Interviewing skills & Job search: Resume writing, LinkedIn

Linked in is a networking service for corporations and employees. Gone are the days when you had to wait for a company meeting to get to know your bosses. Now through their profile on LinkedIn you can not only know their professional achievements and attitude but also the people they are connected to. 

So your LinkedIn profile is ready and has all the necessary information the employer may be looking for, your skills, accomplishments, recommendations and endorsements, basically your online resume. Now begins the job hunt part. 

The purpose of a resume is to list down all the reasons you are qualified for the job you are applying for. It is not just a page containing all your accomplishments, the purpose of it is to be read by someone who may hire you for the job you have stated you are qualified for. 

There are a few aspects to a resume, namely: Experience, Education, Objective, Other Skills, Format, Accuracy and Relevance. Since this is the only paper that is going to help the recruiter decide whether or not you are fit for being considered, you must pay a lot of attention to it. Think of it as a business card, the only difference is that you cannot make an impression before you hand it. So this business card must do it for itself. 

We all understand the need for keywords in our modern workplace and the interview process is no different. Just imagine the HR employee receiving a huge load of resumes every day, out of which, at least 50% are irrelevant entries and the rest are either not an exact fit for the position or have failed to demonstrate their skills optimally. 

So you are looking at a dream job advert and thinking to yourself that this could be just the opportunity you have been waiting for. There is a reason you feel that and it is because you know you can offer something to this company that no one else can. That is exactly what your Value proposition means. The attributes that are required by a company and only you can deliver them.

A cover letter is a page full of information that highlights your interest in the company and your compatibility to work with them. Through this letter, you must make a statement that is as simple as, I like your company; I think I will be a good fit for you. This is what your cover letter says in effect. So how would you go about it?

In this lesson, we will look into the technology and objective of company research. This aspect of the job search is probably the most important from reading the job advert to successfully working in that job. The more effort spent on research the higher the probability of scoring the job. To put it simply, if you do not know the car, you will not be able to efficiently drive it. Hence, to secure your job, you must know everything about it. Not only will this help you navigate the recruitment process with ease but you will also have complete handle on things on your very first day. 

It sounds almost nonsensical today to wonder about what one must wear to an interview. After all how does it matter how we look if the real test is if prove how we can do a certain job well? You are not entirely wrong to think this. However, keep in mind that they will only have a few hours to decide whether you are fit to have a career with the company and it is not nearly enough time to assess all your attributes. 

We all know that we can’t show up empty handed to an interview. A folder containing all important documents will save you any embarrassment and also help you make a good first impression. It can also be in an electronic form like an iPad, however, certain documents like the resume and ID should be carried in a paper form, preferably a few copies of each. You may even prepare a page full of your important details like name, date of birth, contact information, etc. This will save you from looking through papers for relevant information. 

In this chapter, we will delve into the very process of an interview. This process is thoroughly researched and strongly regulated to prevent any mistakes that could cost the employer or the employee a very heavy sum. Many companies have in house psychologists who specifically tailor this process to be as accurate as possible. Hence, one must assess it very logically and prepare themselves for exactly the kind of questions that may be asked by both parties. Yes, the interview is a chance for the employee as well to decide whether they indeed want to work for this company. So approach it with a level-head and you will be prepared to make just the right impression.

An interview is designed in such a way that the recruiter will be able to understand your tangible achievements and qualifications as well as the intangible merits of your personality and character. The questions may begin with understanding what did you do in school or a workplace, what results were you able to achieve and how those skills will be relevant to your new place of work. However, we often overlook the other aspects that an interviewer is consciously recording, your behavior and body language. So why are they actively assessing your behavior through your body language? If they just need to get a job done then your experience and qualification should be enough right?

At the end of the question-answer round for you, it will be your turn to ask some questions. Just after your last answer, the recruiter may ask you if you have any questions for them. This is your opportunity to understand whether you actually would like to work here. Use this opportunity to get answers to questions you had but failed to find through research. Remember we spoke about research being your treasure trove. This is another reason for researching, it will arm you with the best questions to ask and this is another opportunity to prove how well you have prepared.

How do you sell yourself in an interview? This is probably the biggest confusion in the interviewee’s mind. You are not alone if you have had this same question. Most of us have learnt that talking about our self is rude and immodest, though it is true in many situations; an interview is definitely not one of them. 

By now it is common knowledge that 93% of our communication is recorded through our body and the tone of our voice. A meager 7% is recorded through the actual words we say and this could explain why we have misunderstandings in our world. 

It happens in our lives and it happens at an interview. The dilemma of saying I don’t know and look underprepared or admit that I don’t know and prevent looking like a liar. Both results are not too attractive. But somewhere in the middle we can discover a good response that communicates our lack of knowledge yet saves us from the embarrassment of it.

So you have just rocked an interview and received an encouraging feedback. Maybe the recruiter was very happy with your performance and explicitly said so, maybe they subtly let you know by asking for references or you simply have a gut instinct about positive results. 

So you sent an awesome resume and cover letter, which allowed you to get the one on one opportunity of an interview. You did your best and now you are waiting for a response. Typically, companies will let you know by when they will respond, however, this is not true of all companies and also it is not followed rigorously.