On Thursdays, I volunteer as a mentor to a group of high school students. It's through a local non-profit organization; the purpose is to teach career strategies, as well as providing advice for college, work and success in life, generally. Today's topic will be about how to handle job interviews, and I thought perhaps I would share some of my tips for those of you who may be looking to make a transition:
1) Have a well-organized, typo-free, clean & clear resume. It should be on nice paper, not standard copy paper. Your name and contact information should be obvious, not hard to find (Make sure your personal e-mail address is appropriate!). No matter what format you use (education first, work history first, etc.) it should be concise, easy to read & understandable (avoid obscure industry-specific abbreviations, for example). Spelling, grammar and punctuation should be perfect. Tailor the resume to the job you are trying to get. If you have a broad background, highlight the experience that is applicable to the desired position. This may mean you have several versions of your resume- that's ok, don't be lazy. Above all, be honest!
2) Have a well-written, typo-free, clean & clear cover letter. Use the nice paper for this, too (and for the envelope, which should also be typed, not handwritten). The cover letter is often the make-or-break difference between applicants. It's your opportunity to tactfully convey why you may be looking to leave your current job, explain a gap in employment, or to justify how your particular skill-set may apply to the job you're seeking if it's not readily obvious. Again, spelling, grammar and punctuation should be exemplary. Have everything proofread, don't just rely on spell-check. Also, these letters work best if they're addressed to the person who's actually going to read them, not "To Whom It May Concern." ... Which leads to the next tip:
3) Call to find out to whom the letter should be sent. If you already have the information, call to confirm. The receptionist, or the person's assistant who helps you, is typically the "gatekeeper." Be VERY nice to this person- his or her assistance is often critical! Make sure you learn this person's name and thank them. When you send in the resume, stick a post-it note on the cover letter with a brief hand-written message thanking the gatekeeper (by name) for their assistance. If you do this, guess whose resume will be on the top of the hiring manager's stack of applications?
4) Congratulations, you got the interview. Don't panic, be prepared! Hopefully you have enough time to get your clothes cleaned and pressed and to get that haircut you've been putting off. Definitely dress professionally, and make sure you match. Obviously, don't wear anything stained, dirty or inappropriate. Cover tattoos and remove piercings. Be clean, with appropriate attention paid to hygeine. Don't have a coffee in the car on the way over, but do munch on some breath mints. Get a good night's sleep the night before. Show up about 15 minutes early, meaning you will want to account for construction, traffic, etc. Ideally, you will have scouted out the location ahead of time in case there are any glitches with your GPS or Mapquest.
5) Be prepared for the interview session itself. Find out everything you can about the company ahead of time. Read every page on their website. If they have an employee listing, try to remember at least one fact about each person (It's a neat trick I picked up from reading "The Firm" by John Grisham). Know as much as you can about the industry in general, too (e.g. ideal customers, competitors). Have extra copies of your resume, as well as nice, typed sheets of references. Practice! There are pretty standard interview questions, which you can look up on the internet. Practice answering them. If you do have some "blemishes" such as bad credit, gaps in work history, an instance you were fired, etc., have prepared answers that explain them in the best light possible without being dishonest. If you're prepared, you will not be blindsided or appear uncomfortable.
6) Remember your goal is to get the job for which you are applying. If you're asked where you see yourself in 5 years, don't say you plan on being self-employed or working somewhere else. Also, avoid saying anything inappropriate (swearing, sexual innuendos, etc.). Be polite and cheerful but don't assume familiarity, even if the interviewer is friendly.
7) Make eye contact, don't mumble, mind nervous gestures, and give firm but not bone-crushing handshakes. If you're interviewing with more than one person at a time, don't focus on just one- try to even out your eye contact so no one feels excluded.
8) Immediately after the interview, send a thank-you note to each person with whom you spoke. These should be brief and polite. I generally recommend a letter, not a card, because cards may be seen as too personal.
The above is general advice, but it has served me well over the years. It's also helped me select great applicants- I take note when people take interviews seriously.
At Obbee, we're serious about sales leads. We provide prospect lists for realtors, insurance agents, mortgage brokers and debt settlement & loan modification consultants. Using proprietary internet tools and methodolgies, we can even match up professionals with qualified clients in real time. Our goal is to give you enough work that you don't ever need a new job! :)
- Dave
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