Don’t Give Up!

Posted by Judy Anne Cavey on Oct 27, 2011 in , , | No Comments

You’ve perfected a resume, polished interviewing skills, can rattle off a great elevator pitch…and still no job.

Time to take a moment to get inspired–go back to the basics. It can be easy to miss a few simple things that could make all the difference between unemployment and finding a job. Below are some reminders, be sure you check to see if you’ve missed anything essential in boosting your chances of landing a job.

Holiday Networking

The unemployed often stop job hunting during the holidays–big mistake–there will be great networking opportunities in the next couple of months. Each holiday party is just one more chance to meet people who could help you find the position you’ve been waiting for.

Carry your JIST Cards or business cards on you, keep a few resumes in your car, and don’t be shy about handing them to people you meet. Ask others what they do, find out if they are in a position to assist you in your job search. Be sure to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, this allows for a clear head and to make a good impression. 

Resume and Cover Letter Blunders

Does your cover letter look like a form letter you ship out to every potential employer? Each cover letter must be geared towards the jobs you are applying for, highlighting what you have done in the past that meshes with this position. Objectives on a resume should also relate to the job applied for.

Make sure the e-mail address on your resume isn’t killing your chances–”collegepartyboy@yahoo.com”– doesn’t make a good impression! Be sure it’s professional and it could relate to your field of work.

And probably the most simple, yet overlooked problem, are spelling and grammar mistakes. Most employers will toss your resume if it has one spelling error.

Interview Tips

Want to impress the next interviewer? Prior to the interview, try to find out if there’s a problem within the company which you may offer a solution. The day of the interview, show your talent by presenting a short workable solution.

Look after the smallest of details, don’t forget to shine shoes, iron your clothes, don’t smoke, chew gum or be late for your interview. (See more about interview tips in my previous blogs).

Know the answers to the “trick questions” interviewers ask ahead of time. What are your answers to the standards: What is your greatest weakness? What is your salary requirement? Why did you leave your last position?

Make Yourself Known

Volunteering is a great way to let people know who you are and what you can do. Not only that, by helping others, you’ll go home feeling pretty good about what you’ve accomplished. And, don’t forget to include volunteer work on your resume–it’s valuable.

Highlight your expertise in a particular field by blogging. Take time to make it something you can be proud of, a vehicle to your next job. Join professional groups associated with your line of work, get involved with a committee, give speeches, write newspaper articles, and of course put up profiles on sites such as LinkedIn.

Take Time

Each week, put aside time to get away from your job search madness. If you don’t, you’ll burn yourself out. Being fresh and at your best during interviews is important. Daily, go for a walk, work out at the gym, read a good book, interact with family and friends. It’s stressful being out of work, but don’t make things worse by adding to your stress level by forgoing down time. Make sure you’re eating healthy, getting enough sleep and reduce stressful situations as much as possible. Don’t forget to give yourself some credit for all the hard work you put into your job search efforts!


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