Suwen PollardAsk a Career Coach: How to Land an Interview?
Whatever part of the career journy your'e on, never be complacent. You are as much of a business as the company that chooses to hire you. You are effectively offering a service, but if you don’t package your proposition correctly, you’ll not get a first-look, never mind a second. The competition for a career is fierce, but that really needn’t be a barrier. You can easily capitalise on the weaknesses of others in the any sector.
Landing an interview can be a challenge, but with the right approach you can increase your chances of success. A career coach can help you to be more marketable, and commit to presenting you in the best possible light; but there’s only so much that a career coach can do. The rest is up to you. Here are some pointers to get your job and career started.
Related: 5 Ways to Ensure You Have Clarity in Your Job Search
Before you do anything
The first step is to have a plan. The fist step is to do your research, know what you want and be able to articulate this in a clear and concise way. Do not just wing it or go with the flow as this rarely leads to anything other than wasted time and opportunity.
Related: Why You Need to Write Down Your Career Goals
Define your career goals and aspirations
Identify which roles are right for you
Make a list of your skills and sub-skills
Think of three things that make you stand out from your nearest rival
Don’t underestimate the things you’ve learned in other industries – much of it could be useful in the career sector.
Be disciplined and set a target number of job applications within a strict time limit
Repeatedly tell yourself that you will get the career that you deserve
Related: 6 Red Flags to Look Out for When Accepting a Job Offer
Write a killer Career CV
You have about 5 – 10 seconds to make a great first impression. Your career CV is a complete representation of you and must never be underestimated. Get it right, and it becomes a skeleton key, unlocking every door to the roles that are best suited to you. Remember, its purpose is you get you an interview. We’ll help you with the layout and show you some examples that are proven to work. Don’t rely on spell-checker; always get someone else to proof read your work.
Include all relevant industry qualifications and certificates
Highlight your USPs (unique selling points)
Keep it to two pages
Take your time – you only get one shot
Sweat the grammar and punctuation – nobody likes sloppiness
Related: The Best Remote Working Job Search Sites
The interview
Remember, an interview is a two-way street. But that doesn’t mean that you have to be overly assertive. Show an interest in the company and make sure you do your research. Find nuances about the company that you can talk about. Ask them what their goals are for the future, and tell them how you can become instrumental in making them happen.
Research your potential employer
Find out everything you can about the role
Think how you can add value to the company that’s hiring
Be confident – your CV should have already done most of the work
Relax – enjoy the experience
Make it conversational
Think how you can demonstrate your ability to do the job – give examples
Dress appropriately
Arrive 5 – 10 minutes early
Remember at least three questions to ask – just in case you get stuck
Be enthusiastic – but don’t look desperate
Never bluff, be honest if you don’t know something – it’s an opportunity to ask more questions
Don’t ask questions about money and holidays – you should already know
Take spare copies of your CV
Landing an interview can be tricky, but with the right approach, you can make it happen. In this article, we’ve outlined some tips to help you get started. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to landing that dream job interview in no time!
Want to get your resume into tip-top shape so you can quickly apply to jobs? Click here to get your CV reviewed. Also, click here for your Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers. And good luck – I know you’ll do great!