When Should Freelancers Use a Collections Agency

When Should Freelancers Use a Collections AgencyCredit Stephen VanHorn/Shutterstock Freelance work is becoming more common, with many pursuing it as a full-time career. But with the nature of this industry, tzu siche can be downsides, some as serious as not getting paid for your work.For those who count on their freelance paychecks to pay the rent or cover necessities each month, missing even just one payment could be detrimental to their financial health. Missing multiple payments, however, could harm ones credit score and negatively affect cash flow.Thankfully, there are collection agencies for when these issues get out of hand. These debt collectors, however, should not be a first-resort solution. Hiring a collections agency will likely result in the loss of your client, and there are many risks and downsides of doing so.Unless youve hit a wall with a non-paying client and have the law on your side, you should wait until you are certain that a collecti ons agency is your only hope. Heres how to know youve reached that point.Editors Note Looking for information on collection agencies? Use the questionnaire below and our vendor partners will contact you to provide you with the information you needYour payment plan was breached.Before agreeing to do freelance work, set up a payment plan to ensure you and your client are on the same page. That way, if the plan is violated, you have grounds to hire a collections agency and fight for your money.L. Burke Files, CACM, DDP, president of Financial Examinations and Evaluations Inc., said you should consider choosing an agency if you have a clear written agreement, including the choice of law for settling disputes. Any legal document that was signed, then broken, by a client will help back your case to collect any debts.Youve spent over 90 days waiting for payment.If you feel you are wasting too much time waiting, dont hesitate to seek help, said Files.Specifically, if an unpaid invoice reach es the 90-day mark, act immediately. After that point, the probability of collecting that debt only decreases. Its typically a last straw for most freelancers.The unpaid invoices are worth more than the amount youre paying an agency.Dont fret over an invoice thats only a few hundred dollars. Sure, you shouldnt let it slide any time your clients fail to pay you, but you must weigh your options.According to Investopedia, collection agencies typically dienstgrad 25 to 45 percent of the amount collected. Ask yourself if its worth investing in an agency that will take a percentage of your debt. For large invoices, the answer is probably yes. For smaller ones, you might want to simply move forward and no longer do business with that client.Your client has a history of not paying.If the person youre working with has done this before, consider enlisting the help of an agency. Odds are, theres a pattern to their behavior, and you shouldnt have to continue dealing with it.But, if this is thei r first offense, speak with them about it before seeking outside help. Give them time and hear them out. You dont want to lose business because of a simple miscommunication. Sammi Caramela Sammi Caramela has always loved words. When she isnt working as a Business.com and Business News Daily staff writer, shes writing (and furiously editing) her first novel, reading a YA book with a third cup of coffee, or attending local pop-punk concerts. Sammi loves hearing from readers - so dont hesitate to reach out Check out her short stories in Night Light Haunted Tales of Terror, which is sold on Amazon. Start Your Business Business Ideas Business Plans Startup Basics Startup Funding Franchising Success Stories Entrepreneurs Grow Your Business Sales absatzwirtschaft Finances Your Team Technology Social Media Security Build Your Career Get the Job Get Ahead Office Life Work-Life Balance Home Office Lead Your Team Leadership Women in Business Managing Strategy Personal Growth Find A Solution HR Solutions Financial Solutions Marketing Solutions Security Solutions Retail Solutions SMB Solutions About Us Contact Us lebensgefhrte with Us Copyright Poli cy Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Advertising Disclosure Sitemap 200 Fifth Avenue, Second FloorWaltham, MA 02451infobusinessnewsdaily.com Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All Rights Reserved. Company About Us Contact Us Partner with Us Copyright Policy Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Advertising Disclosure Sitemap Network Business .com BuyerZone.com

