Even if you’re accomplished and well-qualified, the job market can be a tough place, and it can be difficult to get the job interview you really want. Here are four tips that will help make sure your resume ends up in the “yes” pile and you end up with the interview.
Read Closely
You might be the most qualified person you know in your field, but that doesn’t mean you’re capable of doing every job, particularly jobs not in your usual bracket. That’s why it’s crucial that you go through the job posting with a fine-toothed comb. Make a numbered list of exactly what it is they’re asking for: which degrees are mandatory, which skills are preferred. Then make sure you have most, if not all, of these before proceeding to submit.
Target Your Resume
If you really want this job, then it’s worth the half an hour to an hour to customize your resume to make sure you’re an attractive candidate. Does your resume seem set up for that particular job title? If it doesn’t fit on first glance, you’ll end up in the shredder. Now make sure to highlight skills and experiences that would be most valuable to this employer for filling this position.
Target Your Cover Letter
Be specific, particularly if your resume requires an extra bit of context to convince them that you’re right for the job. But this is a good idea in general. Your cover letter is the best window into not only who you are as a worker, but who you are as a person, and how you’d fit into the culture. Address it to the correct person, and do a bit of research into what the company is looking for before you make your promises. Make sure you make the right ones!
Show Your Face
It’s easy to spend most of your time slumped at your laptop, sending resumes into the void. But more and more jobs are landed by face-to-face networking these days. Try hand delivering your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager at that particular company. And then get out there. Meet people. Talk about where you want to be and what you want to be doing, and meet the folks that can help you get there.
