Sometimes when I think back, I can’t believe that it has been twenty-seven (27) years since I launched my human resources career.
Every time I have decided to apply for a new career opportunity, the first question I ask myself is, “How can I best showcase and promote my qualifications to make the hiring manager want to learn more?”
I ask this question because, I know that no matter how highly-qualified I am for a position, I have to market myself appropriately. So, what are those tools, you ask? They are 1) a killer resume; 2) an awesome cover letter; and 3) solid interview preparation. Without these three tools, a successful career may not impossible, but it will likely be an uphill battle. In today’s post, I will share with you how these three tools work together to make your career search a successful one.
- First, you will know that your resume has done its job well when it clearly conveys the work-related competencies that you have developed and honed during your career. Also, depending on the resume format that you use, it should also highlight significant career accomplishments that you have achieved as a result of those competencies that you have been developing throughout your career. Your resume’s purpose is not to get you an interview. Its purpose is to provide recruiters and hiring managers with a high-level overview of your job-related work experience, educational background, and professional affiliations. That is what you call a “killer” resume.
- Second, you will know that your cover letter is awesome and has done its job well when it succinctly and effectively communicates how you have utilized your work experience, educational background, and professional affiliations to add value for your employer(s). For instance, how did you apply your project management skills to implement an organizational initiative. What challenges have you resolved for your current or former employers by applying your knowledge, skills, abilities? What processes have you played a part in improving or creating? By explaining these perspectives of your professional experience, you are painting a mental picture for your potential employer to see you successfully performing in the position that they are hiring for…before you even interview. Awesome, right?
- Third, you know that your interview preparation is solid when you study the organization to learn it mission, vision, and values; its business sector, competitors, and market standing/stock price, operational challenges, news stories, etc. You see, interview preparation is more than being prepared to respond to the interviewer’s questions, its about knowing the employer as if you already work for them. So, if you have taken you employer research a couple of steps further by reaching out to people who work for the organization to ask them what its like to work for that employer and/or you’ve even researched on Glassdoor® to see if any reviews are posted there about the organization, as well as visited their Facebook® and LinkedIn® pages, you get a gold star and a high five. Beware though. That should be only half of your preparation. Now that you know all you can learn about the company, its time to make sure that you know yourself and your history. Believe it or not, many people fail at job interviews because they do not know how to explain the part that they play in their current organization’s success. Its as if they do their job day in and day out an never stop to think about how their function fits into their employer’s strategic plan and their pursuit of the success. You should be able to tell your story like no one else can. Have a 30 second pitch that explain who you are and the impacts that you have made on your career field. Your detailed story should also include being able to name and describe specific, targeted projects and assignments that you successfully navigated and brought to completion and an explanation of how your directly-related knowledge, skills and abilities will enable you to quickly have a positive impact on your potential employer’s continued success. Help them see the vision that you have of yourself as a member of their team. You won’t need note cards and any reminders. Why? Because this is who you are. You will have studied yourself and your career so carefully that you will know your capabilities and will have identified proof that you will know like the back of your own hand. It will be at that point that you will know that your interview preparation is solid.
That, my friend, is the toolkit of a successful career search who will soon find themselves in the professional role that they have been dreaming of. Are you ready for career search success?! I know you are. So what are you waiting for…Go Get Your New Job!
