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Getting a job is tough. Getting your first job can be even tougher. Even if you have a background bursting with impressive internships and work experience, you’re still perceived as green and unproven. Add to that the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of college graduates every year and some of them want to do exactly what it is that you want to do. How do you stand out?
The best and easiest thing you can do to help your overall candidacy is nailing the basics. You may be surprised to learn that the basics are what trip up young professionals-in-training the most. Here’s why. You haven’t done anything yet. Even if you’re valedictorian at Harvard, you’re still going to have to convince somebody that your scholarship translates into work.
In lieu of the “proven track record of success,” every employer asks for, when it comes to new graduates recruiters and hiring managers often rely on their instincts. They look for skills, sure, but they also try to recognize traits in workers who could go on to do great things and be assets to their businesses (or shareholders!) – the most apparent by your resume and interview can reflect proofreading, attention to detail, honesty, and so forth. there shouldn’t be one mistake on your cover letter or resume. Even one error May doom you. A sloppy resume/cover letter is believed to translate into sloppy work. No cover letter? That could broadcast laziness.
Attention to detail - applying for jobs is monotonous and labor-intensive. It’s easy to miss things when you’re going on your second hour of data entry. However, if the job poster has requirements that you miss it will equal an inability to follow simple instructions. Don’t rush. Make sure you check all the boxes. Including honesty - everything on your job application should be 100% true. Embellishments are not welcome.
That’s just a shortlist of basic mistakes that can sink the boat before it’s cleared the slip. It’s all in the approach. Here are five tips to help separate you from the pack.
1. Go beyond your career center. Absolutely, you should leverage every resource your school's career center has to offer, but don’t rely on them for anything. Life is a do-it-yourself-deal. Your job search should be too. If you’re not prepared to do the legwork, why should anybody else? Apply to jobs online, make your own connections, and reach for the stars.
2. Be professional. If you accept an interview, show up on time. Dress in appropriate interview attire. Be courteous to everyone you meet. Turn your phone off and put it away. Demonstrate a level of maturity that gives your interviewers confidence that you’re ready for the main stage.
3. Work your network. Make a list of all the people you know, and who they know that may be willing to help you out. A strong referral or series of referrals can work wonders. However, knowing a single person at a company does not mean you will get a job there. Don’t put too much faith in your contacts. don’t punt. Be a doer. Be proactive and in charge of your own fate. Don’t focus on what your network can do for you, but think about what you need to do for the people who do help you out. First, be professional (see above). Second, be a great interview. Third, be the best new hire of all time.
4. If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage. Make sure your resume doesn’t look like you put it together yesterday between Tik Tok videos. If you don’t have a solid, professional, and well-written resume you are putting an unnecessary and insurmountable burden on your job prospects. Anything less may not make it past the employer’s screening software. More discriminating than a computer algorithm is protecting one’s professional reputation. No one is going to advance a candidate with a résumé replete with mistakes. The referral will reflect poorly on their judgment. This is worse than burning a bridge because you prevented the bridge from ever being built.
5. Master behavioral interviewing. One of the more difficult types of interviews is the “behavioral interview,” during which you are asked questions about actual experiences that allegedly reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly about your personality. Here’s an example: “Tell me about a time you didn’t get along with the boss. Or messed up a project. Or missed the deadline.” It’s tricky. Think about what your answers may be and practice them.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
