Sounds familiar? Yes, we all have been there...although, finding a job for most right now is at its all time high of "No Thank-You's".
The good news is....it's not all bad and there are things that we can do to help make ourselves competitive and marketable.
FIRST, we need to PREPARE: Geez...you wouldn't believe some of the outfits I've seen.
I'm not gonna go in on it tonight but review this link http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/dressforsuccess.htm for those who may have forgot the correct way to present yourself on an interview. Jeans are not your friend unless you're submitting warehouse/horse farm applications. Take them off!
SECOND, if you know that you're applying for a decent job and so is everyone else in the neighborhood....Do something to stand out above your peers.
Try: Researching the company...View a little known fact that can be found under the "About Us" link on their website. YouTube the company for more information.
Contact the company and see if your able to go in and sit with someone in that department or maybe speak with someone briefly about the duties to ensure that its going to be a good fit for you. This way when they ask " What have you done to prepare for this position?" It'll be a piece of cake for you to respond with the winning answer!
THIRD, if its a decent job requesting that you have excellent Communication skills, Leadership and Organizational skills .......DO NOT LIST that you are a team player, good listener and works well with others.....add something that is in line with what the employer is looking for.
(HINT: This may require more than 1 resume- Get with it)
I strongly suggest you take the time to tailor each resume to the job you’re applying for
As whack as that may sound for some it's the best route to take unless you don't mind being Overlooked!
RECRUITERS: BE NICE, I'll tell you why.
First off
Recruiters and HR people work for the hiring manager, not you.
Secondly
They've discovered from long experience that professionals, like you, sometimes don't know what they want.
Third
They have dozens of open positions, with demanding clients, and too many applicants.
"After all, you're selling the most important thing you're going to sell this year -- your labor -- probably three, four, or more, years' worth.
That's multiple hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars.
So instead of grumbling about how poorly they're doing at the task of purchasing your labor, perhaps you could help your customer out?:" -The Ladders
I hope you've enjoyed my piece on interviewing and recruiting! Keep the faith- God is in full control, just let him take the wheel!
Need help with more tips: Please email me at showoff82@gmail.com...I love lending a helping hand.
Toodles
Type to ya tomorrow! You never know what topic will appear.
Hi Lala!
ReplyDeleteGreat article! I have recently been spending some time brushing off the old resume and preparing myself to become "available in the market" again. As a result, I have been going through the motions of selecting, researching and screening potential employers and have come up with a few comments/tips that I have been using along the way.
Too often I have seen potential candidates make "wrong" impressions of themselves as well as misrepresent themselves to gain employment. Be honest, and when you are concerned that your honesty may affect your chances, learn how to turn a negative into a positive.
Candidates must always remember that the resume is not "You" but a representation of you, more like a business card or flyer that is meant to get you in the door. Ultimately what you do once your in the door is paramount. Don't laugh too much on a phone interview and watch your body language on a walk-in interview. You are selling a product/service, yourself, so be marketable as if you were selling tools for accomplishing a job.
Dress for success and more importantly, dress how a potential employee would expect you to so they are able to imagine what you would look like in their environment.
Have others, friends, family, anyone... in the field you are applying to review your resume. Sometimes they can see things you wouldn't necessarily consider.
As you said Lala, TAILOR your resume. No recruiter like a cookie-cutter resumes that is one size fits all because in actuality, they rarely fit. Take the keywords from the job description and focus on how you did those key KSAO (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Other Characteristics) in your current and previous jobs.
Do your research! Companies expect you to preform some research into their company before you apply. Having a nice cover letter is equally as important, specifically tailored to the job and contacts who will receive them.
Don't be afraid to turn down an offer, if you don't feel like it will be a good fit, poor benefits or pay, or the requirements are not a good fit for your skills/experience of goals. The same goes for not seeming too anxious to get a job.
And lastly, cause I could go on for days about job seeking... BE PATIENT! With so many resumes at hand, it may take some time to get through them all. Feel free to follow-up with the recruiter if possible. This could also help your chances if you are professional, display great communication skills and leave a lasting impression.
I have only applied for 5 jobs in the last few months (I'm very selective of who I apply to). I have had 2 turn-downs because I was not experienced enough (boy are they wrong about that but I see how those resumes did poorly to represent me). I haven't heard anything from 1 potential employer, too bad for them, at least a nice "no thank you" would have been sufficient. I had a phone interview this Friday and I just got an email about the 2nd interview on Tuesday, I really want this one so I have homework to do. I had 2 panel interviews with a company that seemed as if they wanted to hire me but are taking too long to respond so I am going to decline, this may be a sign of future management inefficiencies to come.
Good Luck to you all.
Adam Stafford
www.adamentity.com