team found themselves homeschooling as well. 

“The stress was palpable,” Gail Woodard, Dudley Court Press CEO shares. “We decided to devote half our weekly team meeting to sharing experiences and advice. The impact on the new homeschooling moms was so positive that we decided to offer a free, weekly Zoom-based Homeschoolers’ Support Group through April. Our first session was a great success with new homeschooling parents relieved to have ‘experts’ to chat with.”  

Ben Walker, of Transcription Outsourcing LLC is in a CEO peer group of small business owners. These business owners have been helping each other in their respective areas of expertise at no charge through webinars and online meetings.  He shares, “I’ve been helping one fellow business owner here with brainstorming how he can pivot his event staffing company and all his skills and knowledge into a new business. All of this has been done with absolutely no expectation of anything in return.” It’s just one small business owner doing what he or she can to help another business survive and thrive through this season.

Marsha Means, MA is a part of a team of coaches who are offering new Covid-19 support groups that are free to those who have lost their income ($10 for with an income). Marsha shares, “If you’ve lost someone to covid, or if you are anxious and overwhelmed, I invite you to join me and others to share, process, and to support each other as we face the loss, the fear, and global trauma all humanity is experiencing.”

Barkha’s Custom Sourcing specializes in sustainable and ethical sourcing of fabric. Currently, they are organizing a large donation of stock fabric to the Sewing Masks for Area Hospitals – Atlanta project. They’re a non-profit that is building networks in and around Atlanta — and all across the U.S. — to make sure our healthcare workers have the PPE they need to fight the battle against COVID-19. 

Barkha Malik, owner, shares, “While masks sewn by volunteers at Sewing Masks for Area Hospitals – Atlanta are not viable by themselves, hospital staff are using them over their N95 masks to extend their usefulness. These masks can be sanitized and reused.”  Anyone interested in sewing masks or getting involved to learn more about the Sewing Masks for Area Hospitals – Atlanta project by joining their Facebook group here.

In a world with a lot of bad news, it’s great to be reminded of the positives going on around us. Hats off to all you small business owners making your own version of lemonade!

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May 4, 2020

Is Remote Work the Way of the Future?

The year 2020 has turned out to be far different than anyone could have ever expected. Outside of essential services, the survival of many businesses now rely on their ability to run remotely. Remote work is now one of the best and only ways a business can survive through these trying times. 

But even before COVID-19, remote working was starting to flourish and become a worldwide phenomenon.

Let’s dive into how remote work has transformed from optional to essential. 

Growing Populations = Increased Commuting Time and Costs

With the populations of our major cities increasing at a rapid rate and the methods of transportation to and from work becoming increasingly strained, many businesses started looking at ways to diminish travel time, expenses and stress that derives from commuting to and from work each day. This is one of the reasons remote work options started to come into play.

The Benefits of having a Remote Workplace for Businesses

Many employers have been choosing to have remote workplace environments for many reasons including:

  • lower operating costs,
  • the advancement of tools and technology,
  • improved productivity and quality of work and;
  • access to a broader spectrum of qualified workers.

 

Leadership and Communication in the Remote Workplace

As stated above, there are many benefits for companies who choose to create remote work environments for their employees. The key to having success in these remote working situations relies heavily on two things; Communication and Leadership.

Remote work success starts at the top of a company’s organizational chart – the Leadership. It’s up to the leaders to set the bar for policies, and procedures in remote work. 

There should be a clear and well laid out structure of supervision to motivate work from home employees and aspire them to hit their productivity goals and provide them with flexibility at the same time so they can create the perfect work-life balance. 

Strong communication is key to the success of any company but due to the lack of physical accessibility in a remote work environment, having clear communication protocol is essential. 

Two considerations when laying out your policies and procedures for communication include; access to important information and the right tools and software to communicate with.

Remote Work as an Emerging and Essential Trend

Ten years ago, remote work was almost unheard of. This is because over the past decade there has been some key technological advances made and an influx of software options available for remote workers that has made running a remote work environment much easier and affordable to implement. 

In some cases, it would cost a company more to NOT work remotely and have to source out office space, equipment and other in house essentials.

One of the biggest challenges for employers on the fence between remote work and in office work environments is not having the ability to monitor and implement strategies for sustaining productivity amongst their employees.

Some case studies however, have emerged reporting favorable findings that remote workers are more productive than in-office workers. Take CoSo Cloud for example; their survey reported a 77% increase in productivity within their remote workers.

 

COVID-19 and Remote Work

Many years ago, remote work was not an option because of the lack of the right equipment and technology to do so. 

Fortunately, we are in a position to transition to remote work almost immediately which helps sustain a business when faced with a crisis like COVID-19.

Not only has this type of work become essential for our economy, but it’s also important to the health and safety of helping businesses survive.

Remote work can help businesses operate while governments have been closing non-essential service storefronts and emphasizing the practice of social distancing and self isolation. 

 

What the Future Holds for Remote Work …

There is an endless amount of software offerings that support almost every aspect of business from logistics to accounting to marketing to sales and customer service. 

Of course some exceptions to remote work abilities include businesses that rely on human to human physical contact such as health and wellness companies and manufacturing facilities.

