Dress For Success

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. An interview is an opportunity that can either make or break your job chances, and you want your first impression to be great. One of the only aspects of an interview that you have control over is what you wear. Your interview apparel can make a strong statement about your professionalism and how serious the opportunity is to you.

Here are some general guidelines on appropriate interview apparel so you can walk into an interview with your head held high.

Guidelines for women:

• Two-piece business suit - Dark colors preferred; Tailored to fit well; Conservative in style; Skirt preferred over pants
• Closed toe shoes - Low heel/Solid dark color
• Hosiery - Good fitting/Skin color
  
• Minimal jewelry
• Groomed hair and nails
• Light perfume
• Simple makeup (No bright colors!)
  
• Cover tattoos/take out piercings
• Solid color briefcase or portfolio

Guidelines for men:

• Two-piece business suit - Dark colors preferred; Tailored to fit well; Conservative in style; Dry cleaned and pressed
• Dress shoes - Polished and in good condition
• Dark socks
• Leather belt
• Silk neck tie
  
• Groomed hair and nails
• Minimal jewelry - A wedding ring or conservative watch is appropriate
• Cover tattoos/take out piercings
• Very light or no cologne
• Solid color briefcase or portfolio

Take the time to present a professional image in your interview. If you feel good about the way you look then you will have a more positive attitude when going into your interview. So hide those tattoos, pop in a mint and put a smile on your face!

Employer Pet Peeves

Want the scoop on employer turn-offs? What are some of those pet peeves that get under their skin? The last thing you want to do is get the hiring manager on your bad side, so here are the top ten no-nos to avoid when on the hunt for a job.

1. Coming late to an interview. Traffic, bad directions, sick, car breakdown - these excuses just won't cut it!
2. Having a résumé with grammatical errors.
3. Leaving a message for the employer with a garbled name/phone number.
4. Having your child's voice recorded on your answering machine. Not cute or professional looking when an employer calls!
5. Wearing a wrinkled shirt, stockings with runs in them, or a tie with coffee spots on it.
6. Treating a receptionist, janitor or anyone at the company with disrespect.
7. Forgetting to send a thank-you note after an interview.
8. Lack of research about the company you are interviewing for.
9. Not reading all the instructions when applying for a job. If a company asks for a cover letter AND résumé don't just send your résumé.
10. Dishonesty! Don't lie or be evasive when an employer asks you a question. If you aren't honest in an interview then how can an employer trust you working for him/her?

These are some of the most infuriating pet peeves that hiring managers have. Don't become another job seeker that ticks off employers, learn how to stand out against the other job seekers by avoiding these turn-offs.

How Long Should My Résumé Be?

It's an age-old question: how long should my résumé be? Many people abide by the one page rule but it's not necessarily a sin to have a two-page résumé. The correct answer is that your résumé should be as long as you need it to be. But no longer!

If your résumé is two pages long then it must be compelling to read. You must remember that the purpose of your résumé is to land the interview, not tell your life story. It is acceptable for people who have been in an industry for over ten years or have highly technical careers to utilize two pages worth of space. Other than that, stick to a single page!

A one-page résumé will help you target your skills and objective without adding fluff. It will look lean and clean to an employer and allow them to quickly scan it without spending time flipping through pages. If you think it's impossible to get your résumé down to a page, here are a few suggestions:

• Reduce the size of your headings
• Change your 12 point font to size 11
• Decrease your margins
• Change the font type/size for your name and address at the top of your résumé

Recent graduates or people who have less experience in an industry should definitely stick to one page. Remember that it is ultimately your decision how long your résumé is and how much information will really reflect your abilities the best.

The Importance of Thank-You Notes

Following an interview the most important thing you can do to stand out from the sea of job seekers is to send a thank-you letter to the person who interviewed you. But what should you say? Should it be handwritten or typed? Do you send an e-mail or snail mail? Here are some guidelines that will help you out.

Snail mail vs. e-mail:
Think about the company that just interviewed you. Is it traditional and formal or modern and creative? Did the company use e-mail to initially contact you? If you interviewed at an advertising agency or something equally creative and technological then it is appropriate to send an e-mail thanking them. Make sure you send the e-mail thank-you note as soon as you return from the interview so the company doesn't forget about you. One of the advantages of using the Internet is that it is much faster than standard mail and the interviewer can read your thank-you note within a few hours of the interview.

However, not all companies have adapted to modern e-mail thank-you letters and would rather receive a traditional thank you in the mail. This would most likely be the case for accounting, finance, management and other standard business practices. Take the time to type up a letter (it looks more professional if it is typed) and send it off as soon as you get back from the interview.

What should you say? A standard thank-you note should address the following:

• Thank the person for the opportunity to interview with the company
• Clarify any information/questions that the interviewer needed you to check on
• Recap your skills and why you would be a good fit for the position. Don't write a novel, but one or two sentences reminding the interviewer of your skills never hurts

Just remember that a thank-you note is the last chance you have to sell yourself and make yourself stand out from the rest of the potential candidates.

