You just had a great interview. You are certain you presented yourself well, and those interviewing seemed receptive to and interested in you. Even though you feel you did well, you still find yourself questioning if you conveyed what you needed to demonstrate you are...
No matter how much we anticipate and plan for anything in life, the outcome isn’t always what we hoped. For myself, I am quite peaceful about such an outcome if I can look back and see I did every, single thing I could to influence the one I wanted. It’s when, in retrospect, I see where I took a short cut and knew better, or when there was so much to manage I figured “that little detail won’t matter,” that it is difficult to feel settled with an undesirable result.
This basic scenario is frustrating in any situation. Apply it to a job search, and I, personally, might just come undone.
No matter how much time and effort you give to the creation of your resume, the fact is that it isn’t going to receive a lot of attention from a hiring manager or recruiter before a decision is made whether or not to pursue your candidacy. That’s right: The very document into which you pour your heart and soul to communicate a lifetime of work will, initially, receive a glance.
Therefore, it is important you give your resume the right kind of attention to ensure it becomes your ticket past the screening process.
For many, part of the process is also about catching up on the latest ways to incorporate technology into the search. While juggling its many forms to communicate interest, interviews and offers can be its own project, the easy availability of technology can be utilized to a job seeker’s huge advantage.
Miriam Salpeter is among authors who strongly suggest a solid presence on the Web in her article, “4 Reasons Job Seekers Should Have a Personal Website.”
I was told I went backward as though that was a negative. But, to me, the only factors I saw were positive. Sometimes, it’s the right thing to do. To see if this applies to where you are in your career and job search, check out Alex Honeysett’s advice from, “3 Times Going Backward in Your Career Is Actually the Best Way Forward.”
If you want to know what inspires the everyday person to contribute to your cause, take notice of the pointers in the article “How to Tell Your Story Effectively on Your Nonprofit’s Blog.” Make sure they are found in your organization’s favorite forms of communication.
But, each step is worthy of intentional focus and strategy. So, congratulate yourself when you get through the daunting and often tedious application process when you land an interview. But, even though the candidate pool significantly dwindled, don’t rest on your laurels. There is, of course, more work to be done! Melissa Llarena’s article, “How To Answer The Five Most Common Interview Questions,” helps prepare job seekers to not be thrown off the game during this important meeting.
As job seekers, evaluating the potential boss does not always make the short list of considerations. When you need a job or are very desperate to leave the one you are in, you don’t always see the many variables needing your honest evaluation. I’ve certainly since learned that no matter the reason for the job search, the relationship with the potential supervisor is one to closely examine to determine if you are on a mutual foundation.