Who is choosing you during interview?

February 24, 2012|employees, How to find a job, Interesting Facts, Tips At work| No comments yet

The first step toward getting an interview at a company is usually by submitting a resume. Your resume should be written to attract the attention of the reader, whether it is an actual person or a computer. Both will quickly scan the resume looking for information that highlights your skills and qualifications. Your resume is your most powerful marketing tool and is very often your only chance at getting an interview.

If you do submit your resume to a company and you are invited for an interview, your resume has successfully portrayed you as a potential hire and the company wants more information. During the interview you will be probed for more details. What do you bring to the table? Why should they hire you instead of another candidate?

At the interview you may be interviewed by one interviewer or many, by someone from Human Resources, hiring managers and potential supervisors. An interview can be one-on-one or a group interview with several interviewers, in some cases even including other candidates interviewing for the same job.

Always enter an interview prepared with knowledge of the company and the reasons why you want the job. Also be prepared with examples of how your skills qualify you for the job. If taken to lunch, consider it part of the interview. You are being observed in a social setting. Be careful what you say and go light on the alcohol.

As resumes play such a critical role in the hiring process, you need a good one. Resumes are typically one page, two at most, and you have to cram a lot of important information into those pages, selling yourself as a candidate worthy of a job interview.

Resume writing tips:

• Always tailor your resume and objective to the job. As space is of the essence, the majority of the information should be relevant to the job you are applying for.

• Include your contact information at the top. Never include personal information, age, sex, political or religious affiliations or social security number.

• Include job descriptions that detail your relevant work history. Highlight your accomplishments and how your job performance benefited the company.

• Start each job description statement with a bullet followed by an action verb. Don’t use pronouns and don’t write complete sentences. Detail your work history in reverse chronological order, with your most recent work history first. Interviewers what to see what you’ve been doing lately, not years ago.

• Include several key words (SEOs) that highlight your skills and can be easily spotted by the reader.

• Never lie on your resume. During the interview you must be able to back up everything on your resume.

• Don’t include references. Have them ready on separate stationery but don’t give them out unless asked.

• Proofread your resume carefully for typos, misspellings and grammar mistakes before submitting. Employers and interviewers don’t like sloppy resumes and usually toss them.

A well-written resume is essential and your first step toward landing that interview.