Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Common Sense Job Search Tips

I know you may have heard these before but they are tried and true tips and may help with your job search. Here are ten common sense tips that popped into my head this morning.

1. Font Size Matters: You can use different font sizes in the heading of your resume and also when you type the information from your former or current company but never use various sizes or styles when describing your accomplishments. Go to some of the Yahoo, Indeed, Monster or About.com sites for samples.
2. Don’t Have A One-Size-Fits-All Resume: Sure it’s extra work but you should have a resume that matches each position for which you apply. You can have one template resume and then change it up as you apply to various positions. This holds true for cover letters.
3. Try To Get A Contact: Use your network and if that doesn’t work, use social media sites to find contact names.
4. Spell and Grammar Check: Even after you run your resume and cover letter through spell and grammar checker have a friend or family member review them and then ask someone else to do it.
5. Plain Text: When asked to attach your resume electronically, read the site to learn how they what it. If nothing is written, change your resume format to Plain Text.
6. Watch Your Grammar: You may not be aware of how you come across so ask someone who you trust and then correct whatever it is.
7. Be On Time: Arrive no more than 10 minutes before your interview. If you do arrive early, use that time to review your resume, job description and company information.
8. Be Nice To The Receptionist: It makes a difference and the hiring manager may ask the receptionist for his or her feedback.
9. Don’t Speak Poorly About Your Former Company or Boss: Never, ever.
10. Do Your Homework: If you don’t study the company and have questions relating to it and the position then why bother showing up for the interview?

There are plenty of other common sense tips out there, what are some of yours?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Always send a thank you note, preferably on personalized letterhead and sent in the mail. Use the opportunity to reiterate your strengths or add any new insight. Set a follow up date where you write another letter, which will keep you "in front" of the interviewer again.

Nancy Range Anderson said...

This is a wonderful tip Anonymous. Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

No. 3 needs some clarification - how to use social networking sites to find a job?

Nancy Range Anderson said...

You can search LinkedIn by company and then get a listing of various names. In addition, in your LinkedIn groups you may find some of the people that work for a company that you are interested in. You can message them and ask them if they know someone in the department your are interested in. They may give you a name and they may not. When you contact that individual, never say, "so and so recommended you," unless the person said that it is OK. You may also get contact names from Facebook groups. Many companies have Facebook pages now.
Finally, getting back to LinkedIn, there is a group that talks to using LinkedIn successfully. They talk about using the site to market products and services and of course, you. LinkedIn also has a tutorial about the proper use of the site.
I hope I answered your question. There are many more ways to use social networking sites. Perhaps some other folks have some suggestions.

Dave said...

Network anywhere and everywhere. Meetup.com is a great site to find where networking meetings are going on in your area. And the site covers whatever you're interested in from soup to nuts. If it's done in public, there's a network group for it. Chambers of Commerce, and service organizations are great places to promote yourself. And bring personal business cards, as they will create a more lasting impression of you. Plus thank you notes, thank you notes, thank you notes. and never EVER send out a resume without a cover letter.

Nancy Range Anderson said...

Thanks Dave - I forgot all about Meetup.com. Your tips are very appreciated.
Nancy

CY Park said...

In case we apply to the company for sales functional jobs, he/she should make the interviewer convinced on confidence as well as competencies based on the following 4 areas ;
1. Planning (ex. Time Management, Call Planning., etc.)
2. Attitude (ex. Performance Oriented, Customer & Market Focus, Entrepreneurship., etc.)
3. Selling Skill (ex. a sequential progress),
4. Technical Knowledge (ex. company, industry, products, customer, insightful perspective for business potential., etc.).
Let's keep in mind - P.A.S.T.!

CY

Nancy Range Anderson said...

Great tips Cy - I love the acronym. If you have accomplishments and examples to go with these you are ahead of the game. Thanks so much.

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