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Last Updated on May 9, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Showcase Your Abilities: Tailor your resumé and
cover letter to highlight relevantskills and demonstrate your value to potential employers clearly and concisely. - Maintain a Positive Attitude: Stay motivated despite setbacks, express gratitude, and adapt your tone based on the role to leave a lasting impression.
- Approach With Clarity: Understand your industry, skill level, and career goals to apply for the right roles and plan your long-term trajectory.
- Take Purposeful Action: Clean up your online presence, follow up professionally, and prepare for interviews with tailored responses and thoughtful questions.
- Polish Your Appearance: Dress appropriately for the company culture, maintain a neat look, and present yourself as confident and responsible.
The job market is more challenging to break into now than ever. This is especially true for entry-level job seekers, graduates, and those wishing to change career paths. To increase your chances of being hired, you must come across as professional and likable, because nobody wants to work with someone they dislike. Once hired, being professional will gain respect from your colleagues, boss, and employees.
Read on to learn the five A’s: abilities, attitude, approach, actions, and appearance. These pointers will guide you to becoming your most professional self.
Abilities
Consider how you could present your abilities and expertise in the best light to employers. It is vital to make a great first impression to be noticed among hundreds of applicants, sometimes more. The first step is to make sure your resumé is updated, easy to read, and demonstrates specific
Do not forget to include a concise
In addition to stating why you want to work there and why you would be a good fit for the role, a line or two about a recent development in the company or what area you are most interested in will show you have taken time to research the company.
Attitude
A positive and determined attitude is key when job-hunting and often leads to faster results.
Throughout the application process, you may face many rejections or non-replies. It is crucial not to be disheartened by this and to view it as a learning curve. It is good practice to thank an employer for their time and consideration as a sign of respect. Having an attitude like this could even work in your favor in the future.
Also, be aware of what position you are applying to so you can adapt your tone accordingly. For instance, demonstrating an innovative attitude in your cover letter may be received well if it’s a creative role.
You can develop the attitude of mind which brings, peace, courage, and success. In The Winning Attitude, John Maxwell shares insights from real-life experiences showing how to recognize and attain the winning attitude to overcome life's difficulties, win people over, and turn problems into opportunities.
Approach
Understanding the industry you want to enter and at which level will help you approach jobs feeling prepared and qualified. It will also help determine appropriate jobs for your skillset and filter out jobs that applying for would prove unrealistic and unproductive.
However, for dream jobs that seem out of reach, researching and acquiring the necessary
Actions
How you act (and do not act) towards employers will impact your likelihood of securing a job. There are a few actions to present yourself as a professional and likable. They are as follows:
- Create a LinkedIn account. This is the most popular online networking tool available. Make sure to outline in your bio your current role and for what job you are looking. For example, Modern Language graduates seeking translator and tutor roles.
- Check that your social media accounts are private and portray you well. Employers will search you, and a display picture of you looking intoxicated or a few questionable posts will not do you any favors.
- Follow up with applications. If you have not heard back about your application, wait at least a week and send a follow-up
email . Showing keenness will let employers know you are serious about the opportunity. - Directly message the employer. If a follow-up
email is unavailable to you or you have already tried that, messaging the relevant employer can make you stand out as wanting the job more than other applicants. - Prepare well for the interview. Comb through the job description again and create a list of achievements that impress the interviewer. Also, developing specific questions will show you to be switched on and motivated. For example, you could ask what success looks like in this role.
- Ask employers for feedback after the interview stage, even if you do not get the job, it will help you with future applications.
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Appearance
This one may seem superficial, and that is because it is. Nonetheless, your appearance is the first thing employers notice about you. Looking presentable and well-groomed will give a good first impression. On the other hand, appearing unkempt will give employers the idea that you are ill-prepared and unserious about the role. Some tips to boost your appearance before an interview or on your first day are to:
- Find out the company dress code before the interview. Some companies are casual, and you may look out of place in a suit.
- Clean and iron your clothes. Interviewers are looking for the best, and stains or creases may be noticed.
- Smile. A friendly face will make you seem approachable and happy to be there.
- Go the extra mile. A neat hairstyle, a new suit, or matching accessories will say to employers that you take care of yourself and can take on responsibility.
Next Steps
- Revamp
Your Resume andCover Letter : Update both documents to highlight relevant experience, tailor them to each job, and avoid generic templates. - Research Companies Thoroughly: Learn about company culture, recent achievements, and values to align your application and prepare thoughtful interview responses.
- Clean Up Your Online Presence: Make your social media profiles private or curate content to reflect professionalism and reinforce your qualifications.
- Practice Interview Responses: Use mock interviews or record yourself answering questions to improve confidence and polish your delivery under pressure.
- Dress the Part for Every Interaction: Know the company’s dress code, groom well, and present yourself in a way that signals readiness and professionalism.
Final Words
Building a professional image requires more than just qualifications—it requires a proactive, consistent approach to presenting yourself across every stage of the
Dr. Diane Hodges presents an invaluable life-enhancing guide to help you achieve your career goals.
Mark Fiebert is a former finance executive who hired and managed dozens of professionals during his 30-plus-year career. He now shares expert job search, resume, and career advice on CareerAlley.com.
