The hardest part of getting a job? Oh, well it has to be finding something I like! Nope. Well then it has to be nailing the interview and demonstrating I am the right candidate! Wrong again. The hardest part of getting a job is landing the interview in the first place. Until we get the chance to showcase ourselves and our abilities in the interview room, we are no more than a couple pieces of paper floating on someone’s computer screen or on their desk (do people print resumes anymore? I do). Our office can coach you through the interview process, what you can expect, we can prepare for certain questions, we can develop questions for you to ask them, etc. The part of the job search process we have this least bit of control over is what the ATS (applicant tracking system) and human being see in our documents (resume and cover letter). Sure, we can tailor them, make tweaks here and there, but at the end of the day, it comes down to that person wanting to invite you for an interview, or getting through the computer screen with hundreds of applicants.
So, what do we do about this? We utilize several strategies, as well as doing the other things I mentioned, such as tailoring your documents. We have to network, we have to find a way to stand out from other applicants. This can be accomplished in those documents or by taking it a step further to reach out to the person hiring for the role or someone else who is currently on the team to get your name in front of their faces before they even see you in the applicant pool. Chances are, there is nothing overtly wrong with your resume or cover letter. People have said they applied to hundreds of jobs and have not landed any interviews. If that is the case, the time has come to make a strategy change. The real answer and reality is, the more interview rooms you sit in, the higher your chances are of landing that job, but you have to GET THERE first. Let’s network with the right people, tailor your documents as accurate to the job as possible, and apply intelligently to roles where we match.
Trust me, landing the interview is the hardest part of getting the job. We can take care of the rest. Stop getting stuck or sorted out by a computer with a heartless automated message, “We have selected a more qualified candidate for this position, but we will keep your application on file”.
Let’s make a strategic change and get you in the room. You can do this.
