The best way is to look into interview preparation coaching, They can help prepare you for one of the most important days of our life. But if you are not going to make the further investment in your future, then consider the following:
Many of us have submitted resumes/CVs, but we wonder, why aren’t we getting interviews? Many blame it on the current state of the economy, other blame nepotism; still some go to blame the company itself and the one in it. Now is not the time to do the blame game. Ask yourself, why did so and so get interviewed? It’s all about a piece of paper but that paper determines your future. Compare this to what a doctor does, there is no room for goofing and lazing around, lives are at stake. So is your resume, your life is at stake so you should learn to value it more.
Many of us have sent in our CVs and resumes to different companies, but we can’t help but wonder, why aren’t we called back for an interview? Some of us may blame it on how badly the economy turned out; others would blame it on prejudice, nepotism or even the company and the people in it. If that were so, why did he/she get interviewed? I’m sure you know a lot of people who got what they went in for. This is the time that we must put an end to this blame game. Nothing is solved by blaming others; it only makes the situation worse. True, it may be just a few pieces of paper but these papers determine who we become. Doctors perform at their best because they know very well the gravity of the situation. One mishap and lives are lost. The same could be said for you CV and resume, one mishap and your entire life might as well be lost.
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Make your resume/CV distinct. Let it stand out. Refrain from using the usual format, unless of course the company requires that. Using a shade of paper other than cream or white is also a great idea.
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Use a paper size that is uncommon. It will help when the company you are applying for has a stack of resumes to go through. People have a tendency to pick out the rare and unusual ones.
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Hand in the resume/CV yourself.
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Find and befriend someone who works in the company. They can help you how to get through, tell you what do and even give you a referral.
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Never take no for an answer. When they called in and said that you are under qualified, don’t let it stop you. Start writing and give them a call. Prove to them that you have what it takes. Resumes and CVs help a company choose the right candidate, and filter the good from the bad ones. Show them that you’ve got more than what your CV/resume says. You’ve got nothing more to lose and more to gain. Stubbornness always pays off. If Bill Gates and Steve Jobs just accepted the “no” and stopped right there, our world today would have been so different.
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Sending in the same resume/CV to all 10 companies you are applying for is a bad idea. Always customize each resume and add in your personal touch. Everybody wants to feel special, that goes for your potential employers.
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Read, proofread, improve, read, proofread then improve again. Many applications have been ruined just because of a single typo or grammatical error. What companies are looking for are people who could hand in quality work and those who deserve their pay. How could they trust someone with crucial company reports when they couldn’t even get a few pieces of paper straight?
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Always check on how the application is going. It would make them certain that you are interested in getting the job.
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Check and make sure that it is addressed to the right person. Call someone who works for that company.
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If companies require you to submit non-paper form of Resumes/CVs, always use the keywords stated in the job description. Companies who often do this use software for going through the submitted resumes/CVs. The software tends to reject those that do not mention the keywords.
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Read and follow instructions! Many of us have missed points back when we were still at school because of this. Don’t let make you miss a great future too.
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Write a cover letter they couldn’t take off their minds. Impress them. Let them say; “ Now this is a cover letter!”
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Don’t judge a book by its cover, or so they say, but come on, when we’ve got so many stacked in front of us, we do tend to get those fancy ones. If it has to be submitted in a folder, use a notable and striking folder.
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Why don’t you try applying for companies that are not so well known? After all, all those top companies started on being small. Look at your capabilities and experience. If you’ve just graduated from university, don’t apply to companies that only hire people with experience, you would only be wasting your time.
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No matter what stage you are in. Always tell the truth. Remember that lies have an uncanny way of catching up with you.
