Are you looking at a great job opportunity, but are reluctant to apply because of your resume? Are you nervous about doing a phone interview? You don’t have to be. With some effort you can increase your chances of getting a face to face interview and hopefully your dream job.

Resume Tips to Help You Shine

It doesn’t take much to get your resume noticed.

  1. Match your resume to the job. Your resume should not look the same for every job you apply to. Try to tailor it to the position you’re applying for. If you include an objective, make it a perfect match for the job opening.
  2. Choose your words carefully. Clarity can have a huge impact when someone is reading your resume. Do you come off as a leader or does your job description reflect that you merely did what was required?
  3. Include concrete numbers with your resume. Be as accurate as possible when including results of your work. Did you improve customer sales or did you improve customer sales by 23% in 3 months?
  4. Prioritize your accomplishments. Put your best first. Don’t have the recruiter wade halfway through your resume to find out that you helped developed a new metric for the department. Redesign your resume to highlight your best moments.
  5. Always include a cover letter for every resume you submit. Your cover letter is your chance to explain your resume in the best light and why you’re the perfect candidate for the position. Sending a generic cover letter is a waste of time for everyone.

Should You Use a CV Services?

I mentioned CV services before, depending on what you need they can be a good investment. However, if you have access to your university’s career center you may find what you need for free.

Phone Interview Tips

Your resume stood out and now you’re schedule for a phone interview. If you want to ace your next phone interview, here are some tips you can use:

  1. Be completely focused. Treat your phone interview like a face to face one. Don’t do a phone interview in a busy location. Find a quiet spot with no distractions so you can give you complete attention to the interviewer.
  2. Have the right paperwork by you. Put your best foot forward – have your resume, notes about the company, and some prepared interview questions ready.
  3. Don’t eat food or chew gum! It seems like common sense, but I’ve spoken to people who think it’s ok to chew on gum while speaking on the phone. It’s distracting and can leave a bad impression with the interviewer.
  4. Remember to smile while on the phone. It’ll help you come across as friendly to the person on the other line and it can help you to relax a bit.

Thoughts on Interview Tips

What’s been your best interview so far? What have you found to be helpful for you to focus while on your phone interview?