Are you starting to look for a new job? Do you need a change, or maybe you are looking for your first professional adventure?
Everything fits, position, company, location, employment conditions …. but you are aware that you are certainly not the only person who will want to apply. So what should you do to get your future employer’s attention in the jungle of CVs? How to make your future boss fall under the influence of your person during the recruitment interview?
1. First of all, a good selection!
Just as the employer chooses from a dozen or several dozen candidates the one that best meets his expectations, just as you should specify which offers you want to apply for. Take into account not only the description of the requirements of the future employer, but above all the scope of duties in the workplace. This is what you will be doing for the next months and maybe years. Try to determine in advance which company you want to associate with, which sector you are interested in and what skills you would like to acquire and which ones to develop.
2. Start with a good CV!
They should be transparent and legible. Take care of the right font (fancy Freestyle Script certainly won’t be a good idea), spacing and chronology. The most important is experience and skills and this should be highlighted. It also doesn’t hurt to briefly summarize your persona at the very beginning, to bring your future employer in brief your history and career plans.
Today, we are definitely moving away from cover letters, so a well-composed CV may contain an element of self-presentation.
3. Verify the market.
Apart from the fact that they can ask you about the knowledge of competitors during the recruitment interview, this is an additional source of knowledge for you.
It lets you know about the market, pay rates and development opportunities. By doing this reconnaissance you will be more confident and better prepared for meetings with future employers.
4. Come prepared for the interview.
Get to know the specificity of the company you are applying to and the job description. Even before the meeting, think about what value you will bring to the company, what are your competences, skills and what successes you can boast about.
It’s important that you introduce yourself as you really are. Playing as someone else or pretending to be the perfect candidate does more harm than good. Sooner or later everyone in the company will meet you anyway, so there is nothing to color the reality with.
5. Be honest with others and with yourself.
If you haven’t done anything in your life yet, but you would love to, say it. There is nothing worse than lying to others and yourself. The future employer will probably find out about it anyway and then it will be very hard for you to get out of it. It is definitely better to honestly admit some skills gaps but emphasize the high motivation to fill them. Believe me, for an employer, a more motivated, loyal employee is more important than an ideal candidate who has all the skills but quickly gets bored.
6. Specify in advance what you expect.
You know yourself best, you know who you work well with, what motivates you. Be prepared for the fact that the future employer will also be interested. He/she will want to know if the position he/she is looking for suits your needs or whether he/she will be able to take care of your job satisfaction. Specify what tasks will make you develop, what environment is conducive to your effective work and what will give you a sense of professional fulfillment.
7. Ask and ask again.
The recruitment interview is a mutual exchange of information. You have the right to know as much about your company, job and working conditions as your employer. After the recruitment meeting, both parties should feel that they know enough about each other to make a decision about cooperation. Even if you fail to find out everything during the meeting, make sure you keep in touch with the person with whom the meeting took place. You can always call later or write an email with additional questions.
8. Don’t be afraid to talk about money.
We work for money – that is the fact. This is one of the most important factors for which we decide to change jobs, so it is important to know how much we can earn in a given position. If the offer does not disclose pay ranges and this information does not fall during the meeting, you have the right to ask about it. However, if you are afraid that the question “what are your financial expectations” will be answered too little or too much, it means that you have not previously determined the level that will satisfy you. It is worth considering this and entering into an open dialogue on this topic. It may turn out that during the trial period the level of remuneration will be slightly lower than your expectations, but after it will definitely increase and the difference will level out.
9. Take care of references.
It is a good idea to talk to previous superiors about the possibility of preparing their references about you. If you can’t do it, because you are secretly looking for a new job and nobody in the company knows about it yet, you can provide as contacts people with whom you have worked well, who know you and are able to bring your future employer closer to you.
It’s always an additional plus when you come out with the option of checking your references yourself. It means that you are not afraid, but there is something you want to show off.
10. Confidence hasn’t killed anyone yet.
As you see yourself, so do others see you.
If you are convinced that you are suitable for the position you are applying for, you may not meet all expectations, but you are ready to learn, your future employer will sense it. Even by admitting some gaps in experience, you can be confident. He is sure that you will catch up and that the future employer will only benefit from it because he will employ a motivated and loyal person.
11. Good psychophysical condition.
There is no doubt that we should present ourselves at the best of the interviews. Therefore, avoid meetings on dates when you feel unwell. Colds, migraines, a temporary drop in mood are very bad circumstances to meet. Everyone has worse days and worse moods. You should definitely go in good shape to the recruitment meeting. Then you will be able to present all your strengths. Of course, it is worth honestly saying why we postpone the date of the meeting, or suggest another one. This will show your mature attitude towards the other party. After all, the recruiter also wants to feel good, and your poor condition will definitely affect your interlocutor.
12. Smile please!
There is a lot of research that clearly indicates the impact on the environment on our facial expressions. A smile can do a lot, we also infect other people with it, which puts them in a good mood. So do not be afraid to smile widely at the welcome and farewell 🙂
13. Stay in touch
It is a very nice gesture to send a short e-mail after the recruitment meeting thanking you for your time and the opportunity to meet. On the one hand, it shows our good manners, on the other hand the attitude towards the company and the offer. Even if we don’t get this job, we will be remembered well and we never know where and with whom we will meet next time.
Good luck!
Sylwia Rybicka
HR Business Partner
