Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Resume 101 – The Do’s and Don'ts of How to get Noticed (for the right reasons). Part II in our III part Series.

The Interview:
Congratulations!  You got an interview!  No doubt because you followed the steps in the first of our three part series… 

Interviews are tough, no two ways about it.  No one really likes them – it’s hard to talk about yourself without feeling self-conscious or like you’re bragging.  By the way, don’t brag, just talk to what you have done pointedly, matter-of-factly.  I have had many managers tell me they do not want to hire a candidate simply because they don’t make eye contact, or they don’t “sell” themselves (make me want to hire you!), or because they come off as unsure about themselves – don’t mistake this for you needing to be arrogant about how great you are, but be self-assured.  If you made it to the interview, the recruiter saw or heard something she liked about you.

Your first contact will most likely be a phone call, but could also be an e-mail:

  1. E-mail and voice mail. If you have an e-mail address that looks less than professional (out4fun@aol.com), change it to something professional (James.Madison@aol.com).  The same applies for your outgoing voice mail message – make sure you state your name on your message.  A sleepy or casual, “Yeah – this is Matt.  You know what to do.” does not exactly inspire confidence.  

  1. Get the recruiter’s name.  When you receive a call for an interview from a recruiter, write down the recruiter’s name, the title of the job opening, the phone number and the name of the company.  Simply noting the company name, finding a general phone number and asking the receptionist to put you through to someone’s voice mail will not win you any points.  Also, if you have to leave a message for the recruiter, speak slowly, mention your name (it’s amazing how many people forget this not so insignificant point), for which job you are applying, and your phone number – keep the message short.  Often, recruiters are recruiting for more than one job at a time and they are probably not going to spend much time trying to figure out who you are.

  1. Plan for an interview.  Bookmark all positions for which you are applying on-line and go back to read through the job description prior to your interview.  Check out the company web-site and note one or two things to ask the recruiter about; it will make a positive impression.  Word of advice – do not ask personal questions or why the recruiter joined the company.  Ask questions relevant to you and to the position for which you are interviewing.

  1. Dress for the occasion.  Almost without exception you should wear a suit to your interview.  It shows respect.  If you do not have a suit, do the best you can to put something together – men, your tie should be straight and ladies, no short skirts or low cut tops.  It can’t hurt to call or e-mail the recruiter and ask what would be appropriate, for example, if you are interviewing at a start-up, a suit may be a bit too much.  But find out before you show up.

  1. When you show up for an interview – be excited.  Not little-kid-at-the-fair excited, but show enthusiasm for the position, even if you’re not enthusiastic about it.  And don’t forget to ask for the interviewer’s business card at the end of the interview. 

  1. You are also interviewing the company.  Don’t forget, you need to ask questions about the job, how training for the job is provided, the company culture, and the management style.  Listen to what the recruiter or hiring manager is telling you and ask questions based on what you are hearing.  If you accept a job offer, you will be spending a lot of time at your new company so you want to ask as many questions as possible to gauge whether or not you will be happy there.

Side note – many candidates wonder whether or not it is o.k. to ask about salary and benefits at the first interview.  Generally, it is not a good way to start off but at the end of the interview, if you do not already know the salary because it was not posted, it is o.k. to ask the salary or the salary range.  Often, companies will have a range they are willing to pay a candidate DOE (Depends on Experience).  It is also o.k. to ask what the benefits are and when you would be eligible if hired.  This is not information you want to hear for the first time when they are making an offer in the off-change it does not meet your requirements.

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