12 Pieces of Career Advice That Are Helping Women At This Company to Thrive

12 Pieces of Career Advice That Are Helping Women At This Company to Thrive Its an adage we all know well Its not just what you know its who you know. I think it has survived over time because its true, especially professionally. Building a network is one of the key strategies for any of us to advance our careers. But what do people do if they dont have an established network? Finding a job and changing careers becomes that much more challenging.At Nutanix, we believe that diversity of race, gender, culture, education, work experience and thought is at the very core of our success its what drives our innovation. As we continue our rapid growth, we are focused on keeping this competitive advantage. Our Corporate Social Responsibility program, .heart, has developed several initiatives to make aya we not only hire a diverse workforce today, but that we also help prepare the future workforce.One of our .heart initiatives is to expand our own network in 2019 and were doing it in both tra ditional and non-traditional ways. Weve created apprenticeships, returnships, and scholarship programs, and weve aligned with organizations that help women and under-represented groups pursue their love of technology. Were also asking our network to share their .heart by giving their best Xpertise and Xperiences.We started this Xpert Advice campaign at theWatermark Conference in San Jose, CA on February 21-22. We asked attendees to share their favorite pieces of career advice on post-its and place it on our advice wall. Here are some highlights from the 300 pieces of advice we collectedBe Bold, Be StrongHave confidence and be yourself in all situations.Dont be afraid to be the only one, or the first one, to do something.Know your worth and ask for what you want.Follow your passion and dont give upDont stop at your first rejection. Keep going to the next opportunity.Perseverance is key. Keep strong despite the odds.Follow your heart and dont get discouraged.Stay true to your goals.Pr actical tips for successLook people in the eye, shake hands and remember his/her name.Put time in the calendar for you each day.Meet one new person each day.Dont join a band.Dont say Im sorry so much.Join usWe want your advice too Heres how you can shareVisit us at Professional Business Womens Conference on April 23Share it on Twitter nutanixheart usingShare it on Instagram --This article was originally published on Nutanix.com.Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Nutanix. Find a job there today

