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Amit

Amit Bansal  |44 Answers  |Ask -

Answered on Jun 18, 2010

Santhosh Question by Santhosh on Jun 18, 2010Hindi
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Career

Hi Amit, Good afternoon. I have my biodata ready, but I am puzzled over by what to include in my cover letter. Since all my details are mentioned my resume, how do I write a cover letter which will not duplicate what I've written in the resume?

Ans: A cover letter will summarize the high points of the resume. only the highlights need to be covered.
Career

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Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |5516 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Aug 16, 2024

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How to present tech resume profile before HR during placement
Ans: Laba,

Lengthy answer (based on eBook, published by me on 'Professional Resume Writing without Googling').

Reproduced below only 3-important topics/pages out of around 20-pages of my eBook.

Whether for Tech or Non-Tech Resume, the following are tips to create a Professional Resume, both for On-Campus & Off-Campus (Freshers/Experienced) :

12-QUALITIES Any Resume Should Have

(1) UNIQUENESS & Outstanding.
(2) Updated SNAPSHOT of Your Career (Brief & Relevant).
(3) KEYWORDS of Job Description.
(4) ADEPT to Job Description Advertised.
(5) Your EXPERTISES Relevant to The Job.
(6) Focusing More on ACHIEVEMENTS Quantitatively.
(7) Being SELECTIVE & Include Only Relevant Information.
(8) Concise & Maximum 2-Pages. LESS is More.
(9) Easily SCANNABLE to Look for Desired Characteristics,and Draw Attention to Experiences.
(10) Having Several Versions of Your Resume TAILORED for Certain Employers or Types of Positions.
(11) Impress RECRUITERS To Meet You in the Interview.
(12) PROFESSIONAL Email / Webmail ID & Professional Linkedin URL.

15-SECRETS Most Job Seekers Do Not Know

(1) The job Market is like an ICEBERG in the Ocean. 20% Open & 80% Hidden.
(2) Recruiters Take Hardly 7 To 10 SECONDS To Shortlist a Resume. ONLY 2% of Resumes Make It Past the First Round.
(3) Recruiters Relate to their Own Needs, NOT Job Seekers' Needs.
(4) Career Objective in Resume Can Be a LIABILITY for Recruiters, if NOT Written Perfectly.
(5) SUMMARY Section on Resume is the Only Section Which Recruiters Fully Read.
(6) Some Employers Use LinkedIn's 'Easy Apply' on their Own WEBSITES
(7) 50-80% of the Employers Search KEYWORDS on Linkedin for Suitable Candidates
(8) A Comprehensive LINKEDIN Profile Boosts Job Chances.
(9) LinkedIn URL Can Be Customised as, 'www.LinkedIn.in/santosh_HR, by Removing Alpha-numeric/Special Characters at the End.
(10) Some Employers WON'T Even Call for an Interview If They Can’t Find The Candidate ONLINE.
(11) Job Seekers Should Use a Separate Professional Email / Webmail ID (of a Reliable Service Provider) Only for Recruitments | Job Applications.
(12) TOP 1/3 or 1/2 of any Resume Plays a Vital Role for Interview.
(13) Recruiters Get 100 to 3000 Applications DAILY for Vacancies.
(14) Job Seekers Should Focus 80% of their Job Search Efforts Through LinkedIn (than Job Portals/Newspapers).
(15) Job Seekers Should SEND / Mail 3-5 Job Applications / Day. 10-15 / Week.

What You Should AVOID on Your Resume?

(1) Unnecessary Articles Like A, AN & THE.
(2) Personal Pronouns Like I, WE, YOU, THEY, HE, SHE, HIM, HER, US & THEM.
(3) Possessives Like His, Hers, Their, Its, Our, Mine & Yours.
(4) DOUBLE Verbs like 'Responsible for Managing' (Instead, Simply Write 'Managed').
(5) White LIES
(6) Using the Word ' Etc. '
(7) Using a Word REPEATEDLY
(8) SPECIAL Characters | Italics | Script | Shading | Parentheses |
(9) Bolding | Underlining
(10) LONG Words or Phrases When Short Words Will Do
(11) Filling with GRAPHICS
(12) Writing Too Much About The PAST
(13) Writing in PARAGRAPHS
(14) Using CAPITAL Letters Arbitrarily
(15) Values Like Honesty, Integrity, Hard work, & Punctuality
(16) Typing | Spelling & Grammatical Errors

Features Your COVER Letter Should Have

(1) Should Be Short, Clear & CONCISE
(2) Not to Be TOO Formal with Words
(3) Use FRIENDLY Words with a Respect to Your Employers
(4) Begin With a Strong, Attention-arousing FIRST Sentence
(5) SHOW Your Confidence & Sincerity
(6) Focus More on Your FUTURE
(7) Use KEYWORDS, Relevant Skills & Abilities from the Job Description
(8) Explain in NUMBERS & with Examples, but in Brief
(9) Grammar | Spelling & Sentence STRUCTURE Should Be 100% Perfect
(10) AVOID Cliches in Your Cover Letter.
(11) Finish Your Cover Letter With POLITE & Professional Salutations like Sincerely, Best Regards, Thank you, Respectfully, Kind Regards & Best Regards.

- PROOFREAD Your 'Cover Letter' a Minimum of 2-3 Times
- Write separate Cover Letters for Each Company You Are Applying to, as per the Job Description Which the Expects.

All the BEST for Your Bright Future.

To know more on ‘ Careers | Education | Jobs’, ask / Follow Us here in RediffGURUS.

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Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8614 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 30, 2025

Money
Dear Sir, I would like to know if there are any mutual fund options that can also give me regular returns ?
Ans: Yes, your query is very thoughtful.

There are mutual funds that offer regular income options.

Let us look at them in detail.

 
 

Monthly Income Through Mutual Funds
Some hybrid mutual funds aim to give regular cash flows.

 
 

These are ideal for retirees or those needing monthly income.

 
 

But these payouts are not guaranteed like bank FDs.

 
 

The amount and frequency can vary based on scheme performance.

 
 

These funds offer dividend payout options or Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP).

 
 

What is a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP)?
SWP allows you to withdraw a fixed amount regularly.

 
 

You invest a lump sum, and take out fixed money monthly.

 
 

Your capital stays invested and continues to grow.

 
 

This is more tax-efficient than FD interest.

 
 

It gives you more control than choosing dividend option.

 
 

Why Regular Mutual Funds via CFP is Better
Always invest through regular plans with CFP guidance.

 
 

Avoid direct plans as they give no advisory support.

 
 

Also avoid index funds, as they don’t help in personal goal planning.

 
 

A CFP helps to select best performing active funds for regular cash flow.

 
 

He will also help you design SWP as per your monthly needs.

 
 

Points to Keep in Mind
SWP works best when capital stays for long-term.

 
 

Avoid withdrawing more than what your fund earns yearly.

 
 

Taxation depends on fund type and holding period.

 
 

For equity funds, LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.

 
 

STCG is taxed at 20% for equity mutual funds.

 
 

For debt funds, all gains are taxed as per your income slab.

 
 

Sample Planning Approach
First, calculate your monthly cash flow need.

 
 

Choose a suitable hybrid or equity mutual fund.

 
 

Invest a lump sum or grow it through SIP.

 
 

Start SWP after 1–2 years, if needed.

 
 

Review SWP and portfolio yearly with your CFP.

 
 

Don’t withdraw in falling markets unless urgent.

 
 

This is a professional way to create passive income.

It also gives your capital a chance to grow.

 
 

Best Regards,
 
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP
 
Chief Financial Planner,
 
www.holisticinvestment.in
 
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

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DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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