1. Be employable

If you have ever had a job, you have proved that you are employable. Look at the value you added in that role as objectively as you can, and write it down. This should be the basis of your CV. (See Point 3, below.)

2. Apply for the right roles

Once you know what you have to offer, look for roles that fit your skills. Don’t aim over, as your target employer has many applicants at the moment and will opt for someone who hits the mark exactly. They don’t want to know about you being a quick learner in this market. Don’t aim under, either. If the employer wants an assistant to their manager they are not going to take a manager even if you are prepared to perform in a lesser role.

 

3. Prepare your CV

Your CV should be concise and easy to read. Use bullet points and put them in the same order as any requirements spelled out in the advertisement. Try to fit into a maximum of two to three pages and if you do have a lot of work examples you want to include, put them in as Appendices. Your cover letter should be very short and catchy – don’t repeat the CV here. Focus on one message, such as, ‘I have worked in a similar industry and believe I can bring value to your company. You will see more detail in the attached CV and I welcome a meeting to elaborate on this information.’ Check your grammar.

 

4. Know how to apply

If a company or recruiter is advertising a role and it looks right for you based on the information available, apply as instructed. If you pick up the phone don’t be surprised to be sent back to apply online as requested. If academic transcripts are requested attach them or address their omission in your covering letter.

 

5. How to follow up

It is reasonable to follow up a couple of days after sending your CV to enquire about progress on your application. If the hiring manager or recruiter has many applications this will bring you to life for them, although be careful not to create a negative impression by being aggressive or overly persistent. How do you know where the boundary is? In your very first conversation set some expectations. If you do get through on the telephone and get a response that they are processing applications and will get back to you, ask when a reasonable time to call back would be. Try not to accept their assurance that they will call you ‘in due course!’ Even if you have to do your follow up by email, conclude by saying that you will follow up at the same time next week.

 

6. How to handle the first interview

Unless you are applying directly to a smaller company your first interview is likely to be with an HR person or a recruiter, not the final decision maker. Your message needs to be very clear so that they can debrief their superior easily. Imagine them reporting the important content of your meeting in the corridor. Refer back to Point 1, above. What is it you have to offer? Make your delivery of this offering simple and practice delivery of it until you can spout it on demand. Even if you or your interviewer has allowed the meeting to wander, sum up again by repeating your important one sentence message.

 

7. How to handle the second interview

You have passed muster with the gatekeeper. They are now on your side – they have recommended that their superior meets you and they want you to succeed. So even if your first interviewer is there for the second meeting, don’t worry about trying to be innovative. Answer the same or similar questions with exactly the same words. If your message is already clear and simple how can you improve it?

 

8. How to handle ‘Meeting the Team’

You can’t realistically expect to create relationships with even two or three people in a one hour coffee meeting. You are on show – prepare as best you can with a couple of ‘intelligent questions’ and so on but resolve to be yourself. If you tend to be shy in a group visualise laughing about this meeting with these people in six months’ time because by then they will be your workmates and friends.

 

9. Handling negative feedback

Be prepared to be told no. You may feel that your skills are perfect and you handled the interview perfectly so to be turned down can be an unpleasant shock. If we all got jobs based on the content of our CV’s there would be no need for meetings – we could all be matched by computer after all. ‘Company fit’ is the hardest thing to define and certainly the hardest thing to explain to a rejected applicant. In my experience foul play is very rarely a factor, although it is tempting to blame discrimination of some sort. Hiring Managers, recruiters and the final decision makers may make incorrect decisions but if you think about the turnover rates in many industries it appears that they more often hire when they should not than reject too often.

 

10. Handling the offer

You got the job! Well done! When can you start? Hold on…be delighted, shake hands enthusiastically by all means, then tell them you are looking forward to seeing the offer in writing. There is no harm in expressing your glee at this point but no need to commit until you know the small print. Check that everything you both agreed is in there and if there is something important missing go back cheerfully and say, you seem to have missed the bonus details/car park etc, please add that for me so that I can sign… If it is a minor omission like payment of professional subscriptions or reimbursement of telephone expenses just prepare a covering letter which refers to this point: ‘I enclose the signed copy of the contract and confirm our agreement that reasonable telephone expenses will also be included.’ Your letter will form part of the agreement – make sure you keep a copy of the letter with your own copy of the contract of employment.

 

11. Thanks where it is due

Do not forget to get back to your referees and thank them for their support. (Hopefully you remembered to tell them that you were putting their name forward?) Say thanks to your recruiter or your new employer’s HR team. They believed in you from the beginning and they are excited about you getting this job.

 

Good luck!