Yelp Awesome Women in Engineering

Yelp Awesome Women in Engineering Below is an article originally written by Grace Jiras, University Recruiting Manager at PowerToFly Partner Yelp, and published on February 14, 2018. Go to Yelps page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.As a recruiter, I talk to a lot of people about what its like to work at Yelp. Most often, I find myself answering questions about the work environment and individual growth opportunities. During my four and a half years at Yelp, I would summarize the people here as very sharp and intelligent, while also humble and open minded. This spirit has fostered an environment that encourages individuals to learn by trying things for themselves (new hires get to push code out their first week) and empowers them to ask questions.This collaborative work culture invites tremendous opportunity and gives employees the power to participate in the projects they are most passionate about, whether its specifically related to work, technology, communi ty or otherwise. This attitude is core to Yelps values and allows employees from every walk of life and every skill set find opportunity and growth.In an effort to foster community and build relationships across the organization, Yelp has a number of Employee Resource Groups. One of the groups that Im actively involved with is Awesome Women in Engineering (AWE). AWE is focused on building a strong community for women in engineering and their allies by facilitating professional career building activities, networking, leadership, and mentorship. Over the years, Ive had the privilege of learning more about this groups experience working in the tech industry as well as their experiences here at Yelp. As I heard more stories, I felt inspired to collect and share them with others outside of Yelp. Thus began the start of our hackathon project AWE the Book.As with any hackathon, the idea of creating a book welches pitched to a group of engineers and those interested joined to help turn this idea into a final product Our team came together to craft compelling interview questions ranging from childhood aspirations, what they love about Yelp, and helpful advice they wish they had received earlier in their career. We had over 60 women in Engineering and Product volunteer to participate Along with the interviews we had (very talented) Yelpers take portraits of each individual. After Hackathon we had even more volunteers, men and women, across the entire engineering organization help transpose, type, and edit the interviews. It was so much fun seeing everyone work together to make the book come together. The finished product was incredible to read - over 120 pages of stories, experiences, and advice shared by women professionals in tech.Here are some of my favorites Pictured above from left to right Yue Wu, Product Manager Ya-Lin Huang, Software Engineer Marianne Gosciniak, Software EngineerHow did you get into tech?Ive always been interested in tech, a lot of my favorite products are tech products. I used to be in consulting and data, working on heavy data driven roles. Then I went to business school to try to find a career change outside of consulting. I found a lot of good opportunities in tech. This is an area Im very passionate about. I had my favorite products as a consumer and Yelp was right on the top. Being able to work on one of my favorite products ever is awesomeYue Wu, Product ManagerWhat did you want to be when you were a kid?When I was a child, my parents wanted me to become a teacher because they thought it would be a stable job. Its a very regular job from 8-4 and you deal with kids - what possible trouble could kids get into? At that time, though, I didnt think too much about being a teacher. I played a lot of video games, a lot of Super Mario, so I wanted to be either the character Super Mario, or someone who creates Super Mario.Ya-Lin Huang, Software EngineerWhat is the most exciting thing you have wo rked on at Yelp?I really loved my internship project. I added addresses and street suggestions to the location suggest service. When I was presenting during the intern project presentations, a lot of people said they were wondering why we never had this. It was really exciting to help make a feature that a lot of people had been wanting and then later got to use.Marianne Gosciniak, Software Engineer Pictured above from left to right alexanderplatz Phillips, Engineering Manager Jen Wang, Software Engineer Ellen Heirbaut, Technical RecruiterWhat do you love about Yelp?When I was looking for a job, I was looking for four things that I really valued in a job. One was mentorship - I would love learning from other peoples experiences and I find that I can do that a lot at Yelp. There are so many different people with diverse backgrounds and diverse experiences that I feel like I learn something new every day. Two is problem solving - within Yelp and within Y elp Reservations, its a fun problem - Its relatable. Thirdly, I think the culture we have at Yelp is really extraordinary. The friendliness, the collaborative nature, the kindness, the relatability, and the welcoming feeling. Were always helping each other learn - thats so wonderful to have. The last thing was opportunities to grow and I think thats something that Yelp has been really focusing on lately. Those are the main reasons why I chose to work at Yelp and why I continue to work at Yelp.Alex Phillips, Engineering ManagerHave you ever broken Yelp?Oh, lots of times. Ive caused lots of codedeploy rollbacks. I tanked SEO for awhile. Ive also recommended changes that ended up breaking Yelp. I wont go into the specifics here, but one of the things I like the most about Yelp is the empathetic environment. It is OK to make mistakes, as long as you take responsibility for them and learn from them and dont keep repeating them. Better yet, teach others how to not make the same mistakes o r build tools that safeguard against them. Ive broken Yelp many times, but Ive learned from all of them and made my peace. None of them give me nightmares now. Well, except, maybe the SEO one.Jen Wang, Software EngineerHow do you balance a personal life and work life?Im a working mom, so I always feel like I should be doing more. I do a lot of events outside of work, like the Expat Women meet-up. Its a lot of time management and balancing priorities. Some days I will have my son and on those days I have to leave right on time. If Im not on time, they can kick us out of preschool, which is not an option I feel like Yelp makes it easier for me. My manager is very understanding when I have to leave early, and other days I work longer. The nice thing is I have a very happy, fulfilling life with many different aspects to it.Ellen Heirbaut, Technical RecruiterMake sure to ask the see the book in person whenever you come by our HQ in SFFor more information about roles at Yelp check out our PowerToFly page. One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard geschftlicher umgang Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. How ever, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive neuerung and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Incom e Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from th e ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employee

Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeAmazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeYou may want to think twice about having sensitive conversations in front of your Alexa. The smart speaker may have a mind of its own. A woman in Portland, Oregon, said she feels invaded after zu sich voice-controlled Amazon Echo sent a private conversation with zu sich husband to her husbands employee without her knowledge.Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust itMy husband and I would joke and say, Id bet these devices are listening to what were saying, a woman who only identified herself by her first name, Danielle, told Seattle-based news station KIRO 7.According to Danielle, she got a call one day from her husbands employee, who warned her to Unplug your Alexa devices right now, she said. Youre being hacked, she welches told.The employee, who lived 76 miles away in Seattle, had received an audio recording of a private conversation betwee n the couple abouthardwood floors.Before the incident, Danielle had Amazon Echo devices in every room of her home to control heat, lights, and the house security system. But after what happened, she does not want to outsource these tasks to a mind she does not feel she can fully control. A talk about home improvement is one thing - but what if it had been a more embarrassing, intimate conversation?I felt invaded, Danielle said. A total privacy invasion. Immediately I said, Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust it. Alexa is the voice-powered assistant that lives inside Amazon Echo devices. When it hears its programmed name, which is typically Alexa, it will start listening in, waiting for your request, such as, Alexa, call my assistant. According to Amazon, Danielle was not hacked. Alexa just misheard her request. Amazon said in a statement thatEcho woke up due to a word in background conversation sounding like Alexa, and the next conversation was heard as sen d message. Then, when Alexa said out loud, To whom?, the device interpreted the background conversation as a name in the customers contact list. Alexa then responded, Contact name, right? Alexa again interpreted the background conversation as, Right.Alexa had wrongly interpreted words in the couples talk as a command.Amazon said this was an extremely rare occurrence that it was taking steps to make sure would not happen again.But for those of us who do not want to put our trust in a device that can broadcast our private conversations to our employees, an extremely rare occurrence may not be rare enough.

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge It

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItMost Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItYouve almost made it. Youre in the final stages of the interviewing process, sitting across from the rolle who could be your next boss, and then comes the zinger, the most dangerous question of them all How much did you make at your last job? Negotiation experts will typically advise you to dodge the question at all costs. But new research from PayScale shows that for half the population, thats the wrong move. When a woman is asked about her salary history and refuses to disclose, she earns 1.8 percent less than a woman who offers up the numbers. When a man is asked and declines, however, he gets paid 1.2 percent mora. Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy for PayScale admits the finding threw her for a loop Weve always offered ways to disengage from that question Im super excited about this opportunity, and Im open to discussing a competitive offer. Giving women th is advice- maybe it wasnt the right advice? Maybe leid.The good news is that, as employment-and-labor-news junkies likely already know, the salary history question is on its way out of bounds in a handful of cities and states. Massachusetts, Philadelphia, New York City, and, most recently, San Franciscohave made it illegal for employers to ask for a candidates salary history in hopes that it will continue to close the pay gap. Until this goes into full effect- and becomes widespread- heres what you should do. First, Know the Jobs Value, and Then How You Add to It Before you apply for any job, separate yourself from the position and research its market value. Katie Donovan, negotiation expert and founder of equalpaynegotiations.com, suggests Its not what youre worth, its what the jobs worth. We act like its some crazy idea for a job to have a value. Its like a house, it has a market value, and it changes when there are too many and too few available. Once you know the jobs value, then start thinking about howyour skills and experience add to it. Use sites likeGlassdoor,PayScale, andFairygodboss to hone your numbers. Dont anchor yourself to your previous salary. The market could have changed since you were last hired. Frank says Its really important to discuss the value of the position- not the value your last employer placed on your skills. Understand where youre going company-wise, industry-wise, and the actual location. All of these should factor into expected compensation. Applying Online Zero It Out, and Never Lie When applying online, if you can skip the salary question, skip it. If its a required field, then try entering zeroes across the board. Donovan advises More often than not, that will take care of the requirement, but whatever you do, dont lie. People like to inflate, and its a risk. If they find out you lied, thats cause to rescind a job offer. If the form doesnt allow you to zero it out, then tell the truth. If and when you get to the int erviewing process, Frank suggests saying something along the lines of Based on our discussions- or descriptions for this position- I think the range should start here- do you agree? Shift discussion away from your personal salary history by talking about the research that got you to your numbers in the first place. Use Recruiters and Headhunters as Allies These same rules apply when youre talking to recruiters and headhunters, as well as prospective employers. Recruiters can be in-house or agency-based, and while they serve as intermediaries between you and the company, keep in mind theyre not always a reflection of the company itself, says Frank. You want to get as much information from a recruiter as you give out.So, ask about the company, the position, the benefits package, and specific salary guidelines theyve been given, so you can better gauge the number you should expect to hear. If he or she is aggressive about getting your number, again, you can say something like This is what I was making, and I dont think its current market value for my position. It is more what Im thinking For the headhunters you reach out to, consider them more as your advocates and be as honest as possible. It is where you say I know Im a woman, and I want this job to be paid appropriately and with parity. Help me, guide me, and make this as equitable as possible. Im making $80,000, and I should be making $100,000- how do we address the fact that Im underpaid? Before Offering Numbers, Boomerang the Question Now, lets say youre in the interview with a potential employer and the question is asked. Before taking a shot, put the ball back in their court. Rachel Bitte, chief officer for Jobvite, suggests Just because youre asked the question, dont hesitate to boomerang it. You know the position, the company, and youre getting to know me as a person- what are you thinking? Id rather the employer say a number before you start talking what youre going to make. Unless youve seen w hat the budget is, youre going to underestimate. If Necessary, Hit the Pause Button Even though you want to avoid saying a number first, dont leave the compensation discussion until the end. You dont want to go through the entire interviewing process to find there isnt going to be a match. Its a waste of everyones time. However, if you think youre nearing the number you want to hear, but you need a little more time to seal the deal, then take a pause, says Bitte If you find yourself across the table, and you dont think its going to be fruitful- you two are not going to be able to meet in the middle or sign on a napkin- dont ever hesitate to say This is a really important decision, were both excited, and I want to be thoughtful about this. I want to come back to you and make this work. We can talk about this tomorrow. This move can buy you time to go over expectations, criteria and practice what youre going to say. It also sets up the conversation to be over the phone Sometimes p eople are better negotiating on the phone with a script and data- youre able to hide the sweat. Thats advice Ive leveraged and advice for women in general- its good for the pleasers in us. When someone asks me a question, I think Im supposed to have an answer. Just because someone asks you that question, you dont have to answer it immediately.

