Posts Tagged ‘job interview help’

How to Follow Up Your Resume and Cover Letter

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

So you just finished your dream interview and you think you did an excellent job! Now, it’s time to wait around and see what selection your recruiter will make. While waiting, there are important steps you should take, that could help land you the job. The interview isn’t the only thing that recruiters base their decision off of.

Many career and HR experts will say that it’s necessary for job applicants make sure they show their interest. The problem is that you don’t want to be perceived as annoying and turn-off your prospective employer.

Many experts say that the best way to follow-up after a job interview is a brief email. Insure that you state, that you’re thankful for the interview, you’re still interested in the position and that they can feel free to ask questions, should they have any. This will distinguish you from the pack and refresh your recruiter’s memory of who you are.

Individuals in charge of hiring want candidates who show interest and enthusiasm. Various vocations are expected to follow-up after an interview. Individuals in the service industry are especially expected to follow-up. Not following up could be the make-or-break decision on whether you land the job.

If you follow up after an interview, you can wait two weeks and if you still haven’t heard back, you can send a second brief follow up email. After that, if you still hear nothing back do not try following up again.

You can also use a follow-up as a means of negotiation. Some job candidates use follow-up emails to inform employers that they have various job offers and are actively looking. When doing this, you have to be sure you do it properly. Only do this if you actually want the job. If an employer offers you a lucrative wage and salary; and you turn it down, you may damage relationships.

If you contact an employer too much after an interview, you run the risk of turning them off. Many employers do not want individuals hounding them after interviews, their busy people. A short email should suffice. Frequently contact post interview can be highly irritating and can leave a bad impression. During the interview process, it’s a good idea to ask recruiters if they mind if you follow-up with them later and if you do, when is a good time to contact them?

When writing your letter, insure that you use proper spelling and punctuation. If you don’t, you run the risk of undoing the good job you did in your interview and leaving a bad impression. You defiantly want to avoid that.

Emailing your follow-up is always better than regular snail-mail. Sending your thank you/follow- up in the mail also makes it vulnerable to being lost. Email is quick and direct. Another great idea is to send the email to the recruiter and a similar email to the hiring manager. The letter to the hiring manager should not be a duplicate. It can possess similarities but must be unique content.

Remember that it’s ok if you are not selected for the position. Leaving a follow-up is polite and will leave a good impression. You don’t want to burn bridges with anyone in your profession. You can also leave a thank-you note, if you don’t get the position. It’s a polite way of letting the company know that you would be interested in any future opportunities, should they arise. Doing any other contact beyond this, would probably be perceived as highly annoying and would have the opposite effect that you want.

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7 Cardinal Sins of Interviewing

Friday, May 14th, 2010

As the unemployment rate climbs to 9.9%, we can assume that there are over 30 million people in the United States job market, and some of them are looking for the very same job as you. While many of us focus on what to do during the interview process, few of us pay attention to what NOT to do. It is easy to get nervous and make very serious blunders that can cost you this job and many others if your interviewer is an important person in your industry. Regardless of your nerves, attitude, or terrible-horrible-no good-very bad day, you should avoid these Cardinal Sins of Interviewing, because some people will not.

1) Inappropriate Attire: Wrinkles and stains are the least of your worries.  Just because you are wearing your lucky undergarments does not mean your potential employer should have to see them. If you think that a low-cut shirt or a too-tight top will get you the job, you had better be applying for a night life job. It is disrespectful to your employer, male or female, if you wear something provocative. They will think that you do not take the company or the position seriously, and will be offended that you assumed your bare-it-all attitude would make a positive difference. Show some respect for yourself and your interviewer and dress conservatively.

2) Flirtation and Harassment: Be friendly, smile, laugh politely at their jokes, but be careful not to go too far. Anything that could be misconstrued as flirting or sexual harassment is a recipe for failure. You are a twenty-four year old man and your interviewer turns out to be the most gorgeous woman in the world-deal with it. Same goes for female interviewees. If you want to get the job, and you want to be shown daily respect, do not put yourself out there in an unprofessional way, and do not flirt just to get hired!

3) Profanity and Getting Too Comfortable: You may find that you get along really well with your interviewee, and you envision the two of you enjoying beers during happy hour. Stop. This will lead you to become far too comfortable with your interviewer, which may cause you to slip into colloquialisms and profanity. Just because you are explaining something in a lively fashion does not mean you need to drop any four letter expletives.

