How to Get the Job

We're not in Kansas anymore. Today's job market is a scary new world filled with wicked witches and impenetrable fortresses. So how do you get the Grand Wizard to take notice of you when, within a week of posting a job ad, employers can be inundated with up to 500 resumes! You have to make yourself stand out in the virtual crowd. Here are a few tips from somebody who has been both on the hiring line and behind the hiring desk.

Don't be lazy.
If you are directed to a company's website to fill in your information, even if you have to re-type your entire resume into their format, do it. What you may not realize, is that larger organizations weed out a ton of resumes solely based on who didn't fill out all of the information requested. The second round is whether or not the information you did fill out fits their predetermined criteria. You will find all the information you need in the original job ad to make it through this step. Either you qualify or you don't.

Don't lie.
It's not worth the risk. If you don't have the required education, but you do have the years of experience, you're still in a good position. What good is an educated person who hasn't gotten his feet wet? The less time it takes to train you, the better.

Don't Sit on the Sidelines.
Pick up the phone and call the HR department. Confirm that they've received your resume, and don't forget to be polite and ask them how their day is going. Then you can go ahead and ask how the candidate search is going and when you can expect to hear back from them. They may just set up your phone interview there and then.

Be Prepared.
A phone interview is another way of screening candidates and dwindling down the search for the perfect employee. They want to know if you are truly interested in their company or just willing to work anywhere that will take you. Do your homework. Go to the company website, find out what they do and how they do it. Research their gross profit, how long they've been established, who runs the show, and who runs the department you are looking to join. Be upbeat and positive, even if you just got laid off due to downsizing. You don't need them to feel sorry for you; you need them to feel sorry for the company that let an amazing employee like you slip through their fingers.

Knock em' Dead
Now that you've made it to an in-person interview, it's your time to shine. You've done your homework, now do some more. Once you shake hands and sit down, start asking questions. But make sure they know you already know the answer and would just like to hear them elaborate on the subject. For instance, "Mr. Doe, I read that the company has been gaining momentum in sales year after year in the Retail Division, how have you managed to do that in today's market?" When it's your time to be questioned, keep your answers clear, concise, modest, and honest. And when that tricky question about your weaknesses comes up, make sure to tell them that you work too hard and care too much about the companies you work for.

Good luck out there,
JB Pin It