How to Do a Job Analysis

How to Do a Job AnalysisHow to Do a Job AnalysisA job analysis is a process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together ajob description, which is the frequent output result of the job analysis. If you miss critical information, you could end up notlage paying an employee correctly, thus fostering employee discontent or hiring someone who lacks an essential skill needed for performing the job. The job analysis pares the responsibilities of a job down to the core functions necessary to successfully perform the job. Thejob analysis is useful in providing an overview of the fundamental requirements of any position. Additional outcomes of a job analysis include making employee recruiting and hiring plans, position postings and advertisements, andperformance development planningwithin your performance management system. The job analysis is a mobilfunk telefon tool that you can use to populate any of these processes for employment success. How to Perform a Job Analysis Certain activities will help you create a successful job analysis. The job analysis may include the following activities 1. Reviewing the job responsibilities of current employees.It is critical that you ask the actual employees who are doing the job what they do every day on the job. Frequently, HR and management (especially senior management) have no idea what encompasses the day to day functions of any particular job. They may see the outputbut they have no idea what work actions and behaviors go into the employee producing it. If youre asked to list your current responsibilities for a job analysis, be thorough with the information you provide. Dont just say you produce monthly reports. Say, that you gather the data from six different departments, check the data for accuracy using a custom designed Access tool that I created and maintain, and etc, etc, etc. I f you leave off the details, they may think that your report is generated by a button that you push once a month to produce. Make certain that you have described your daily duties in sufficient detail so that your organization is able to hire a qualified new employee who has the capacity to do the job correctly. 2. Doing internet research and viewing samplejob descriptionsonline or offline highlighting similar jobs. While you never want to copy another companys job description, looking at several is helpful in writing your own job descriptions. You can find sample job descriptions by searching for Job Title Sample Description or you can look at job postings for positions companies are currently hiring. You can also look at LinkedIn to see how people describe their accomplishments in a job. You can also see the job descriptions that are listed on such sites as Salary.com. All of this searching can help you figure out how to word the job analysis and help remind you of tasks and respo nsibilities that you may have forgotten. 3. Analyzing the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that the employee filling the position needs to accomplish. Not every job within a company is optimized. You may find duties that are undone or projects that you should move from one department to another. You may discover tasks that another job would more successfully and easily accomplish. When youre doing a job analysis, make aya you look at the needs of the company and at any unassigned or illogical responsibility. Then, work with management to add the proper tasks to the proper job analysis. 4. Researching and sharing with other companies that have similar jobs. Sometimes companies will happily share information about their job descriptions. There are also salary survey companies, where you can match up your jobs to their descriptions and share salary information. But, they can also help you figure out what to include in your own job descriptions. 5. Articulatethe most important o utcomes or contributions needed from the position.Sometimes you get so caught up in the tasks that you forgot to look at the needed outcomes. For instance, if its the report that is needed, all the gathering and auditing of data is worthless without the final analysis and report. Sometimes, you can identify holes in your organization and figure out a way to fill them by doing job analyses. Tasks are not assigned to any employee that need to be done, for example. Or, one job has more tasks than any one person could accomplish. The more information you can gather, the easier you will find theactual writing of the job description. You dont need to worry about pretty language. You want a functional job description more than anything else. Make sure it is clear and concise. Ask yourself, If somebody else read this, would they know what the person in this position actually does? Bottom Line Dont put off writing job descriptions. You will find them invaluable when you look at salary an d compensation when hiring and promoting, and when evaluating whether or not a job meets the qualifications for exemption from overtime. They are an effective communication tool to use with employees so your expectations are clear.

