10 winning ways to land the job you want |
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"Let's say I want to work at American Express," he explains. "I would do a search for American Express on LinkedIn and
see who on my network is somehow connected to the company."
Rather than asking for a job right away, Alba recommends that you present yourself as a professional who is researching
opportunities at that company.
"A professional is not a begging, needy job seeker," he emphasizes. "Let's say I find five open positions at American
Express. That gives me something to talk to (the current employee) about.
"I can ask about those positions and find out how long they've been open, what the department is like, what issues they might
have and more. Better yet, if you can find openings that are not advertised, you won't be competing with hundreds of other job applicants."
Only after you've developed a rapport with the person should you ask them to review your resume and cover letter.
"That might happen in the first call, or it might happen a few calls or e-mails later," Alba says. "If I can tell (the person)
isn't going to have the time or interest in helping, I won't ask him. I'm hoping my conversation will help me get good information about the
position or department or players or issues, and if he has clout with HR or the hiring manager, perhaps he can put in a good word for me or do
an introduction."
4. Do your research before the interview
Before the interview, you should gather as much information about the company as you can. Read any press releases, media coverage, annual
reports and whatever other information about the company and industry you can get your hands on. You should also find out as much as you can
about the people you're interviewing with.
"There's nothing wrong with asking the HR person or recruiter who you'll be interviewing with," says Levit. "Try to Google
(them beforehand)."
She adds that finding out what type of interview you're having (a panel interview, one-on-one interview, behavioral interview,
test and so on) will help you feel more prepared.
5. Dress for success
Wearing the right outfit will help you feel cool and confident. But Levit cautions job-seekers against wearing something too cool or comfortable.
"Even if the company is business casual, be business professional," she says. "I would say even if people in the company say
'everyone wears jeans,' don't wear jeans (to your interview). I think that it's too risky."
Levit also warns against bright colors or flashy jewelry and neckties when you're interviewing at a conservative company. She
adds that ladies should "watch the heel height. It's better to look a little shorter than be constantly tripping."
6. Calm nerves by remembering what you offer
Earlier this spring, after five or six months of job-hunting, Jonny Dover made the jump from working the night shift at a local newspaper to
editing a medical journal in Little Rock, Ark.
Dover says the key to staying positive during a job search and interviews is to remind yourself of what you bring to the table.
"I made a list of my bigger accomplishments and made sure I was able to work them in casually," he explains.
Also, remember that while your potential employer is evaluating you, you should be evaluating them, too.
"I had one job interview where the guy showed up late," Dover says. "Then his boss came in and interrupted him, then he had me
jump through all these hoops and this silly test. I realized, this guy isn't getting any respect from his boss. If I work here, I'm going to be
waiting around and won't get any respect either. It's a good idea not to leave one evil for another."
7. Watch body language and small talk
"Everybody has some kind of quirky body message going on," says Alba. "They use the hands too much or it's the way they sat."
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