You could set aside some
time and get a better job. Here are some great tips to help you put
together a great application, ace the interview, and ultimately work for a
company you'll love rather than hate.
1. Put Together a Resume That's Actually Compelling
You don't want to reinvent
the wheel, but a little creativity can set you apart and help you stand out
from the pool. When writing your resume,
you don't want to use the sort of language that'll make you sound like everyone
else. That means avoiding overused terms (e.g motivated, innovative, dynamic) and cliche phrases (e.g. detail oriented, team player, excellent communication skills).
2. Search Unconventional and Career-Specific Job Sites
If you don't know where you
want to work you're obviously going to have to search for some options., but
you'll be looking for a needle in a haystack if you go to popular sites. That isn't to say they
won't have a great job here and there, but you'll find yourself wading through
a lot of undesirable positions just to find the ones you want. Instead of going
the traditional route, try an unconventional job site, which sends opportunities
to your email inbox every day.
3. Find a Better Job by Searching for a Great Company
Rather Than a Position
Getting a great job isn't just about doing something you enjoy, but also
about working in a good environment. That means you want to seek out companies
who have a reputation for treating their employees well. You don't have to
apply to Google or Zappos—companies well-known for their great benefits—but just
seek out companies that interest you and do a little research. All you have to
do is call them up and talk to pretty much anybody. Just tell them this:
"I'm thinking about applying for a job at your company but I wanted to
know what it's like to work there. Would you mind telling me how you like
it?" Most people will be happy to share their opinion, and if they're busy
you can always schedule a call later. If the company sounds good, you've likely
just made a friend who you can call back when you're ready to apply and get
some additional help. It's a double win.
4. Learn to Make Even Your Irrelevant Experience Seem
Relevant
If your current job is much
different from the one you want, think about anything and everything you've
done at your current job that's out of the ordinary. Often times you'll find
examples of things that relate to the job you want because you were always
excited to do that kind of work if it presented itself where you are now. If
not, you can always start creating relevant experience now so you can use it
when you're on your interview. For example, if you work in a non-creative field
but want to become a designer you would have plenty of opportunities. If you
make lots of graphs and flow charts, finds ways to make them more attractive.
If your company is having an outing, ask to design the flyer. When I worked in
customer support, I used to create posters about inside jokes in the office or
images based on funny things customers said. Sometimes I'd show these at interviews
if I needed to demonstrate my Photoshop skills.
5. Dress Well for the Interview
Dressing for the interview
doesn't necessarily mean putting on crisply-ironed formalwear. Depending on the
company, they may prefer you came in your everyday attire or just wore
something that shows you can look nice without overdoing it. If you're not sure
what you should wear to an interview, just call the company and ask to speak
with the human resources department. Let them know you're coming in for an
interview and that you want to know the expected dress code. In most cases,
they'll be happy to help you out. If you have to go in uninformed, however, business
casual is generally a good bet. While nobody really knows what business casual
actually is, you'll generally be safe in a nice pair of pants and a button down
shirt or sweater. Your goal is really to show that you're capable of grooming
yourself and looking presentable.
6. Learn to Read Body Language for a More Successful
Interview
Learning to read body language is helpful in a lot
of situations, but understanding the cues you send out and reading cues from
others can be immensely helpful in a job interview. It's especially important
that you come of as pleasant and charming right off the bat because many decisions are made on the
basis of a first impression. The most important thing is to avoid negative body language.
For the most part you just want to avoid nervous ticks like touching your face
and letting your leg become restless. You also don't want to slouch or sit to
rigidly. Basically, your goal is to appear comfortable but professional. If you
can do that, you'll be in good shape.
7. Know How to Give Great Answers to Common Job Interview
Questions
What's your greatest
weakness? It's an obnoxious question but you'll hear it on the majority of job
interviews in your life, and there are many others where it came from. You have to answer the
questions if you want to get the job, so there are two things you want to do: understand the motivation behind the questions and prepare your answers in
advance. Understanding the motivation is generally as simple as putting
yourself in the company's shoes. Why would they want to know your greatest
weakness? Probably more to know how you respond to a question that asks you to
be vulnerable than to actually find out where you can improve. They may also
ask because they want to know if you can realistically gauge your abilities
accurately. Once you consider the motivation behind these common questions
it'll be easier to tailor the answers you want to give.
