Get That Job Girl!

Unemployed?  Looking for a career change?  Need advice on how to get promoted?

Let me provide you some insight about how to get the job opportunity you're looking for!

I'll debrief you a little about my expertise.  I've been promoted throughout my career, I've done a ton of job interviews, and I'm an expert at resume writing.  The information provided below is based off my own personal experiences and with hard work and resoluteness,  following these steps can result in a rewarding career!  By Jamie Broadnax

Step 1:  Give Your Resume A Makeover

Time to dig out the same old resume you've kept in your Word doc for the last 5 years and give it the makeover it deserves!  First of all, look to sites like Monster.com and even new templates on 2010 Microsoft Office for the latest resume formats.

Remember in high school or college when they told you that your resume can only be one page in length?  WRONG.  That's not absolute!  You can have a 2 page resume, but keep it at 2 pages and no more!  You can also opt to have your resume print on front and back when you present a hard copy to a prospective employer.

Highlight your achievements and accomplishments on your resume.  This is VERY important!  Hiring managers are not only looking for your job qualifications, but they want to see how well you did on the job.  Don't wait for the interview to let the recruiter know how valuable you are as a candidate, present that on your resume.  Remember you are trying to sell them on a reason why they should pick your resume from the thousands they receive on a daily basis.  So make sure to highlight goals like Employee of the Month, Volunteer Community Organizer, President Award Recipient, etc.  Any accolades you received at work you want to add that to your resume.  My suggestion is to create a separate section illustrating this information.

For example:

List of Accomplishments:

•      Led customer software and application projects totaling $17M in cost savings and revenue generation
•       Certificate of Recognition – Personal and Team Commitment
•       Awarded Employee of the Month in April of 2012

Keep your work history relevant and recent.  If your resume still has your very first job from McDonald's on there, delete it and keep it moving.  Obviously this goes without saying, but I've seen a ton of resumes where people still have employers listed from when they were still in high school.  If you want to just add the last three employers on your resume, that should be fine.  Or if you have worked for a company for several years and you have been promoted to a couple of positions, then list each job position separately.  This will let the prospective employer know that you have been promoted and you have shown yourself to be a valuable asset at your company.

Yes!  Now you have a phone interview!  What next?

Step 2:  Be Prepared!

Many employers are saving money by screening applicants through phone interviews.  Or you may have applied out of state and they want to see if you're worth the travel before the next phase.  I absolutely LOVE phone interviews, because it gives the candidate the opportunity to really script out what they plan to say during the interview.  Keep a glass of water, a working pen, and a notebook nearby.

Make sure you're in a place with no distractions!  If you're at home, lock yourself in the bedroom and make sure your pets and kids are nowhere in the room.  Heck, if you have to take your kids to daycare that day to make sure they don't interfere then do it! If you're using a lanline make sure your cell phone is turned on silent.  

Make sure to study on what questions are typically asked during an interview.  

For example:

•      What are your strengths and weaknesses?
•     How do you define your role in your current position?  OR What is it about this position that interests you?
•     Why should we hire you?

Have a list of questions to ask the interviewer once you are done.  It's imperative to always have a list of questions to ask, this shows the interviewer that you are interested about the position and that you have done your research about the company.

Examples of great follow up questions:

     What are the short-term and long-term goals of this company?

      Tell me about the work culture in this department.

      Do you prefer someone who likes to be micromanaged or be empowered to make their own decisions?

Obviously you want to ask generic questions like when does the position start? Or when will you be contacting applicants for the next round of interviews, etc.  Do not ask about salary until you KNOW you got the job.  Now you've received a call wanting to setup a face-to-face interview!  Yaaay you're one step closer!

Step 3: Get a Power Suit

Invest the extra money or charge your Macy's card with a solid power suit.  Every girl needs a good power suit to wear to an interview.  You can wear a nice skirt and a blouse too, but in my opinion wearing a suit demonstrates more confidence on a woman.  Keep your jewelry modest and avoid wearing any heavy perfumes or hairsprays.  Nothing is more offensive than a smelly candidate.  Sorry.

Step 4: Be Confident...No Matter What.

I have a huge issue with self-esteem.  However, when you're applying for a job interview, you may need to face your fear for the next 30 minutes and become Confident Cathy there in the boardroom.  If you're flying in from out of town, make sure to schedule your flight as early as possible.  If you are flying to a city you've never been to and you are given a rental vehicle to use for the day, make sure you research the roads and keep a GPS device in your car along with a hard copy of a map giving you solid directions.

Talk to a friend, family member, or co-worker who knows someone who has lived there to tell you what traffic conditions are like for that area. 

In the job interview don't be afraid to make eye contact and most importantly BE YOURSELF.  Fakeness can be detected a mile away and putting on an act for the sake of an interview is a bad move.  Give yourself credit, your personality may be the ingredient that gets you the job, so please don't walk in the office with a manufactured personality.  It will just make things worse.

Don't be afraid to make small talk.  I know it's hard (trust me I have issues with small talk) but making generic comments about the weather or if you see a photo of the interviewer's kids and mention you have two of your own, then that makes for a more relaxing interview.

Step 5: Take a Moment and Breathe...

I know this step may sound odd, but if you practice this, it will be a more positive experience and feel less stressful.  If the interviewer asks you a question that stumps you, take a moment to stop, breathe, and assess the question.  Don't be so hasty and try to think of the first thing that comes to mind.  Interviewers use this to trip you up and see how you will respond.  Believe it or not, how you respond to the "gotcha question" is exactly what they're looking for...not the actual answer to the question itself.  Therefore, take a moment, breathe, and don't be afraid to ask the interviewer to give you a moment to process how to answer that question.

Step 6: Smile

This kinda goes without saying, but you'd be surprised what happens to your facial expression when you're under pressure.  Remember to always smile as often as you can.  I try to smile in-between my responses to the questions.  You want to give off the impression to the interviewer that you are enjoying this experience (yes you may not--but they don't have to know that).

The interview has ended and they said they will call you within a week.

Step 7: Write A Thank You Card

Notice I used the word "Write" not email or dare I say text.  Since writing letters has become somewhat of an archaic tradition, if one person out of 200 other applicants write a thank you letter, guess who is more than likely going to receive a response back?

Now I'm not saying that a Thank You Card guarantees you will get the job, but it will keep your resume on the top of the pile if another job opening pops up a few weeks or months later.  Job recruiters keep resumes on file for 6 months and if the job applicant they gave the offer to doesn't work out, they will resume to the next in line on that list, and I'm sure that girl that wrote us the nice thank you letter will more than likely be next.

Jamie Broadnax is not Hiring Manager or Job Recruiter.  She's simply a nerdy girl who has been involved in a number of job interviews, resume writing courses, career fairs, social mixers, and networking events to know what the hell she's talking about.  She's also the go-to-girl in her company whenever someone needs career guidance or resume updates.