With summer and graduation approaching many of us are in the midst of the job search. There is so much advice out there, much of it saying the same thing, so it leads one to wonder, what does this advice really mean?
1. Customize your cover letter and resume.
This is something everyone says, but you actually must do it! And I don’t mean change out a few lines here and there along with the job title in your cover letter. Write a new cover letter for each job to which you apply. Don’t forget to customize your resume too. Use keywords and phrases from the job description—don’t be afraid to rewrite whole lines if you need to. The more specific your resume and cover letter, the better chance you have of being considered.
2. Do your research!
When you do research, you don’t just want to look at the company’s website and the job description. Do research on the position you want: look at the job descriptions of other companies, try to find descriptions of career paths that come from that position, look at Glassdoor to try to see what salary is like for that position. Do research on the company: look for news about the company and check out employee reviews from Glassdoor. Also do research on the type of questions you might be asked, like in this article, and practice your answers.
3. Be professional in all correspondence.
If the hiring manager emails you and says, “Hey! Can you send me this? Thanks!” you still need to respond with a professional email that says something along the lines of, “Hi So and So, I have included this thing you asked for. Please let me know if there is anything else you need. Best (or Thank You or Sincerely), Full Name.” Even if you can be totally casual later when you get the job, you want to put your best, most professional foot forward.
4. If you get an interview, have questions prepared to ask the interviewer.
Asking questions in an interview is so important! If you don’t have a lot of time, then have two or three questions prepared, such as “What is your favorite part about working here?” or “What position did you begin in the company with, and what was the path to where you are now?” Asking these questions shows you’re interested and it also gets you out of the hot seat, putting the focus on the interviewer rather than yourself.
5. Make sure you have a professional voicemail message.
While trick or funny voicemail messages are great, having a professional voicemail during the job search is so important. You’re creating an image for yourself and that is part of the presentation. In addition to this, while it is important to get back to the company quickly, don’t answer the phone if you can’t talk at that moment. It is better to let the call go to voicemail and return the call within the next day when you are able, rather than answer the call and have to tell them you can’t talk right now but will call them back later—especially if you are in a loud or disruptive environment.
The job search can be stressful and sorting through all of the advice is difficult. Understanding what the advice actually means is the most important thing of all to be able to use it. If you want to look for more information, I have found a few really great resources that have helped me get positive responses in my job search, and they are The Muse, The Prepary, and The Balance Careers. Good luck with the job search!
