Jeremy Kaplan
If you’re looking for a job, chances are it’s not a time for you to be unconcerned about whether you ace the interview or not. More than likely you have bills to pay, so there’s going to be some degree of urgency to your actions. You want to present the best side of yourself since you only get one shot at a first impression, as the cliché goes. Here are three ways that you can stand out from the competition.
Make Sure Your Appearance is Immaculate
This is not the time to put on your old ripped jeans and your most ancient concert tee-shirt, nor should you come in unshaven with your hair unkempt. You’re trying to demonstrate to your prospective employer that you genuinely want this job, and nothing will make a hiring manager chuck your resume in the wastebasket faster than a scruffy appearance or questionable hygiene.
Give the Best Impression of Yourself
Get a haircut, make sure that you’re clean shaven, remove all ostentatious jewelry, and wear your best outfit, newly cleaned and pressed. If you don’t have anything to wear that you feel appropriate for the occasion, it would not be a waste of money to buy some new clothes for the job hunt.
Be Cordial and Never Confrontational
You want to express to the would-be employer that you are eager to start working for them, but you don’t want to rush them through the interview process or make them feel uncomfortable in any way. Keep the tone light, and follow their lead. Answer any questions honestly and to the best of your abilities. If there are lengthy gaps in your work history, explain them. Likewise, you should be truthful if you have ever been in trouble with the law. You don’t want to omit any detail that might be found out later if a background check is done. That will most likely disqualify you from further consideration.
Present A Professional Resume
You need to come up with a resume that presents your skill set in the best light, and if you need resume templates to know what one should look like, use one. You might even enlist a professional writer to help you, or at the very least, someone in your family who is experienced in this area. You might be in good shape in this regard if you have a language background, but otherwise, don’t leave this aspect of the process to chance. A sloppy resume that is full of punctuation and spelling errors will do you a disservice, even if you’re otherwise well qualified for the job.
Take Yourself Seriously and Others Will Too
Remember, what you’re presenting to your potential employer, your physical appearance, your mannerisms, your resume, and what you say during the interview, will all work together to tell a story about yourself. If your qualifications are similar to others who applied, but you don’t have a professional demeanor, then you’re not likely to get the job. This is the sort of thing that should be taken seriously, as the interview process and resume writing are critical skills that will carry you far as you navigate adulthood.
