There’s a bunch of helpful articles out there to help you nail a job interview, but how do you actually land one in the first place? We don’t often think about selling ourselves to a prospective employer, but it’s an important part of the job application process. Don’t be fooled into thinking a good product (in this case, you) will simply sell itself — you need to convince employers to give you the interview before you can convince them to give you the job.
Here’s four tips on how to secure your seat in the interviewee chair.
1. The Cover Letter
The cover letter is often viewed before your resume. In fact, most places won’t even look at your resume if there’s not a cover letter with it, so it’s pretty important that you absolutely nail it. You need to write a cover letter that will grab the recruiter’s attention for all the right reasons and make them want to offer you that job interview. A poorly crafted letter that doesn’t clearly showcase your experience, strengths, why you’re right for the role, or contains grammar and spelling mistakes, will result in the death of your application — yep, cya later dream job. But a good cover letter can work wonders! Stay humble, but convince the employer of your credentials and your professionalism, and provide insights into your personality and character.
2. The Resume
Present yourself through a smashing resume. A resume is how your potential boss will ‘meet’ you — having one that stands out from the rest, visually and content-wise, will give you a head start before you’ve even started. Word documents are okay, but they’re nothing special. Try using Canva to design something amazing (they have a bunch of templates so no graphic design skills are required!), or even hiring someone, like The Resume Boutique. Paying a designer $20 to build you a resume is a great investment many people don’t ever think of, and it’s totally worth it! You can ask them to design your cover letter too, so it’s a cute (professional) lil set.
3. The Phone Call
It doesn’t seem it matter what industry you’re in, it’s super hard to find a job in Perth at the moment, with people searching anywhere from six months to two years for a job in their field (crazy!). I have a feeling this applies to most anywhere in the world right now too! Most job advertisements will garner hundreds of applications, and that list is cut down pretty quickly by those on the receiving end, meaning hardly any of those hopefuls will ever have a chance to progress to the job interview. If you call up a week after you submit your application, I promise, your name will go to the top of the list and your stuff will get a second look. Heaps of people even score a quick, on-the-spot, casual phone interview by doing this!
4. The Pre-Interview Interview
Okay so, besides the impromptu phone interview above, it’s really common for people to be offered a phone interview before a face-to-face one. Usually this is so the interviewers can cut their list down from 15 applicants to a top three, and it’s a great opportunity for them to get a ‘feel’ for you. A lot of people hate talking on the phone (myself included), because they can’t read body language. I suh-re-us-ly suggest asking for a Skype interview instead. This shows great initiative and confidence, feels more personal than a phone call, and will make you stand out! It’s also a way you can show off your professional attire, keen communication skills, and beautiful smile. Just make sure you have a nice setup… Not in your messy bedroom showcasing your dirty jocks.
Good luck — you’ve got this!
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