The Most Effective Ways To Get a Job Interview
You’re looking for a job, and sending out countless applications to different employers that are looking to hire right now! But for some reason, they aren’t responding to your basic resume that talks about some of your previous work experience… And you can’t figure out why.
Some of the biggest reasons people don’t get interviews are because their resume is too bland or they don’t highlight skills they possess that could help them with this potential candidacy. Don’t fear, for here are 7 great ways proven to help you get a job interview!
Make your Resume Unique and Enticing
When most people apply for a job they use the same standard or basic version of a resume that can be found on Google Docs or many other resume-making websites. What you should do is follow a basic template and design, but then start to alter it and change it so that it can look crisp, clean, and unique to the viewer.
No one wants to go through the same type of resume day in and day out trying to hire someone. This is why the uniqueness of the resume can increase your chances as if the resume looks different or includes more unique styles it would be more enticing for the viewer to want to read and look at it.
This would then increase your chances of getting a job interview, as they can read and look at your resume.
Know how to Market Yourself on Your Application
When you are applying for a job, your resume and cover letter are the way that you are marketing yourself to the potential employer. It is important to remember that the employer could be going through hundreds of other applicants to look for the correct one. This is where the marketing of yourself comes into play.
Everyone can pitch and say that they are the best option for a role because of X or Y. But not everyone can explain how they would be able to assist the company in improving numbers or making more money, or whatever the company is about. Look into what the company does and see how you can benefit the employer, then pitch that in the cover letter, as that would increase your chances tremendously.
Form Helpful Connections with the Industry
Your connections within the industry can be powerful tools to help you get hired faster or to even help you score more interviews. If you have many connections with people in the restaurant industry, many of which could be managers that are constantly looking for staffing people, you could easily contact them stating what you are looking for and what your expectations are. Then they could try to find you a job.
This is just one example, but your friends that are in high places could be both hiring managers, or staffing managers, looking for new staff and you might just fit the bill. Never be afraid to ask your connections if they are looking for new employees or have new open spots that you are willing to take.
Highlight Product Management Skills
On your resume or in your cover letter, you are often highlighting your education, past job experience, and important skills that you can bring to your future employer. To further your chances of landing an interview, it is essential to highlight your product management skills since it is becoming an increasingly popular career field.
Product management skills can be summed up into five parts which include product skills, technical skills, analytical skills, commercial skills, and execution skills. Each of these skill sets holds value in its own way, but all together they are the driving force of a successful product management team.
In this field, you will need to be creative, have tech literacy, understand finance, pricing, and strategy framework, utilize data analysis and statistics, while also hosting successful decision making and using influential communication when discussing a product. These are just a few of the skills you will want to include in your resume, which can be learned on your own or through hands-on experience in the field.
Remember, these skills are powerful and they will be what sets you apart from other candidates who are applying alongside you. Show future employers an overview of your skillset and express your willingness to expand your knowledge, this could make all the difference in successfully landing an interview.
Follow Up on Any Resumes Sent Out
It is never enough to just send out a flood of different resumes to different employers in hopes that they will eventually read them and hire you. If you want to be serious about the application scene, then you should be reaching back to them and following up to see if they read them or want to hire you.
While it may be a little nerve-racking at first to contact an employer directly and ask them about your application or interview process, it shows that you want the job and you’re willing to take the initiative about getting an interview at that company.
Only thing is, you shouldn’t be a pest about it and keep bugging or nagging them about seeing if they read your application or want to interview you. Check maybe once a week, no more than that, unless they are emailing/calling you back, then respond quickly to those to show interest.
Offer to Work for them Before being Hired
While this isn’t a very common tactic, some places may be a little fearful to hire someone they know nothing about to a full-time position without carefully experiencing their work and skill firsthand.
To eliminate this process, you can offer to work as a contractor for a while until they have seen what you are capable of and what you offer, thus you can earn that full-time position after showing your skills. This doesn’t mean you’ll work for free because they must pay you, but you would be able to see what you’ll be doing working there, and they will be able to examine your skills. A win-win for both parties!
Read the Application Form Carefully
Sometimes the reason you don’t get an interview can be so simple as you didn’t read that application form carefully, so you didn’t see that they were asking for specific questions to be answered in the cover letter and you just sent your basic copy-paste application.
Read the form that has all the details about what the employer is looking for before you send your application. Then, once you have, think about how you’ll answer those questions both truthfully and to help you get the interview. Many will pass on a great candidate that matches all their needs if they do not answer the basic questions listed in the form.
Scoring Interviews as Fast as Possible
Scoring interviews can be as easy as pie if you know how to pitch yourself and send your application in the right way.
Make sure you work on marketing yourself to know how to display your proper skills, especially if you have any in project management, and be sure to follow up on any resumes you send you to jobs, to show you are still interested. Finally, don’t forget to read application forms to see what they desire, and make a unique resume that can catch the reader in wanting to read more and hire you!