Wondering how employers choose their applicants and what they are really looking for in a candidate? Here is the 411 on landing a job from someone who has been in the position of hiring for years.
First and foremost make an impression with your resume. When accepting applications, I literally scan through several resumes. All of them look about the same, black type on white paper. However, the ones that really grab my attention are those that are aesthetically pleasing. These aesthetically pleasing resumes typically have a lot of white space, great alignment, and look clean. I’m not saying that those with nice resumes are necessarily qualified for the position, but they at least grab attention from the very beginning.
After I review and find applicants I want to bring in, we contact them for an interview. In an interview being timely and dressing nicely is always appreciated, however, not necessarily necessary. If you posses the skills that the employer needs and can really sell yourself in the interview, then you can cover up the fact that you are a couple minutes late, or that your shirt isn’t ironed properly. The interview is your time to showcase your skills and how you could be an asset to the company. When you are asked a question, don’t just give a short answer. Go into detail about how you used your skills to make an impact in a given situation. Let the interviewer know why you are better than all of the other applicants.
Here are the key things I look for in a candidate while interviewing.
A candidate should:
· Possess a solid knowledge of their skills that apply to the position specifically and provide evidence they have success in that field.
· Speak effectively to prove they know what they are talking about.
· Have a genuine interest in the company as well as the job.
· Have confidence and never talk negatively about themselves or previous companies
· Ask questions about the company or job to show interest in the new position.
· Show personality!
Getting a job really springs from being persistent, having a resume that showcases your skills, and connecting with an interviewer to show why they need to hire you for the company. Just remember to be confident in your skills and demonstrate that you are capable of learning and doing whatever assignment may be thrown at you in a given position.
