February 18th– The #LetteroftheDay is “H” as in Haircut
This may sound simplistic, but in an interview, appearance matters. I’m often asked how someone should dress for an interview, and my answer is always the same.
“In 16 years in the employment industry, I’ve never seen someone lose a job because they looked too good.”
Here are some do’s and don’ts when preparing for an interview:
- Do dress conservatively in attire that is not outdated
- Do keep cologne and perfume to a minimum
- Do keep accessories to a minimum
- Do have your hair trimmed or styled appropriately
- Don’t overdo your makeup
- Don’t show up too casual
- Don’t show up wearing headphones
February 19th– The #LetteroftheDay is “I” as in Ideology
There are two issues that spark controversy in even the most benign settings – politics and religion. Prior to engaging in a job search, I suggest auditing your own social media profiles for any content that could be frowned upon.
These items could include drunken college frat party photos, political commentary, religious posts, anything with an overt sexual connotation, anything that would indicant intolerance of a certain group of people, obscene language, confidential information, or disparaging comments about coworkers or employers.
Put yourself in the mind of a hiring manager and analyze how someone else may view your content.
February 20th– The #LetteroftheDay is “J” as is Java
When developing an IT résumé, or if you work in an industry that is very skills-heavy (Engineering, Chemistry, etc.), make sure you present your skills on your résumé in a format that is easy to read. Readers do not want to spend 30 seconds on your résumé to see if you have the required Java experience.
Break your technical skills down by section – Languages, Databases, Operating Systems, Tools, Software, or whatever fits best for your sector. Select no more than 4-6 main sections to organize your skills under.This format makes it easy for the reader to find what they are looking for while still presenting an entire list of your skills.
February 21st– The #LetteroftheDay is “K” as in Kryptonite
We all have our own kryptonite—the challenge comes during an interview as the recruiter asks, “What is your greatest weakness?”
Everyone knows this question is coming, but few know how to truly answer it.
Thoughts start racing through your head. “What if I say something they don’t like?” or “I hope this doesn’t cost me the job” or “What is the right answer?”
The employer is looking for self-reflection, honesty, and most importantly, your action steps toward becoming better. Are you aware of your shortcomings, and how does that affect your performance? As an employer, I want someone that is introspective and always striving to improve their weaknesses.
Don’t be scared by this question, but rather embrace it and consider it as an opportunity to shine.
February 22nd– The #LetteroftheDay is “L” as in LinkedIn
Just how important is LinkedIn in today’s job search? Check out some of these mind-blowing statistics:
- LinkedIn has over 590 million users with 260 million logging each month and 2 new users added every second.
- LinkedIn has over 15 million active job listings with over 40 million decision makers
- Over 20,000 U.S. companies use LinkedIn to recruit, and over 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn as a major source for finding new talent
- Over 10 million job seekers have enabled the Open Candidate feature
If your LinkedIn profile is not optimized for today’s job search, you are missing out on a major opportunity.
