Job Applications
The application form or CV and covering letter will be the first impression that your future employer will get of you. Make sure you sell yourself in the best light.
Don’t be complacent. One big mistake that a lot of people make is to use the same CV for every job that they apply for. Even if the jobs are fairly similar make sure you carefully read the advert to find out what they want. Speak to the employer. Find a phone number for the company and ask to speak to someone about the job before you apply in writing. Employers will be keen to speak to you because you may be their perfect candidate. Use the phone call as an opportunity to find out exactly what skills they are looking for. This information will help you produce your CV and covering letter, or to fill in the form. If you want the job, put in the effort.
If you are filling in an application form, try to give as much information as possible. If you are invited to expand on any points, make sure you do so. A one line answer for a question like, “why would you be a good candidate for this job?” will not make the best impression.
Unless you are applying for a position straight out of school, college or university, your employment history is going to be one of the most interesting aspects of the CV to the employer. Make sure you include your most recent employment first. What you have been doing in the past year is going to be of far more interest than the paper round you had when you were fourteen.
As part of your employment history, detail the responsibilities you had and the skills that you picked up. It may be obvious to you because you did the job, but a job title on its own may not mean much to the person reading the application. While skills and experience are the most important part of an application, employers also want to know more about you as a person. Interests or experiences that do not appear to you to meet the role requirements may in fact be very useful in the employer’s eyes. They can also add a touch of personality to your application and help you to be remembered above all the other applicants.
Be completely honest. Making up qualifications and fabricating degrees of experience will only get you into trouble in the long run. It may also cost you your job. If there is a gap in your employment history, don’t leave the employer guessing, just tell the truth.
Check what you have written. Let somebody else read your application and whatever you do, check your spelling! Lots of employers rate literacy very highly and your application may be heading for the shredder rather than the interview pile if you make glaring errors in your spelling and grammar.
When giving contact information, make sure that if an employer does contact you, you can respond quickly. If you give them a mobile phone number or an email address, make sure your check for new messages frequently. If they cannot get hold of you easily, there is a very good chance they will quickly lose interest in you. If you have a ‘humorous’ email address you may also consider setting up a new one for purposes of job applications. Remember that applying for a job is all about first impressions.
If you impress enough with your CV or application form to get an interview, make sure that when the day comes you can remember what you wrote in your application. If during the interview the employer is asking questions from your application and you start giving conflicting answers you are not going to make a good impression.
Job Interviews
The company has been impressed enough by the way you come across on paper, now they want to know what you are like in person.
Just like the initial application form, the interview is all about first impressions. Don’t be late! Make sure you plan well and aren’t in a rush. Clearly appearance is not the best indication of how you will perform in the job, but how you dress will speak volumes to the interviewer before you even open your mouth. The interview may last half an hour or an hour, but the first few minutes are often the most important. Dress smartly even if the job you are applying for requires you to wear jeans and a t-shirt during the working day.
Think about how you act. Relax and be confident and answer any questions in a positive way. Don’t mumble your answers and don’t talk too quickly. Don’t wave your arms around too much as it may distract the interviewer from what you are saying. And make sure you make good eye contact. Not only will it give them confidence in what you are saying, but you can often pick up their reactions – something you would miss if you were staring at the floor.
As with the application form or CV, make sure you are honest in your answers. They may well ask you some questions that are difficult to answer such as why you have applied for this particular job, or why they should employ you. Be prepared for these types of questions. Often the interviewer will be looking at your reaction to the question as much as to your answer.
Do some research. Make sure you know as much as you can about the company you are looking to work for. You would be surprised how many people are unable to answer the question, “so what do you know about our company?” If you are able to show that you know even a little of what the company is about, it will impress the interviewer and show them that you are serious about working for them.
The job interview is an opportunity for the employer to see whether you are the candidate that they are looking for, but equally, the interview is an opportunity for you to see whether the company and job is suitable for you. If you are nervous before an interview just remind yourself that they will be as keen to impress you, as you are to impress them. At the end of the interview you are likely to be asked whether you have any questions for them. Prepare a few in advance but make sure you don’t ask anything that has already been covered during the interview.