How to Get a Job Interview

Cover Me I'm Going In

Let's start with the cover letter. Use a cover letter; even if the advertisement, the on-line job posting or your contact doesn't ask for one. It should be brief; one or two paragraphs tops. Tell a little about yourself and why you would like to learn more about the position. The key to getting an interview is asking for one. I have read many "professional" cover letters where the writer never actually requests an interview. Don't assume sending a resume alone will accomplish. That isn't the resume's job.

Let me clarify: "isn't the resume's job." Don't ask your resume to do too much. Only once have I ever received a job offer based solely on submitting my resume. That offer was for a writing position with a resume consulting firm. My point is a resumes sole job; its reason for being is aiding a reviewer in determining if you are qualified to warrant an interview. The cover letter is where you should request an interview.

There is one thing in all the great books on resumes that I agree with completely. Get a name. HR Director, Dept. Manager, Staffing Manager all sound professional and official but are all potentially disastrous. Why? They all have the potential to be wrong. Corporate America often confers titles in place of monetary appreciation (raises); therefore many in corporate America cherish their titles. Do the extra work and send your resume to a person, more specifically the right person.

Look at it from a personally stand point. In any given week the average American receives 20 - 30 pieces of mail. If nine are addressed to "occupant/resident", six to "homeowner", five to a previous resident and six to you, which will you give your attention? Finally, and I can't stress this enough. Never. Never. Did I say Never? Never address your cover letter: To Whom It May Concern. It may not concern anyone.

One last thought. Generic cover letters will secure generic interviews with generic companies filling generic positions. Write a cover letter for each employer for which you are seeking an interview. Tailoring you cover letter to the company lets the reviewer know you are interested not only in working, but working specifically at their company in their advertised position.

My Life Only Shorter

Between Google and Yahoo you can retrieve upwards of 300,000,000 hits for "resume". Feel free to browse them all, or invest in one of the hundreds of thousands of books available on resume writing. You may even decide to take a workshop or hire a "professional" to prepare your resume. I'll let you in on a little secret before your do. Remember, no how-to book, on-line site or profession resume writer will tell you this up front. Listening? Your resume may be just fine the way it is. Many job hunters (particular those new to the workforce) think because they haven't gotten a job that their resume isn't good enough. They believe the resume is the problem. This belief created (and sustains) the how to books, on-line guides and professional resume consultant industry. Sure everyone's resume could use a deletion here and better verb there, but starting over is only necessary if your resume isn't working for you. To determine if your resume is working, you must know how to evaluate its effectiveness.

The best (and in my opinion only) criteria for evaluating your resume's effectiveness is the most obvious. Are you getting interviews? If you are getting interviews but not job offers it may be poor interviewing skills. Use baseball as your measuring stick. A .300 batter is great. If you are getting a 25 - 35 % response to your resume; your resume is fine. If you are getting above 35% you should stop searching for work and open a resume consulting business.

If you aren't getting a good response (below 25%) your resume may be suffering from some very basic ills. I can't cover them all here. But here are a few things to be on the look out for.

First, as with the cover letter generic begets generic. Tailor your resume to the job for which you are applying. This often only requires changing a paragraph here or there or adding some relative volunteer, charity, civic and/or church work. Include only what is relevant. You never know what "non-wage" activity may be the difference between you and someone else.

Don't ever, ever, ever lie. You may hear it called professional embellishment. It is probably lying. You may hear it referred to as stretching the truth. It is probably lying. Don't do it. Here is an example I have seen. Babysitting is an important job that requires responsibility and demonstrates trustworthiness. That having been said, babysitting (even upward of five children, even all day) doesn't make you a child care provider.

Proper grammar, perfect punctuation and correct spelling are a must; however your resume shouldn't be filled with words and phraseology that you wouldn't use during an interview. If you write in Middle English that is fine, but be prepared to discuss you job as a surfing instructor in Hawaii in the same tongue. Read your resume (assuming you didn't write it yourself). If it sounds like someone else, send that person to the interview.

Finally note on resumes. Gaps. No one likes them. Many people (myself included) have them. You must fill them. Don't think you will explain away two or three months (let alone years) during an interview. You will probably never get the interview. Some gaps are easier to fill then others. If you took time off to raise a family or care for an ill relative here is a great time to note all that church, volunteer and charity work. The best way to avoid gaps is to not have them. I covered a three month gap on my resume as follows: Freelance Writer, Associated Content, November 2006 - Present.

And....Send

Your resume is ready. You have your cover letter and now you are ready to deliver them. The three preferred methods of receiving resumes are fax, email and postal mail, not necessarily in that order.

A growing number of companies only accept emailed cover letters/resumes. It is important when sending your resume via email that you use the proper "protocol". Some companies only accept attached Word documents, others RTF (Rich Text Format), still others don't accept attachments (fear of virus infection) and require you to send your resume within the body of the email. Avoid problems by carefully reading the job postings or ads and following submission instructions exactly. Failure to do so could result in your cover letter/resume never being read at all; or not being properly formatted when viewed. If you aren't sure call or send a query email for instructions.

Most everyone will accept Microsoft Word; however Microsoft Word has many versions. If your resume is in Word 2003 and it is being opened in Word 95 there could be problems. Again, when in doubt query and ask which versions should be sent.

There are companies that still use faxing. This may require you going to a drug store, library or other public or private faxing facility since most don't have a facsimile machine at home. If you fax remember to use a cover sheet (even with a cover letter). Include all relevant contact information and the number of pages being sent. Never send an email stating you can't fax. Your potential employer will get plenty of cover letters and resumes from people who manage to find a fax.

Finally though rare, there are employers (usually local state and federal government) that require a hard copy. This is often because they require support documents and must comply with certain hiring laws. I suggest using a full size manila or white envelope, but you can just as easily fold your cover letter and resume in thirds and use a good old number 10 envelope. Remember the correct postage.

The simple tips are no substitute for long hours, tedious attention to detail or the assistance of a professional, but they should be enough to insure you getting more invitations to interview.