Want To Be On Top?

Written by Contributor Writer Layla McKinley 

There are a million ways to get a job and to follow, there are a million tips people throw at you. If you haven’t already looked into them here are some tips for you:

Don’t Panic

Mistake number one is panicking. If you quit without an exit strategy, if you were fired or if you are a recent grad and you need a job ASAP the worst thing you can do is lose your shit. People who are panicked or extremely stressed about the job hunt will settle for crappier jobs, if they are offered one. A lot of times, if you are unemployed during your hunt, employers can see the gap on your resume and they will offer you less pay and crappier hours just because they know you are desperate. 9 times out of 10 stressed and anxious in people will be presented during an interview. In a dog eat dog world, you don’t want to appear frantic no one wants to hire someone who reeks of panic and stress. You’ll get torn to shreds.

Be Positive and Confident

A potential employer doesn’t care if you have 5 cents to your name or are living on credit cards. Regardless of your situation, you need to present yourself as a positive and confident person. Someone who is genuine instead of cocky. You need to know what you are doing and show that you are an awesome choice however; you need to make sure they don’t think you are an arrogant jerk. No one wants to work with an arrogant jerk. Even before an interview, it is important that you write your cover letter and resume in a confident and positive manner. Even though the hunt to find a job can be relentless you must remain positive. You are your thoughts. Not only will you seem more positive and confident to employers in person and on paper, you are manifesting a more positive atmosphere. What better way to land a job than to manifest it?

Spice up Your Résumé

If your résumé sucks no one is going to want to look at it. Try to stand out against the standard resumes people submit. Try spice it up and stand out from the potential hundreds of other candidates is to use color. Don’t make it look like Mr. Crayola threw up on it but add pops of color. An example might be to use a nice tone to the line that separates your name and contact information from the rest of your résumé. Another idea would be to add graphics. You could even sway from the standard one or two column résumé and instead make it more of an infographic about yourself. Again, obviously not too much but it will set you apart from the other candidates. You want to make sure you strike a healthy balance of the industry you are applying in and the vivaciousness that is you.

While we are on the topic of résumés, it is not only important that they look good but that they are up to date and specific. Make sure that it is clear who you are, what you have done and what you would like to do in the future. Wishy washy careers and sporadic part time jobs with no real direction indicate that you don’t know what you want to do. If you worked at a fast food joint but want to work in advertising, talk about your sales experience there. Talk about the displays you rearranged and how you used a point of sales system. If you worked in retail and want to get into IT, discuss how you problem-solved the computer or sales system when it crashed. You can use the actual duties from your jobs to focus in on your experience that may be beneficial for the job you are applying for.

Network

The biggest thing you can do through school or other jobs is get to know people in the industry. You never know who might be someone important and you never know when you are going to need them for a recommendation. Get to know people. 80% of jobs are either unlisted or are given to people who know someone at the company that is hiring. Even if it is not your dream job, if you land a gig and network with higher ups or others in the field, your will have a better chance at promotions or switching teams and landing a higher paying position.

Send Reference Letters

Even if the ad or job posting doesn’t require references or reference letters, if you have them, send them. Show the hiring manager that you aren’t full of it and that other people back your skills, knowledge and professionalism. It is always nice to see an expert or well respected person in an industry backing a candidate through a letter. They wouldn’t risk their name if they didn’t feel the candidate could stand up to the recommendation they gave. It is a surefire way to impress a hiring manager.

Think About Respect

Always always always use titles. Never address anything with a person’s first name unless there is a Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr. in front of it. Always sending a thank you letter or email after an interview. Respect is always the way to go. You can almost never go wrong and I have never heard anyone say “he/she was too respectful.” On the same grounds be respectful of others’ time. Don’t call constantly to see if they received your résumé, are scheduling interviews, made a decision.

Dress to Impress

Even if the dress code is casual, you should always dress professional for an interview. Make sure that your clothes are wrinkle and stain free. You don’t want to look like you just crawled out of a garbage can. To be safe, skirts and dresses should probably never go too far above the knee. Cleavage is out and so are tank tops without a jacket or sweater. Older people in the industry might think it is too risqué. So it is better safe than sorry. You can always push it if you get the job but you can never get back that first impression.

Hopefully this will give you some guidance on how to land a job. Don’t forget to spit out that gum, smile and aim high! You’ve got this!