Applying for a job can sometimes feel like buying a ticket for the lottery. With so many people looking for work, and employment Web sites making it easier to apply for a job than ever before, a Help Wanted ad that used to draw 50 responses can easily draw 200. That’s great for the company that’s hiring, but it can sure make an applicant feel like getting the job has more to do with luck than talent.
Most successful job searches are a mix of the right timing with the right skills, but don’t let the current job market fool you— the most important parts of applying for a job are still within your control.
Here’s what stands out through the process:
Proof read everything
You have hours to work on your resume and cover letter; if there are mistakes in these documents, the hiring team or manager is going to doubt your ability to do quality work under a tight timeline. Have a friend read your work, run it through two different spell-check programs, even try reading it out loud or backwards. No matter what you do, the errors must go.
Do your homework
It’s easy enough to research an employer online, both by looking at their Web site and through a search engine, but be sure your research is thorough.
Looking at the first page of the Web site or the first two hits of a Google search tells you what everyone else knows. An extra 15-20 minutes of searching could give you a depth of knowledge other applicants won’t have, and you may even know something the employer doesn’t know about themselves.
Personalize your cover letter
Take the time to do more than cut and paste—the depth of interest and effort you show in your cover letter is an indication of the effort you’ll give to the job.
Work hard at the interview
It’s also important to show some effort in the interview. This doesn’t mean you have to be someone you’re not—that’s a real job-killer—but make sure you’re doing more work at the interview than your prospective employer, while staying calm and being true to yourself.
Bring samples of your work but not a whole portfolio (unless they ask for one), say hello and thank you when you come in and leave, and be sure to have at least three questions ready when the employer asks “Do you have any questions?”—and make sure none of them are about salary.
The best way to make sure the job hunt is more than a shot in the dark is not to fire at will. Plan, prepare, and present with purpose, and you’ll benefit tremendously from the experience.
