Looking for a job is tough, and getting an employer to call
you back for an interview is tougher. You have to impress the employer and
prove that you are a responsible and respectable individual capable of getting
the job done. But there are some things you may be doing that are hurting your
chances of making that good impression.
1. Triple-check
your resume. Your resume may look presentable and your credentials valid, but
typographical errors can kill the deal. Typos give the impression that you are
careless and did not take the position seriously enough to look over the resume
before handing it in. Read over your resume several times to check for
punctuation and spelling mistakes, and then have someone else proofread it as
well. Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes can catch details that yours may have
missed.
2. Triple-check
your cover letter. If your application includes a cover letter, be sure that
you have the employer’s name, title, and address correct. It is wise to call
ahead of time and ask if the employer is still with the company as positions
can shift abruptly. It would be of poor taste for an employer to receive a
cover letter that was addressed to the wrong person. And again, check for
typographical and grammatical errors.
3. Change
your silly voicemail greeting. When an employer calls you and you happen to be
away from your phone, he or she does not want to hear an inane voicemail
greeting from a potential employee. If the employer is calling to schedule an
interview, that silly voicemail greeting of your Darth Vader impression can
have him or her thinking again about whether you are right for the job.
4. Change
your silly email address. It’s difficult enough for your friends to type in
your “blueyedbabiegurl77573@somewhere.com” email address, so don’t expect an
employer to respond to such an address. You can easily register for a new email
specifically for work on the number of free webmail clients available, and keep
your old one for personal use.
5. Prepare
for interviews and dress appropriately. Appropriate dress differs from position
to position, so you should research into what you should wear before the
interview. You do not want to show up looking unprofessional and underdressed. You
should also research into the position and company you are applying for to show
that you are genuinely interested in the job.
This post was contributed by Donna Scott, who
writes about the online degree
programs. She welcomes your feedback at DonnaScott9929 yahoo.com
