Guest post by Emma Grace Brown
There’s more to landing your dream job than simply being qualified and having a decent-looking resume. You should assume that everyone applying for your dream job has the requisite experience and looks good on paper. What can really set you apart from other applicants – at least in the eyes of a hiring manager – is proper preparation, knowledge, and skill during the interviewing process. Read on to learn how you can nail it.
Mind Your Online Reputation
Getting a great job in the 21st century means covering all your internet-related bases. As Forbes points out, your online reputation is something that hiring managers are almost guaranteed to check out before your interview, and it includes everything from your social media activity to blog posts, personal websites, and really anything that will pop up in a Google search.
First and foremost, clean up your social media accounts. Next, consider proactive measures to build a better online rep. This is especially important if you’ve been the victim of a hate website or scam; if so, it may be smart to hire an online analysis team or some legal assistance. You can then use the findings to take necessary legal action and get the harmful content removed.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Acing an interview relies a lot on being ready. The way you go into the interview locked and loaded is by doing three key things:
- First, Robert Half suggests studying up on common interview questions and figure out how to highlight your skills and qualifications with your answers.
- Next, prepare some basic questions to ask the interviewer to show extra interest.
- Finally, study up on the company itself so you are well-versed in exactly what they do and how you’ll help them achieve their goals.
And then practice with a friend. Although practice and preparation are key, make sure you’re adaptable and don’t lock yourself into rote answers.
Make a Great First Impression Early On
The beginning of the interview is crucial. That’s where you either make a great first impression or instill a negative bias in the interviewer’s mind right away. Research suggests that interviewers often make up their minds about a candidate within the first five minutes.
The first two ways to do this are easy: be early (on time is late) and dress to impress. Not difficult by any means, but many job applicants fail to get it right. After that, you’ll need to make a positive impression fast. One suggestion is to start very enthusiastically and begin with a positive comment about the company and how you plan to make an impact in your position. Another is to provide copies of your resume and relevant materials up front so the interviewer can easily reference your previous experience and accomplishments.
From the beginning of the interview through to the end, you should exude confidence — but don’t overdo it. Research has shown that confident candidates do better in job interviews than their counterparts. It’s even possible that people with high self-confidence can even manage to successfully hide their deficits in other areas.
The best way to make a positive, confident impression is perhaps the simplest — it’s in a smile. So be sure that, in addition to having your A-game on as soon as you enter the room, you have your best smile on, too. If you plan to use a teeth aligner (also known as invisible braces), a number of products are available, some that may be within your budget. In addition to price, consider the other aspects of clear aligner treatment, like effectiveness, convenience, appearance and customer support.
That confidence should also carry over when you next contact the interviewer.
Know the Best Way to Approach Your Follow-Up
The job application process isn’t over after the interview. Sure, you’re now waiting to hear back from your potential employer — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t initiate contact. It’s important that you send a thank you note to the interviewer or hiring manager, thanking them for their time and the opportunity to join the team. If you don’t hear back from them in a reasonable amount of time (a couple of weeks at the most), a follow-up email is appropriate.
When you’re going for a great job, there will be a lot of great candidates standing in your way, so your challenge is to stand out amongst a sometimes large crowd. What you’ve done in the past is already set — you can’t change that. What you can control is your attention to detail, preparation, and skill in selling yourself.