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Interviews and In-Laws

In life there are many instances that you want to present yourself as a competent, intelligent, and well-rounded person. Let’s face it we are not always perfect, however, there are two important times in your life that you must strive to be the best you can be: job interviewing, and meeting the in-laws for the first time. These seemingly opposite experiences actually have a lot in common.

Dress to Impress:
When meeting your in laws for the first time you want to make a good impression, so this means looking respectful. A job interview in similar in this way because the first thing an interviewer will notice about you is if you are dressed appropriately. In both circumstances you want to look nice, but you also want to be comfortable and still be yourself. When interviewing make sure your clothes fit the culture of where you’re applying. For example, if you are applying for a fun creative firm, dress the part, don’t wear a stuffy black suite with a white button up blouse. While on the other hand, if you are applying to a more conservative corporate business firm, then maybe that black suit is the best choice.

Posture & Poise:
In both circumstances it is important to focus on your non-verbal behavior. This means being mindful of facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture. Smile, sit up straight, and maintain eye contact. In both instances the person you are wanting to impress is making sure you are a good fit, whether that means a good fit for their son/daughter, or the job position you are seeking. Non-verbals often reveal the truth about how you feel more than verbal behavior because non-verbals are more difficult to control. Even though you may not like something about what the interviewer says, makes sure that negative expression does not accidentally slip across your face.

Be Grateful:
Even though this may not be your dream job, or those in-laws are not your favorite people in the world, you still need to be grateful of their time. Being grateful in an interview is crucial! Show that you want to be there, and thank them when you shake their hand and walk out the door. It is also important that you follow up after the interview and send them a thank you note, or email, saying how grateful you are for their time, and for getting to know them and the company better.

For more interviewing tips, visit our website.

Writing a Cover Letter

Cover letters are meant to compliment your resume and tell a prospective employer how your experience benefits them. Because of this, they must be tailored for each position to which you apply. To help make the process less time consuming, here are some general guidelines you can use to make your cover letter stand out amongst the competition.

Keep the overall theme employer-oriented.
If the story you are trying to tell doesn’t relate to the open position or the company’s needs, do not include it. Also, avoid using the word “I” as much as possible.

Start off strong.
Your first paragraph should be a value-packed statement showcasing what you offer and how it relates to the position you are applying. To prevent your cover letter just being skimmed by the Hiring Manager, emphasize the job title to catch their eye. Save space for valuable information by avoiding stating the obvious like your name (which should be in the contact header) or “I am writing…”.

Show that you would be an asset for the company.
A good way to style the body of your cover letter is by bulleting your skills and/or qualifications in no more than three to five bullets. The benefit to this approach is that it provides quick and easy readability for the Hiring Manager. Look at the job posting and emphasize your experience with their job requirements towards the top of the list, since these are the most important to them. Use specific examples and numbers to support your claims and show a clear image of your skills.

End with an action statement.
Rather than say you hope to hear from them soon, state that you would appreciate the opportunity to meet for an interview to further explain how your qualifications meet their needs. Be sure to tell them how and when you will follow up to schedule a meeting. If the job posting requests no calls to the company, then simply repeat your contact information for easy reference.

Beginning your job search can be a tedious process, and we are here to help and make it as easy as possible. Call us at 361.833.3535 or contact us online to learn how we can help!