For Those Who Are Looking For A Job or Career, Your Resume And How You Answer Questions Is Critical
As the great South Central philosopher, Willie Jones said to Craig one sunny Friday morning, “The word for today is job. J-O-B.”
But before we all jump off that cliff and run right out the front door, as with most other things, you will need time to get this all started. And it all starts with just a little bit of practice of getting ready depending on what you’re looking for.
Easiest things first: I am really hoping you don’t need a seminar on how to dress or act on a job interview. I might suggest however, on getting some help in updating/creating your resumé. It’s extremely competitive out there. The simplest error or even the “look” of your resumé can tip the scales one way or another. There are many great sites (and seminars) to help you out regarding this. Watch out for those resumé templates though. I suggest you don’t use them. This is no time to show your prospective new boss you possess absolutely no creativity.
However, don’t (and I stress the word don’t) get too creative. Please, no emoticons. No winking faces. No smiley ones, either. No exclamation points. Exclamation points can lead one to believe that you are way too impressed with yourself. You know, you’re the kind of person who laughs at your own jokes. And God, who doesn’t hate that person. Just make sure your resumé is well-organized and readable. NO typos. Show your serious side, and don’t try to hide any gaps in your employment status. Be honest.
And remember the most important part: You are not texting one of your idiot friends. None of that stupid shorthand or casual grammar. Your last position was not bitchin. Human Resources Betty was not DDG. Never tell your prospective employer that, “i12cuL8r.”
WTF?
It doesn’t matter where you are going for your interview: Take a shower. Shave. Iron your shirt. Polish your shoes. Comb your hair.
Be on your best behavior. Be strong but not overbearing. Have a confident smile but not too much or your prospective boss will think you’re high. Be respectful but not toady-like. Head up. Look em in the eye.
Simple.
No. No, actually it is not. Before you sit down across from the next controller of your life, you may want to practice a little bit. We practice so we are ready. Sort of like dating, which is just practice until we meet the right one. The more we practice, the better mates we will be. Well, that’s my take on the whole thing.
Get on the computer. Type in: “Top 10 (or 20) most commonly asked questions in a job interview.” You will get almost 42 million hits. Pick a bunch of the questions. Sit down with someone.
Have them read you the questions. Answer them the best you can. Go back to the computer. Type in: “Answers to job interview questions.” You will get about 138 million hits. See how you did. You sucked, right? Rinse and repeat.
Keep doing this until you feel more confident. And by that, I mean your language is less forced, more conversational, but professional and authoritative.
It’s competitive out there, but companies are still hiring. Just remember, not only do they need your skill set, they need your personality just as much. So clean yourself up, smile, and go get that J-O-B. I’m rooting for you.