How to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key Tips

How to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key TipsHow to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key Tips0Cover letters can be a very daunting parte of the job search process. Gone are the days of simple paper applications that you gave directly to a hiring manager who would phone you for an interview. The job market today has landseen an increase in how technology is used to weed out and hone in on specific types of employees and skill sets. One of the most important pieces of this is the dreaded cover letter.I have talked to hundreds of job seekers through my sttte with and one of the most common complaints I hear is, Im not hearing back from employers. My follow-up question is, How is your cover letter? Most people respond that they have a general cover letter that they send out with their resume or they dont believe in cover letters. The truth is, your cover letter can make the difference between securing an interview with the company of your dreams and being put into a file of people that the company will not be pursing for employment. So how do you write a great cover letter?Here are 3 tips to customize your cover letter.Research the company.Knowing who you will be working for is an important piece of customizing a cover letter. Employers are proud of the company they work for and want employees who are also excited to be a part of the team. Researching unique facts or practices about the company can show an employer that not only do you like the work youd be doing, but their values or community involvement are nicely tailored to your values. You can also use a portion of your cover letter to discuss why their industry or product makes a positive impact on the world and how youd like to be involved in continuing their mission statement with your employment.Tailor your qualifications to the job.Some employers will separate your cover letter from your resume and have different hiring managers look at the different pieces. If you tailor your cover letter to discuss how you r past experience or education is perfect for their current opening, you can highlight both your personality and skill set. You dont want your cover letter to duplicate your resume, so taking specific parts of the job description and matching those to your previous experience can be a quick and clear way to show that you would be the perfect fit for the job.Talk about why you are passionate about the job.Every employer wants to see that their potential employees are dedicated to the company 110 percent. Your personality needs to shine through in your cover letter. Personality and fit can make the difference between two candidates with similar skills or experience. When you talk about your passions for the job, you really want to envision yourself doing the job to the best of your ability and communicate this to the employer. If you can see yourself as a perfect match, the employer is more likely to agree with you and will be intrigued to speak with you further about working with the ir company.Cover letters can be time-consuming and can certainly seem daunting, but the difference a great cover letter can make for an employer makes the tailoring worth it. It is very smart to have a scaffolding or skeletal cover letter that you can work these nuanced points into, but make sure to check over your cover letter for spelling and grammar and relevance before you send it off to the HR personnel. The most successful job candidates are those who take the time to write a cover letter that inspires employers to want to work with them.Readers, do you have tips on how to customize your cover letter?