Tim Warson, a technical recruiter at TSC Services, offers this critical advice for job seekers:
Resumes, interviewing, and networking are not isolated pieces of the job search–each component influences the other.
The golden rule of the job search – don’t apply where you aren’t qualified! It is a waste of everyone’s time. Think about what you want to do, find companies where you want to work, and don’t be afraid to start from the bottom. Smart, successful people will always be smart and successful … but you still have to prove yourself. So apply sparingly, no filling out applications for positions you are not qualified for.
When writing your resume, I find a concise "Objective" statement at the top allows recruiters to frame your experience against your career goals. Simply listing responsibilities and accomplishments may look great to you, but for someone who doesn’t know you, it is hard to connect a common thread. The Objective statement should be 1-2 sentences describing the role you are pursuing, and why you are the right person for the job.
Resumes should be concise, focusing on accomplishments, deliverables, and where you added value. Because you are following the golden rule (applying with QUALITY over QUANTITY), take your extra time and write a focused cover letter. Add in specific accomplishments or duties to your resume that align with the position description.
When you score the interview, there is the basic and advanced class. Basics: dress for success (suit, gel, makeup, etc), shave, look people in the eye, offer your hand for a shake, SMILE naturally (practice in the mirror), etc. After you have that down, your first question should be about what the company is looking for in the perfect candidate (re-word for your own personal style). When you find out their hot buttons, you know which personal strengths to emphasize when answering questions.
The most important piece of the interview is to remember that emotion is stronger than words. Interviewers remember the ‘feel’ of the candidate, not just technical qualifications. How do you win the emotional vote? Control your feelings. If you are nervous, they are nervous. If you are smug, they are smug. But if you are confident and relaxed–that is how you nail an interview. Take a few deep breaths. You have a few hours to convince your interviewer that they want to work alongside you for years… be the person you want on your team.
Regarding networking – it doesn’t mean schmoozing your way to the top. It does mean ASKING for what you want. That awesome company doing exactly what you want to do? Contact the president, or anyone you have a mutual connection with. Ask to go to lunch, and use all your interview skills to have a lighthearted conversation. Explain your job search, and why you are so interested in their company – important people know other important people, and humans are naturally tuned to want to help each other. Make a good impression and you will get the job that isn’t advertised on Monster.
As a sidenote – don’t be afraid of recruiters. They are people too, performing a job – and some are much better than others. Remember that a relationship with a good recruiter leads to being contacted FIRST about new opportunities, and if you are an excellent candidate, they will do the job hunting for you. You can’t expect every teacher, CEO, or retail clerk to be amazing, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t intelligent, hardworking people in those industries. Same with recruiters!