4) Badmouthing Past Employers: Do you get a long-term girlfriend by bad-mouthing your ex to them on the first date? An interview is very similar; bad-mouthing an ex-employer can create negative tension and make you both extremely uncomfortable. Additionally, it is always a much smaller world than you think, and they may be the college roommate of the object of your verbal-bashing. When it doubt, leave that part out.

5) Talking About Family/Pets/Personal Life: Many employers these days know that they can probably get any one they want to fill any given position. If they are going to be working with you on a daily basis, they probably want to know that the two of you will get along. Showing that you mesh with the company and driveling on about your fiancé, spouse, children, or pets are two very different things. The fact that your son goes to Harvard and your Yorkshire Terrier just had a lot of puppies is not going to help you get the job. Discuss hobbies, likes, and other wholesome topics, but try to avoid delving too far into your personal life. It can make you seem desperately dependent. If asked, either subtlety or directly, be honest. It is otherwise best to leave irrelevant personal information out.

6) Incessantly Talking: This falls in line with number 5; keep the information on point. If you are asked to describe a project, or a task, draw a picture with your words as concisely as possible, but with appropriate details.  If your interviewer can hardly get a word in edgewise, you are probably not making a very good impression.

7) One Word Answers: Answer questions fully and honestly, no matter how nervous you may be. Try to keep them short, but if you let your nervousness or uncertainty take over, you will end up responding with a lot of “yes, sirs.” The quicker the interview, the less of an impression you have made on your interviewer. Try to answer questions with information that sets you apart from other potential hires, but not in a negative way.

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10 Helpful Interview Tips

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Creating a resume and a cover letter is always a hassle. However, when they work and you do get invited in for an interview, you have to kick it in to high gear in order to make your mark. Interviewing is extremely important, and will make or break your chances. Even if employers interview someone as an afterthought, a positive interview experience can land them the job. Below are 10 tips to help you perform your best at your next interview.

1. Research the company. Some people never know anything about a company when they head in for the interview, and this reflects poorly. Show that you have a serious interest in the company, and that you cannot wait to learn more about it. This passion will become infectious and interviewers will appreciate the time you have spent learning about the company.

2. Prepare questions and answers. There are common interview questions such as, “What are your weaknesses,” that are asked for reasons other than the answer. While the answer matters, they also want to know if your confidence can be shaken, or if you are able to carry on with aplomb. Be ready for these difficult questions and practice your answers. Additionally, interviewers will ask if you have any questions. You should prepare one or two interesting questions that will let the interviewer know that you are smart and logical, and truly taking the job potential seriously.

3. Dress neatly and conservatively. If they say business casual, or business professional, dress as such. It is always better to be overdressed than underdressed, but arriving in a full suit when they say “casual to business casual” is overdoing it.

4. Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Though your interviewer may be late, and you may be waiting for 20, 30, or even 40 minutes if you arrive early, it has its benefits as well. You could show up before another interviewer, who happens to be late, save them time by being prepared to interview first, and make a much better first impression than your competition. Even if they are not aware that you show up early, they will know if you arrive late. Planning to arrive early also ensures that you do not arrive late. If possible, drive there once before the interview so you know exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there. Don’t forget to account for traffic!

5. Make eye contact. As often as possible, make eye contact with your interviewer. This not only shows confidence, but also lets them know that you are listening intently to what they have to say. Do not stare at them, but engage with your eyes.

6. Shake hands at first greeting. Do not stand there awkwardly clutching your purse or interview portfolio. Be the first to reach out your hand in a formal greeting, shake hands firmly, but not in an intimidating way, and smile.

7. Answer questions directly. While there are some things that are better left unsaid, answer as openly and honestly to questions, and provide a direct answer rather than beating around the bush. This shows that you can take direction. If you avoid the question it connotes the idea that you have something to hide from the interviewer, which is never a good thing.

8. Show how you can benefit the company. This is something you should prepare when you prep questions and answers. Make sure you use the job description as a guideline, as well as the company’s statement of purpose or goal to help you. Match your skills and experiences with the job description.

9. Remain professional, no matter what. Do not try and be funny, and never make inappropriate comments. It is okay to be witty if that is the type of personality you have, but try and keep all of your comedy and goofiness in a box. It is much safer there.

10. Bring a hard copy of your resume and references. Not only does this show that you are prepared, but it also makes the next step much easier. Maybe they do not exactly remember who you are when you arrive, or maybe they have lost their copy of your resume. If this happens, and you have a hard copy, you will probably get an “I like you already,” kind of look from the interviewer.

Follow these tips and remain confident on interview day and you will perform your best.

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