Landing The Perfect Job

Almost all of us have lost a job at one time or another. Whether through something we did, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or economic stress factors - like today's job market.
DON'T let this get you down! Go into the job market with a positive attitude and you will get much further - faster!

A positive attitude allows you the freedom to choose the jobs that you apply to with YOUR desires in mind - not economic factors. I understand that you need to pay your bills, that you need to get a new job as quickly as possible. But I guarantee you, it will all be for nothing if you choose the wrong job, or take the first job that comes along out of economic necessity only. Choosing poorly will only lead to your having to repeat the job search process a year or two down the line! Believe me - I have been there!

If you're saying to yourself, "I need a job now", then I urge you to step back and think for just a little while about what it is that you really want in your new job.

A resume is a brief, concise document that presents, and sells, your most relevant and positive credentials for employment. Did you know that a potential employer usually spends about 15-20 seconds reviewing your resume and if there are obvious errors or inconsistencies it will get discarded immediately?

The content of your resume must be clear, concise, and actually targeted to the type of job for which you are applying. If you have several fields in which you are interested in, then be sure to make separate resumes for each one. I can't image a worse scenario than sending in a resume targeted to accounting when you are a applying for an IT position. Your resume may be the only chance you get to make a good "technical" impression, so make it a good one.

There are two main format types for resumes. They are:

Chronological - most common resume - It's simply a resume that lists your education and experience in reverse chronological order - most recent items first

Skills - This format works best when a traditional resume just doesn't work to make you look like a good candidate even though you have relevant skills. Basically this is the "starter" format.

Which method you use will depend, really, on your personal preference. You may even wish to do a combination of the two. Just be absolutely sure to spell check everything! A resume with grammatical and spelling errors won't be looked at twice. Writing a resume is a major hurdle to get over so make it first on your list.

Cover Letters, which accompany and introduce your resume, are the main correspondence you will have with a potential employer. They are called cover letters because you send them in with your resume - on TOP of your resume - hence "cover letter" A term coined before the internet, I'd imagine. Nevertheless, they are still a very important aspect of the application process and NEVER send in a resume without one!

Remember - in today's market there are going to be many more people applying for each job. You want to stand out from the crowd. You want that potential employer to look at your cover letter and immediately notice something about it and say "I need to get this guy/gal in for an interview". THAT is your major goal with a cover letter.

Think about it. Resumes are limited. They are essentially a list of facts about your job skills and history. With the cover letter, however, you will have an opportunity to sell yourself. Your interpersonal skills, your good work ethics, ALL of YOU!

Use your cover letter to your advantage. Be bold, be sharp and above all stand out from the Crowd with Amazing Cover Letters

Think of the cover letter as your pre-sales page. You are selling yourself! Be smart - you get nowhere if you don't try, so what is there to lose?

Applying for jobs via the internet has really become today's standard. Be sure to follow instructions carefully.
Many employer ads will say: "no calls, please". If you see this - DON'T CALL! It might be cause for an automatic dismissal from this potential employer.

If you are using an online job search engine follow the instructions that should be posted for each job. Don't just arbitrarily apply through the job search site. Look for specific instructions for each job. Many times you will be directed to the specific company's own site.

Research potential employers. Ask family and friends if they know anything about the company. Visit the company's own website. You should be able to garner a lot of information about them there and the information will come in very handy when writing your cover letter.

To effectively sell yourself as a potential job candidate, you need to be able to persuade the employer that you are a good fit for that employer's needs. Even when the job market is a great one for job seekers, employers aren't going to interview and hire candidates who are not a match for their needs.
You can't present yourself - in cover letters or interviews - as a match for the employer's needs if you don't know enough about the employer to do so.

So now you have "THE" interview. How do you prepare for it.

Research - as above make sure you know as much about the company as possible before the interview. Write down any questions your research may have given you
Practice - go ahead an practice possible questions with a friend or family member, but be careful not to become to precise and robotic for the real thing.
Location - If necessary preform a practice drive to the interview location. You DO NOT want to be late!
Clothing - chose your interview clothing with care. What you wear should be secondary to the main purpose of the interview. Selling YOU - not the clothes you wear. Generally speaking, I would suggest that you not wear clothing that would be appropriate or better than that needed for the job. Make sure they remember you for your answers to their questions - not for what you wore!
Sample Questions Here are some sample questions that might be asked of you:

What are your long-range goals and objectives?
What are your short-range goals and objectives?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
What are your strengths, weaknesses, and interests?
Was there an occasion when you disagreed with a supervisor's decision or company policy? Describe how you handled the situation.
Describe a contribution you have made to a project on which you worked.
Describe a situation in which you worked as part of a team. What role did you take on? What went well and what didn't?

My favorite ALL TIME Question (and the answer for you) is... What can you bring to this position that no one else can?
The answer: "ME"
You bring with you your own personality and work habits and ethics. USE them. No one else can do what you do, the way that you do it. Explain why you feel that you can perform BEYOND their expectations because you ARE you!

You've put it all together. Your Amazing Resume and your Amazing Cover Letter. You've gotten the interview and you think you've really impressed them.
All that's left is a your post interview Thank you letter. Be sure to send this off within 2 business days. The purpose of the Thank You letter is to express your appreciation for the interview and to reiterate your qualifications for the position and the company your applying to. The letter demonstrates that you know what to do and when and shows them increased interest on your part. In your letter review your qualifications, ask any questions that may not have been answered in your interview and if they had asked for any followup information form your be sure to include it here.

Now you wait - but hopefully not for long!

If you haven't heard back after a week a polite inquiry is certainly called for. It shows that you are still interested in the organization and may prompt the employer to make a decision. In your inquiry, mention the name of the person who interviewed you, the time and place of the interview, and the position for which you are applying.

If all goes well, the job will be yours!
Good Luck in your search - You CAN do it!