Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Today's Business Tips

In-between jobs and looking for one? Or simply planning for a career shift ?

But having some difficulty what to tell your prospective employer?

How do you "market" your skills? How to create the best first impression through your letter?

Read on...

How To : Write a Killer Cover Letter

from Men's Health/"How to do Everything Better"

Step 1

Avoid the clichéd first line, “I am writing to express interest…”

Instead, opt for an opener with some marketing flair (“Did

you know that 80 percent of CEOs share X, Y, and Z traits?”)

or boast about your panic-free management style.

Step 2

Explain what intrigues you about this company and why

you’re interested in this particular position. Generic form

letters sound bland and trite, so tailor each cover letter to

the specific job you’re applying for.

Step 3

Talk about ways you've been instrumental at your current

company. Have you won an award, increased sales,

generated bottom-line revenue, managed a team, or been

selected for something notable? This is the place to toot your

horn.

Step 4

Share some personal information that's relevant to the

company. Talk about your communication style or your ability

to garner support from coworkers. If you're an engineer

applying to be a chef, mention the cook-off you won or the

party menus you've planned. Leave out anything irrelevant

or negative, like medical issues, money woes, or your

deep-seated hatred for your previous boss.

Step 5

Make sure it's under a page—and not single-spaced with

8-pt font. Your cover letter is like an appetizer to your resume,

and it should match in font size, and formatting

Monday, January 9, 2012

Drinks

Stocking up on your liquor cabinet after the Holidays? Or just planning to prepare for this year's Celebrations?

The Liquor: Clear

VODKA Triple-distilled vodka ensures a smooth drink with
good flavor balance.

Buy: Grey Goose or Smirnoff

GIN It's a great base for spring and summer drinks. The best
have a heady, floral aroma.

Buy: Anchor Genevieve

The Liquor: Dark

RUM Opt for a sugarcane rum. It's well-balanced, but not
too sweet.

Buy: Appleton Estate Reserve

WHISKEY Use a smooth American brand to make
manhattans and old fashioneds.

Buy: Jack Daniel's

The Extras

ANGOSTURA BITTERS Add a few dashes of this
aromatic concentration to drinks to add a layer of flavor.

VERMOUTH Use the red variety in bourbon, whiskey, or
scotch cocktails, and white with vodka or gin.

Try either from Dolin Vermouth de Chambery.

MIXERS Opt for fresh juices when possible, but canned
ones work too.

The Hardware

JIGGER For accurate measuring, pick up an Oxo double
jigger ($8).

PARING KNIFE Use it for garnishes. Try the Global 3.5"
GS-38 ($60).

WINE KEY The Victorinox lever corkscrew is simple and
dependable ($16).

(Source: Steven Chiang from SEI Restaurant &
Lounge in D.C; photo: Travis Rathbone)