Rising unemployment and increased competition have created a “buyer’s market.” Employers now have the luxury of being very picky and slow to hire, while job candidates get more desperate. In their anxiety over unemployment, job seekers can inadvertently sabotage their best efforts, ultimately costing them interviews or offers. If you are currently in the process of job hunting, use this checklist to ensure you are putting your best foot forward in gaining favor with a hiring authority.
• Beware TMRI—too much résumé info.
You can expect a 45-second scan at best to grab your reader’s attention. Write succinctly and wisely and manage your content for effective viewing both on screen and in print. Avoid unusual fonts and confine your format to a Word document and/or PDF. Don’t name the file “my résumé” or “best version”—simply title it YourName.doc.
• One Size Does Not Fit All
Customize résumé content by opportunity. That’s the beauty of digital technology. Different versions are easy to tailor. Baby boomers accustomed to one generic résumé need to heed this warning.
• Diversify Your Search
Don’t hide behind the job boards or other web resources. Be proactive and not reactive. You can’t wait for your résumé to be discovered, put yourself out there. Make phone calls. Apply directly to employers. Network with everyone—professionally and personally.
• Google Yourself
Ideally you have branded yourself positively online. This means accurate information shows up about you and your career experiences or volunteer activities. Don’t let private or inappropriate pages or photos on sites like MySpace, Facebook, YouTube or reunion sites wreck your professional image.
• Abandon [email protected]
While job searching, give up the cutesy, gimmicky, or suggestive e-mail address. Stick with your name or job title in the address. The same for goofy or you’re-so-clever voicemail greetings (including those with kids, dogs or songs).
• Proof Like a Professional
I cannot believe the number of e-mails, cover letters and notes that come with typos, misspellings, omitted words, poorly written messages or overly friendly tones. We’re not e-mail buddies. Don’t use text-message slang—full sentences please.
• Your References Will Be Checked
It’s likely a background check or drug test will be done prior to any official hire. Know what your past employer will say about you. Confirm with HR what kind of information is typically issued. Don’t lie about degrees earned or certifications. If you have a skeleton in your closet such as a DUI and know a background check will be done, be forthcoming and say how you’ve corrected past behavior. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t smoke a joint to relax before the interview!
• Follow Up After The Interview
Ask the interviewer for his/her business card and the time frame for hire. Go home and send a thank you reiterating your interest in the position and why you are qualified. If you were told a decision would be made in a week and haven’t heard, call to follow up. If the hiring authority tells you someone else was hired, don’t slam the phone down, get whiney or burn bridges. Find out what would have made you a better candidate and say, “Thank you.”
These eight tips seem so obvious, right? In the next week, more than a dozen good candidates will ruin their chances by one of these easily corrected blunders. Don’t let that good candidate be you.
Nancy Schuman is a vice president at Lloyd Staffing, headquartered in Melville, and is the author of seven how-to books on career guidance and job-search techniques. Lloyd Staffing offers temporary, contract and full-time employment services on a regional and national basis. Send your career-related questions to [email protected].