When you are out pounding the pavements for a job, it is hard to hear employers complain that they cannot find good hires. Several problems may be driving a wedge between job applicants and hiring managers. Not all of them are under your control, but here are a few strategies that might help.
Begin by reading job postings and advertisements until you clearly understand the words employers are using to describe the position. If you have those skills and accomplishments, include the advertisement words in your resume and cover letter. Employers will be expecting to see those keywords in any application they consider.
Make it easy on hiring managers by stating up front the position you are looking for and the skills, accomplishments, and experience you will bring to that position. Hiring managers will not spend time thinking about how you can add value to their company and where to place you. You must tell them.
Take charge of your job hunt by going to networking events, job fairs, industry events, and similar places where you can talk to people one-on-one. If you wait for the perfect job to appear in the newspapers and online, you may wait a long time. Personal networking is one of the best ways to find a new job.
Hand out or send your resume to all of your contacts: friends, family, former co-workers, vendors. You want your contacts to have the information they need to describe you to potential employers. Instead of saying, “I know someone who is looking for a job,” they can say, “I know a software engineer with 5 years of experience working with telecommunications companies.”
Practice your interview skills. You want to be alert, upbeat, and ready to answer questions about your past job experience. Your confidence about your own abilities will make employers more confident about hiring you. And make sure what you intend to say in your interview matches and builds upon the information in your resume.
Robin’s Resumes® prepares resumes that make hiring managers and recruiters say, “Now this applicant is a great fit!” Contact us today.