Are you in the middle of your job hunt and finding yourself beyond frustrated? You have submitted your resume to hundreds of jobs, yet you have only had a few interviews at most? At this moment you might feel like you have done everything possible to get an interview, but here are a few ideas that you have yet to think of. These quirky tips might have been so simple that you did not even think about them. Simple or not, these are some things to look at in order to increase your chances of landing more interviews.
- Keep your social media clean. In a recent survey from Forbes of 1,848 staffing professionals, 98.2% said that they used social media in some form to recruit. It is very possible that you could be completely overlooked based on a bad posting with vulgar language or inappropriate content. So be sure to clean these up ASAP and continue to practice professionalism at all times throughout your lifetime.
- Update/create a LinkedIn account profile. In the same Forbes study of 1,848 staffing professionals, 97.3% said that they also use LinkedIn for recruiting. What a great way to increase your chances and connect with more professionals!
- Always provide a cover letter. A cover letter is a great way for a future employer to get a sense for who you are, what you are looking for and how you might fit in with the company. It is also a great way to stand out when being compared to other potential candidates. Going above and beyond could potentially land you the interview and eventually the job. It proves that you are not lazy and the company is important enough to take the time and effort to write a cover letter.
- Do not misspell anything. It is so crucial to go through your resume looking for misspellings multiple times and to have others do the same. This simple mistake can cost you the interview and the job because it looks unprofessional to the recruiter.
- Do research on the company for a phone screening. Many times companies will call you before they invite you in for an interview. During this call it is very important that you know about the company before they call. Being on top of things and knowing what you are talking about can really impress the recruiter, so make sure to do your homework!
- Practice interview questions. Grab questions from a google search and answer them on a sheet of paper. You can then go over these questions like you would in an actual interview. It would even be a good idea to have someone else practice being the employer and having a mock interview. This is a great way to increase your confidence for the interview.
- Have passion. There is a lot to be said about having passion for a specific job field. This will lead you to wanting a job and typically a recruiter will be able to see your passion through a phone screen, cover letter or interview. It is so important to express your passion to the best of your ability through all of these mediums.
- Always have at least one question in mind to ask the recruiter. You should target this question towards the company to show that you have done your research and want to know more about the company. Avoid “what’s in it for me” kinds of questions, such as “what does your benefits package entail”.
- Talk with a clear voice. During a phone interview, it is so important to talk with a clear, professional voice and smile because you are talking over the phone and not in person. When talking with a clear voice, it shows that you are professional and know what you are talking about.
- Watch your language. There is not a better way to scare off an employer than with bad language. Be sure to watch what you say and maintain a professional manner.
When you are in the middle of an initial phone screen it is important that you “wow” the recruiter. Your goal is for them to remember you, not for you to hound them with questions about promotions, growth, etc. There are also many reasons that an employer might feel you are not a right fit for their company. These are just a few ideas to help boost your chances of getting an interview. Stay positive and with these small adjustments hopefully you will land an interview or two!
Sources: http://www.careercontessa.com/conversations/prescreen-interview-101/
http://coupondipity.com/2013/01/02/tips-for-landing-a-job/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/02/05/new-survey-linked-in-more-dominant-than-ever-among-job-seekers-and-recruiters-but-facebook-poised-to-gain/#4f13827d16bf
