A job interview is a one-on-one meeting between you and the hiring manager. During this meeting, the interviewer will review your resume and ask you a few questions about yourself. This is usually a formal process and can be pretty nerve-wracking, especially if you’re looking for your first job.
What do you need to do to give yourself the best chance of getting the job?
There are several things you can do to dramatically improve your chances of getting the job, including getting the interview, presenting yourself well, and answering the questions asked by the employer. Let’s look at each of these in turn.
Get The Interview
The first and most important step to take is to get the interview. Even if you don’t get the job, you can always try again next year. The point is to give yourself the best chance of getting the position by doing your research and being prepared for the interview. Here are some tips on how to get a job interview:
Perform Research
In your research, don’t just look for the information needed to write a winning resume. You should also be on the lookout for other jobs that you might be suited for, opportunities that might arise, and other relevant information.
In many cases, a good job search strategy will involve performing research on the internet, speaking with people, and looking at other opportunities, all of which can help you get a better idea of what is going on and how you can change things for the better. The more you know, the more you can tailor your strategy to be effective.
Create A Resume That Will Sell
When you’re applying for a job, your resume is your best opportunity to sell yourself to the employer. It is, therefore, very important that you write a resume that will sell. A good resume should be concise but comprehensive, and it should use relevant, measurable language whenever possible. It should also be easy to understand and follow. Here are some tips on creating a resume that will sell:
Start With A Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is very similar to creating a resume. You should start with an intro paragraph, which will serve as a summary of your resume. This letter should be no longer than two pages, and it should be written in the third person. In the letter, you should introduce yourself, briefly discuss your relevant work experience, and state your interest in the particular position. You can also include a short example of your work, if you’re applying for a specific job.
Your cover letter should not be a replacement for your resume. Instead, it should supplement it and help give the employer a complete picture of you. Your cover letter should briefly discuss what makes you special, what skills you bring to the table, and how you would excel in the position. Remember: a good cover letter will help get you an interview, but it will not guarantee you the job. Your resume is the key to getting the interview, and your cover letter just gives the employer some more information about you.
Include Relevant Work Experience
When applying for a job, you must include your relevant work experience. This experience should be a combination of your academic education and work/life experience. Your academic background is one of the things that will determine how qualified you are for the job. In general, a good rule of thumb is to include your most recent job first, followed by your previous jobs. You should also include any relevant training or workshops that you’ve attended, along with the names of your supervisors or trainers. Your work experience is what will determine your ability to do the job. In order to write a good resume, you need to make sure that the information is relevant to the position you’re applying for and that it’s presentable and easy to understand.
Focus On One Or Two Keywords
When you’re writing your resume, you should focus on one or two keywords, which will help the employer find your resume when it’s circulated among their colleagues or on the internet.
The primary keywords should be concise and should appear near the beginning of your resume, before the first detailed skill. For example, if you’re applying for a position in marketing, your resume might include the keywords social media, content creation, and blogging. In cases like this, the keywords should appear in the same order as they are listed. When an employer searches for your resume online, they’ll see your key words near the beginning, followed by a list of your skills. This will help them find your resume quickly and easily.
Make Use Of The Vertical Space
When you’re applying for a job, you have only a few inches to make a good impression. If you’re not careful, your resume can look like an unorganized mess. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your resume’s vertical space:
Leading With Your Eyes
Many people apply the rule of putting your most recent job first, which can lead to some unfortunate consequences. When creating your resume, you should always put your most relevant work first. This might mean starting with a job that is more than three years old. Why? Because this is the kind of information that is going to make the employer decide to contact you rather than your competition. Your resume should not include information that is merely going to impress the employer; it should include information that is relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Know When To Fold Up Your Resume
When you receive the call from the hiring manager, telling you that you’ve been offered the position, it’s time to rejoice. However, this also means that your resume has now become obsolete. In many cases, employers look down on candidates with outdated resumes. For this reason, you should always make sure that your resume is up to date and includes only relevant information.
Take Care Of The Legal Aspects
When you’re applying for a job, you need to make sure that your resume is legally sound. As a matter of fact, you should consider getting professional help with this. There are numerous laws that pertain to resumes, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. These pieces of legislation make it illegal to discriminate against an employee based on their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability. In addition, it is also unlawful to ask certain questions during the interview process, like “How much do you weigh?” or “How many children do you have?” You should be aware that asking these types of questions can make you vulnerable to lawsuits.
Follow Up
After you’ve been offered the job, you need to make sure that the employer feels that you’re committed to the position. Follow up with a call or an email, thanking the employer for their time and letting them know that you’ll be doing your best to live up to the expectations they have for the position. In many cases, following up with an employer is as important as getting the interview in the first place.
As you can see, there are several things that you need to keep in mind if you want to write a winning resume. You should always be on the lookout for relevant information, and you should make sure to include this information as part of your strategy. If you want to get the job, you need to make sure that your resume presents you in the most positive way possible. Let’s look at how to write a winning resume from a freelance writer’s perspective.