Trying to land a job interview in today’s market can be a
real challenge. But there are several things you can do to help you stand out
from the competition and get noticed. When considering the following
suggestions to implement for landing your job interview, ask
yourself two things: “Will this idea be
something my audience (i.e. the person reading your resume) will appreciate or
not?” and, “Is this appropriate for my chosen industry?”
1.
Get
creative with your resume. This doesn’t just mean being creative with how
your resume looks, but also with how your resume reads. Even if you’re going into a job in a more
conservative field where a visually creative resume would be frowned upon, it
doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with your wording. For instance, instead of
calling your skills section “Skills,” call it “Strengths” or “Areas of
Excellence.” Instead of calling your profile “Summary of Qualifications,” call
it “Competitive Advantages.” This all sounds much more dynamic (and less
boring!) and will generate interest from the reader to want to find out more
about you.
2.
Show what
you can do! Have an online professional portfolio of samples of your past
work. There are various web sites that host online portfolios, so do a little
research and select the one that’s best for you. Then, replace that overused
phrase “References available upon request” with the phrase “Professional
portfolio available for review.” You should also hyperlink this phrase to your
online portfolio if you plan to submit your resume electronically.
3.
Create
your own web site highlighting your experience. If you prefer not to have
your portfolio on another site, create your own site using a web publishing
platform such as WordPress where you can have pages for a portfolio, your
resume, your bio (including your work philosophy and your unique selling
proposition), past coursework, reflections from past internships and work
experiences, and more. Just remember to keep it professional. Include photos of
you at work on a project, but not photos of you with your three-month-old
niece, and don’t include personal information such as marital status, etc.
Don’t forget to list the URL for your site under the contact info section of
your resume.
4.
Create a
YouTube video (Caution: this one can be a little risky!). You can create a
YouTube video introduction of yourself, briefly highlighting your selling
points and areas of expertise. You can use your elevator speech as a guide for
what you want to say in the video. However, if you choose this method of getting noticed, understand that
it can be risky, especially if you a) don’t do well in front of a camera, b) make
it entirely too long (it should be 30 seconds max!), or c) don’t commit to the
level of confidence necessary to pull this idea off! I’ve seen some good ones
done, but more bad ones than not. If this is something you think you need to do
to stand out, I would suggest going to a video production company that specializes
in these types of videos. They will be able to direct you and provide a high-quality production so you don’t end up
looking cheesy.
5.
Be a
problem solver. Start solving problems for the company NOW, before you’re
even hired. If you do proper research on a company and determine some of the problems
the position for which you are applying will be responsible for, come up with a
few ideas of how you plan to solve those problems when hired. Then, submit that
proposal as a supplement to your resume.
Again, use discernment in determining which of these
suggestions are best suited for your audience and the industry. By taking the
time and attention to detail to implement these ideas, you will not only
increase your chances of landing an interview, but also the job!
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