As we comb through the many incoming applications each day, certain individuals stick out more than others. Some catch our attention for positive reasons, and some are for less than great reasons. We wanted to list a few suggestions in order to make yourself a considerable applicant.
As noted in our previous blog, your resume could make or break your consideration. Be sure it looks professional, while including all of the necessary information. Everything on a resume should be checked over for spelling errors and accuracy.
Apart from the resume, though, there are other equally important tips to follow when hunting for employment. Make sure you really know what job and company you’re applying for. While the job title may be appealing upon first glance, the job description is the most important part of the listing. Read into the job itself, and decide if the details and requirements align with your desires and skillset. From there, look into the company to find out who they are and what they do. There’s almost a 100 percent chance that at some point in the selection and interview process, applicants will be asked why they chose to apply for that job, what intrigued them about the company, or something along those lines. Being well versed in both the job description and the business will help applicants know ahead of time if this is a position they’re truly interested in, and it will help employers know who’s serious about working for their company.
The point in applying for a job is to be contacted about said position. When a professional employer reaches out to you, make sure to present yourself in a professional manner just the same. If called, answer the phone with an awake, alert and excited voice. From our end, your tone is a direct reflection of how you feel about the job. Find a quiet place to talk, so you can give your full attention to the call and we aren’t distracted by background noise. Some companies have many applicants flooding their inbox every day, so prove to them that you truly want the job.
If you’re unable to answer when contacted, make sure you have a voicemail that is set up and able to accept messages. When calling applicants, employers will usually opt to leave a message, so be prepared on your end. If you choose to customize your voicemail, clearly state your name and keep it professional. Creating a solid first impression is huge when being considered for a job, so make sure your answering machine is a reflection of how you want to be viewed by an employer.
Update your email address, if necessary. This shouldn’t directly affect your job search or level of qualification, but a simplified and relevant email presents better to employers. Again, you want to brand yourself in a way that showcases you’re the best person for the job, so every detail counts. We all made those goofy email addresses in middle school that have absolutely nothing to do with who we are or where our interests currently lie. If available, reformat the email address as your first and last name. One or two numbers and a period or underscore are alright, but try to avoid too many characters.
If all goes well and interviews are scheduled, your physical appearance will become a factor in the hiring process. At High Stakes Management, we conduct all three rounds of interviews via Zoom. Doing this acts as a courtesy to our applicants, allowing them to interview from the location of their choosing without having to drive to our office. However, we still expect you to treat the interview as if it were in person. Be on time, set up shop in a quiet, distraction-free place and present yourself in a business professional manner. We’ve had candidates play video games in the middle of the interview, show up in a dingy T-shirt, have visible and audible distractions in the background of the video call, and much more, all of which are completely unacceptable and demonstrate a lack of effort and care. Interviews don’t last that long, so be presentable, professional and attentive the entire duration of your Zoom call.
As a recap, be aware of the job and the company you are applying for. This will avoid any confusion in the interview process. Additionally, make sure you always, in every way, present yourself as a professional candidate. Doing this will increase your chances of consideration. Good luck!