For those companies in a position where remote work is a possibility, NOW is the time to do so. 

The key takeaway to this article is that time is of an essence and there is no time for debate. The future IS in remote work environments in order to sustain non-essential businesses that would be forced to shut down if not providing remote work environments. 


The Benefits to Doing so far Exceed the Setbacks. 

If your business is ready to take the next step to hiring remote workers, HireMyMom has become a go-to source for finding skilled, trained, and highly qualified employees to help businesses grow and sustain. Here are 7 Reasons Why Moms Make The Best Remote Workers For Small Businesses.

Review what companies are saying here or if you’re ready to start your search, you can get started here. 

 

 

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April 28, 2020

Success Story: 12 Years in the Making

It’s always great to hear from people who have used your service over the years. After a recent email sent to our users, I was thrilled to hear from Doug, owner of PrinterShoppe, who hired someone on HireMyMom back in 2008.

Doug shares, “It has been about 12 years since I used your service to hire my first designer for my new business back then. And the FIRST Mom I hired as a Graphic Designer is STILL WITH ME!  Janice was an unemployed Graphic Designer after the print shop she worked in for years closed down.  At that time, Janice had a 4-year-old daughter and wanted to stay home to raise her.  Because of HireMyMom, PrinterShoppe provided her that opportunity. Now her daughter is graduating high school this year!  Janice still works with me and has been such a blessing to me, my business and our 15,000+ clients we have served over the years!”

Janice shares, “Back in 2008 when the print company I worked for 18 years closed its doors, it left me with no job and in an economy in a financial disaster. I was left in a panic, but I knew one thing, I wanted to try and work from home to raise my daughter. That is when I found HireMyMom, and back then there was not an abundance of help to find work from home. So when I came across HireMyMom.com, I was hopeful.  Landing this job in 2008 and working for Doug, has provided me with the precious gift of staying home to raise my daughter and be there for all the special, memorable and even goofy moments. I also am able to take care of my aging parents, and even provide help to my neighbors and community.”

“HireMyMom.com gave me with the opportunity to get my name out there, and a chance to find work from home. I am very thankful for the opportunity, connections, and friendships it has brought me,” said Janice.

Thank you Doug and Janice for sharing your story and the impact HireMyMom has had on you and your business.

If you are looking for a remote job, check out some of our most recent job postings here. And if you are looking for that rock star candidate, please consider posting your job here.

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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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April 20, 2020

HireMyMom Success Story: Ashley Bearden

Tell us about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

I heard about HireMyMom through a military spouses page on Facebook. I have been looking for remote positions through other sites, but did not have any luck. I made sure to go through my resume and have a solid cover letter to present to each job I applied for. I applied for several jobs that I thought I would be a good fit for and I interviewed for a couple that didn’t work out, and one that did work out! It
took me a week to get hired, and I definitely was not expecting to get hired so fast but I am thankful I did! I got a position as a Facebook assistant.

What did you do previously?

Most of the jobs I have held have been administrative in nature or customer service jobs. I’ve also been working as a VA freelancer for the last couple of years. I love this field of work, so I am happy I found something where I can utilize my skills.

What are your top tips for landing a job or jobs on HireMyMom.com?

Be persistent and make sure to follow up when you apply for these positions. In my experience, when you follow up after submitting your application it shows you are really interested in the job and your more apt to get an interview.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

I really love that when you go to apply for the positions on HireMyMom, you know they are legitimate. There are so many scams out there, so it is nice to have a place to apply for real quality jobs.

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Written by
April 15, 2020

How to Use This Time to GROW Your Business 

How is your business doing at this time? Are you thriving, barely surviving or somewhere in the middle?

I know for many, business has slowed. So I want to propose that we make lemonade from lemons. 🍋

What are some areas of your business that you could improve upon?  What are the weak links? Or where do you get bogged down in your business?

These are the areas you could use this time to improve upon and accelerate your growth.

Here are a few ideas on how to use this time in a positive, business growth way provided by some of the talented Mom Professionals on HireMyMom…. who would love the opportunity to work for you right now.

📈 Update or implement CRM to maximize your customer communications and sales efforts.

📌 Get your business on Pinterest to increase brand visibility, drive traffic, and grow your email list! So many businesses are missing out on this huge source of traffic.

🎯 Create or improve client onboarding process. Welcome clients to the company with an informative, value-based email campaigns.

📩 Hire someone to manage your inbox and customer service, so you can focus on what makes your business awesome!

⏰ Automate systems in your business.

📊 Create and update processes and workflows.

💡 Revamp your website and content.

📝 Create new content for social media, marketing and blogs.

💻 Digitize your training manuals and other documentation.

📸 Elevate your branding with lifestyle images or new product images.

🖥 Create an online course to sell your expertise.

🧾 Get your accounting and bookkeeping in order.

🎥 Create webinars from your expertise to attract new clients.

🌿 Create health engagement for your team: wellness check ins, online challenges and more.

How many of these do you need for your business? 

Each of these are jobs that the talented Mom Professionals ♥️ on HireMyMom can help you with!  And I can tell with 100% certainty they will SO APPRECIATE you!

Click here to POST your JOB now!

 

 

 

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