10 Tips to Landing a Job...
The job market is more competitive than ever these days. With so many candidates, you want to be sure you stand out amongst the rest. Below are 10 tips we’ve put together to help you land the job.
1.) Dress to impress. Whether you’re interviewing for a temporary placement position or your dream job. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.
2.) Put together a killer resume. With thousands of resources on the internet there is no reason you cannot create an amazing cover letter and resume. Take your time and reach out for local resume help if you need to. Your resume and cover letter are important; they make the first impression with your prospective employer. For goodness sakes, at least spell check!
3.) Be confident. Most people have a difficult time talking about themselves, especially the good things. Your interview is not the time to be shy. Take notes prior to your interview to highlight your qualifications that best fit the job you are applying for. Smile, look them in the eye, and be confident in your talents and abilities. You’ve earned them!
4.) Do your research. Do a little background research on the company you are interviewing with and have a few talking points or questions to bring up during your interview. It not only shows you are engaged during the interview but that you value the opportunity.
5.) Prepare, prepare, prepare. Especially if you tend to get the jitters during the interview process, be sure to search for sample interview questions and prepare some responses before hand. You don’t want to sound rehearsed, but at least you won’t be pulling answers out of thin air and you will appear more confident during the interview.
6.) Don’t get too comfortable. You always want to be personable during a job interview; one of the things an interviewer is looking for is whether or not you will fit in with the company. At the same time, you don’t want to seem unprofessional or that you don’t care if you get the job or not.
7.) Be engaged. It can be difficult to be an active listener during an interview because you are constantly thinking of how to respond. Try to do your best. You want to generate genuine questions about the position and the company.
8.) Don’t forget to say “Thank You.” To a lot of folks in the younger generation, this is going to sound OLD SCHOOL, but write a Thank-You note. My preference is always a hand written note, but if you are not able to at least send an e-mail message. Be short and to the point, but thank the interviewer(s) for their time and the opportunity. Write as neatly as you can and re-write it if necessary.
9.) Be your own advocate. You’ve done it; you’ve landed the job! However, they did not offer you all the benefits you wanted or the pay rate. Don’t let that get you down and don’t be afraid to negotiate. Search some negotiating tips and determine what your bare minimum is for taking the job. Also, ask more questions about the pay structure and raises or other benefits and determine how long it may take to get to the point you want to be at. It may not be as long as you think.
10.) Stay positive. The job search can be exhausting but don’t get discouraged. If you don’t get the job you were hoping for there are always more opportunities out there. It could be a blessing in disguise because there is something better suited for you on the horizon.
At Workhorse Staffing, we not only want to help our clients, but we want to better the life of our employees in any way we can. We offer free financial counseling and career counseling to our employees. If you have struggled to find work in the Lansing area come and see us!
