Leaving an interview knowing that you did not do everything in your power to get it can be demoralizing. But, it’s also a learning experience. What went wrong? How can I correct this problem? What is holding me back?
There are some things you should examine about your resume and how you showcase yourself. Here are some tips to updating your resume and getting that job interview to go in your favor.
1. Include your contact information whenever you send out emails. A quick fix, adding an email signature.
2. Forgetting to attach your resume or documents to your emails. As soon as you write, “attached” make sure you attach the document. Gmail actually has a function that asks if you want to attach something when you write “attach”.
3. Sending an email before you’re ready. Try sending it to yourself before sending it to HR managers. This way you can proof your email and make sure that it’s exactly what you want to send.
4. Leaving odd, incomplete or incoherent phone messages. Nothing sounds worse than being rushed or fumbling through your words as you leave a message, “”Umm, Hi. What? Oh, Hi, this is John…” What if the voicemail server doesn’t have a redo function? Now you look a little silly. Speak slowly so that you can gather your words and leave a smart, coherent message. Leave your name at the beginning and end with your name and phone number.
5. Lying on your LinkedIn or Facebook profiles. Saying that you’re a consultant when you’ve been out of work for 2 years does not look good. People will think you’re employed and look over you for prospective positions. Instead, say that you’re looking for “new opportunities” or “a change of pace”.
6. Not telling people that you are looking for a job. Send an email to your friends and family and let them know that you’re actively seeking a job. You would be surprised at the amount of people who will come to you with new opportunities. Update your LinkedIn profile to let people know that you are looking for a job. The more people who know that you’re looking, the higher your chances of landing a job.
7. Forgetting to use your most current email address. Many people leave older email address on their resume and fail to check their mail as they move on to new servers. You can solve this problem by email all of your contacts from your new email address, as well as updating your resume with the most up-to-date information. Make sure your online profiles include your email address as well.
8. Check your email messages for grammar or spelling errors. Nothing is worse than crafting a thought out email, sending it and then realizing that you’ve misspelled “Marketnig”. It’s a dead giveaway that you do not possess the eye for detail you claim. Spell check before you send that message.
