You’ve probably heard the expression ‘it’s what is inside that counts’, and while that may be true in most cases, how you present yourself is just as important. The key to getting a great first impression is by being confident and engaging while writing your résumé, cover letter and online application. Below you’ll find some valuable tips on how to write your best job application ever!
Know What To Include
Every job seeker’s résumé will have an ‘experience’ section or ‘objective’ section, which is where you’ll want to include your work experience. Since many employers will use your résumé to determine your fit for the position, make sure to include everything that is relevant to the role. For example, if you are applying for a sales position, include your sales experience, but don’t include administrative tasks that you may have done – this may make you appear unappreciative of the work you’ve done and possibly even appear dishonest. Know what you should and shouldn’t include and be confident in your decision. This will make you stand out among the other candidates and give you a much better chance at getting the job you want!
Use Correct English
Yes, we all speak English and yes, it is the most commonly spoken language in the world. However, not all of us write and execute effective English sentences, and that’s something you should keep in mind. When applying for a job, especially if you’re interacting with a human being on the other end, you’re going to appear unprofessional if you don’t know how to write a clean, grammatical sentence. To get the best possible impression, learn how to write a sentence that sounds natural and, most importantly, that means what you want it to mean. Take some English grammar classes or look up some online tutorials to learn the proper way to write and execute a simple French sentence.
Make Sure Your Résumé Works As A Re-cap
This tip pertains to both computer-generated and hand-crafted résumés. When a recruiter or human reader of your résumé sees that you’ve already written a similar résumé for another job, they may assume that you are either a careless or arrogant person. In either case, they aren’t going to see you as an ideal candidate. To avoid this, make sure that your résumé is something that is remembered and that you are continuing to improve upon. One way to do this is to include both a professional headshot and a matching resume photo on your profile. Another way is to keep your résumé concise but detailed enough to appear relevant to the position you are applying for.
Play To Your Advantage
Some people like to talk before they walk, and that’s what you should do as well when applying for a job. If you’ve been unemployed for a while and you’re a little insecure about your job search, go ahead and grab the opportunity to walk around and meet people. This may also be a chance to practice your social skills and get confidence. However, be careful about how you present yourself and play to your advantage – in the same way that a job seeker’s résumé is used to determine their fit for a position, your appearance, mannerisms and social skills can be used to make or break your first impression. A good job search strategy should include both physical and digital activity – meet people in person, set up interviews through email and apply for jobs online.
Follow Up
When you send out your application, you’ll likely receive a number of responses from different employers. Make sure to follow up with each one of these companies to let them know that you’re still interested in the position after you’ve submitted your application. Sometimes, employers will ask you to submit additional information after their initial review of your résumé. In these cases, it is essential that you continue to show interest in the position and make good follow up communication. This can be done through email, phone calls or even a personal visit.
As you can see, there are many ways that your writing skills can help you get a job. From putting your best foot forward through proper spellings and grammar to presenting yourself as an effective communicator, being a good writer will make you look like a million bucks!