First Impressions

First impressions are the most important. You've probably heard this a thousand times, but now it actually proves true. A recent survey suggests that employers know if they are going to hire someone or not within the first few minutes of meeting a potential candidate. Some interviews can be up to an hour long but what really matters most is the first few minutes after the opening handshake and small talk. What we all want to know is, how can we make the first minutes stand out?

The simple answer is that you need to master the answers to these important questions:
1. Why are you here?
2. What can you do for us?
3. What makes you different from everyone else?
4. Will you fit in?

Rehearse your answers to these questions! Add your own personal stories and flair to your answers so you stand out. Make sure you take the time to research the company so you can mix your skills with what the company is looking for (it never hurts to throw in your knowledge about the company into your interview - this is your time to flatter them!).

Remember that first impressions count for a lot and use this time to wow them. Prove that you will be advantageous to the company by acting as a problem solver instead of a job seeker. If you can master the art of the first impression then you are on your way to landing your dream job!

Laid Off? Re-evaluate Your Career

Being laid off from a job can definitely sting, but it isn't the end of the world. In fact, losing your job could be one of the best things that happens to you. During this period of lounging around and staring at the wall in disbelief, you have the perfect opportunity to reassess your long-term career goals.

If you are like me, and many other recent college graduates, we enter the workforce unsure of our passion and career interests. We pick jobs that most closely relate to our major, even if that isn't necessarily the path we want to go down. Being let go can be a blessing in disguise, which allows us to switch to a job that is more personally fulfilling. Take the time to assess your skills and your interests and decide if switching jobs is what you need or if leaving an industry altogether for something new is what you desire. Rethink your goals and discover your true career interests.

After rethinking what you want out of your career, make the change. Take action. This means doing your homework, researching industries, shadowing employees in potential fields of interest, attending job fairs, or volunteering. Learn more about your career interests. Decide if you need to go back to school or if you can start applying to new jobs right away.

Being laid off isn't the kiss of death. It can give you a new perspective on your career goals and make you realize what you really want out of life. Get out of bed and use this valuable time to explore industries and new career options.

Attracting Positive Attention to Your Cover Letter

The cover letter has one significant purpose: to generate interest from employers in order to land an interview. Writing a cover letter is the crucial first step to a job seeker's hunt in landing the perfect job. Understanding how to attract positive attention to your cover letter and ultimately yourself is one of the most important lessons that you can learn as a job seeker.

Although the following tips may appear trivial, they are cover letter basics that you need to know in order to secure the position you are after.

1. Understand that a cover letter is expected. Unless otherwise stated, you should ALWAYS attach a cover letter to your resume. It is a part of business etiquette and gives a good first impression.

2. Tailor your cover letter to the specific company you are applying to. Do NOT be lazy and send out a generic cover letter to every company you are interested in. Be unique and describe what drew you to the company and why you want to work there.

3. Take the time to avoid careless errors. Misspelled words can end your chances of landing an interview. Go over your cover letter carefully for grammatical errors and have a few people read over it and give their feedback. Another pair of eyes can never hurt.

4. Keep it short! NEVER go over a page long when writing a cover letter. Try and keep it to two-thirds of a page long and comprised of two or three paragraphs. Brevity is key.

5. When possible, address your cover letter to a specific person. Not all companies will list a specific contact, but if you can obtain a name then it is best to address it to that person. Just think of all the letters that get lost in a pile that is addressed to the HR department!

6. Don't re-write your resume. Your cover letter is a chance for you to address the elements that are absent from your resume. You don't have to list all your positions and jobs you have worked at, but rather tell the employer why you are qualified and why you would be best for the position.

Just remember that a well written cover letter can help you stand out against your competition and land you the interview that you've been waiting for.

Volunteering To Land The Perfect Job

I recently went on an interview and while the employer was perfectly nice and we hit it off, she was unfortunately unable to offer me a position. Her company decided to hold off on hiring for the position and she directed me down a different path: volunteering. She spent time talking to me about different organizations in my field that would love to have volunteers and where I could learn more about my industry.

Her suggestion proved beneficial and here is what I took away from her advice:
1. Whether you are a recent college graduate, a stay-at-home mom, or changing your career path, you may want to consider volunteering as a job search strategy. Volunteering enables you to test out job environments without making a long-term commitment. You can feel good about volunteering while learning more about yourself and your career goals at the same time.

2. You can gain experience in the field you are interested in pursuing. If you treat the volunteer opportunity as you would a normal paying job, you will learn more and develop passion for what you are doing.

3. You will make contacts in your industry! This was what proved most helpful to me. By volunteering with others in your field you are able to talk to a variety of people from different companies and learn who is hiring. You are positioned to hear the buzz, industry trends, and job opportunities, and when a job opens up you will be first in line to hear about it!

Volunteering is a great way to land your perfect job by networking with professionals within your industry. If you take the time to help out an organization and express interest in certain projects then many professionals will remember you for future jobs. Sometimes it takes patience and a bit of volunteer work to find exactly what you are looking for, but it is well worth it in the end.