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When I finished the interview I smiled, thanked them for their time, shook their hands, and walked out confident that I had landed the job. I immediately emailed each of the committee members. I sent a text to one of my mentors in which I told him, “No one today could have done a better interview than me.”
This wasn’t ego talking. I had prepared well and I felt the flow of the moment. A few weeks later I got the call for the second interview and ultimately the job offer, which I accepted.
Resume writing, getting the interview, and the interview itself are – like many things in life – both an art and a science. The following are a few thoughts on the topic of getting the interview that you can add to the monumental amount of information on the topic.
The 5-Sentence cover letter
I’ve read that you should not even include a cover letter these days, but I still believe in them. The cover letter is an opportunity to show off your professionalism through writing and organization. This can blow up in your face if you make grammatical and format errors, so always have a proofreader (more than one is better).
The best approach to the cover letter is brevity. It should be no more than five sentences.
Beat out the competition for the best jobs
Create an image of accomplishment, professionalism, and competence that today’s employers are begging for!
I like to begin a cover letter by valuing the reviewer’s time by stating, “I know your time is valuable so I will keep this brief.” This speaks directly to the reviewer instead of the generic, “here are my qualifications, education, and experience,” or, “I saw your ad for the position.”
In another concise sentence, highlight the most valuable aspects of your education and experience. I then like to address my fit within the organizational needs of the position.
Resume writing, getting the interview, and the interview itself are both an art and a science. The following are a few thoughts on the topic of getting the interview that you can add to the monumental amount of information on the topic.Click To TweetLastly, ask for the interview (closing the deal) in order to be given the opportunity to expand upon how you can benefit the organization, followed by a courteous and classy closing remark.
That is it: simple, concise, powerful, and to the point.
The Killer Resume
There was a leader who was about to leave an organization I worked for to assume the role of president of another organization. I invited him to lunch before he left to just be able to pick his brain. The best piece of advice he shared with me that day was to develop my resume every year.
We live in an instant gratification culture. As Veruca Salt of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory said it, “I want it now.”
However, building a killer content-filled resume does not happen overnight. Anyone can have a degree – which is the fundamental building block of a resume – and work experience. You need to add more headers and content. Think about the following topics: volunteer work, non-profit work, publications (professional blogging, articles, work-related publications, etc.), presentations, activities, memberships, teaching/training experience, certifications, committees, professional development, areas of expertise, and references. There are more, but you get the idea.
I also recommend collecting other peoples’ resumes and borrowing ideas on how to strengthen your own. But, and it’s sad I have to write this, keep it honest. Lying on
Begin thinking about where you are now, where you want to be, and what
