How to Ace Your Way to Your Next Job

I once again have to rely on Alesia Benedict’s advice.  Alesia is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC) as well as the President of GetInterviews.com

Today I wanted to talk about interviews and how to leverage your skills and knowledge in order to ace the interview and land a job.  One of the keys is to PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW. I have mentioned before that you should walk in confidently and be prepared to answer any question that may be thrown at you.  After all of the interviews I went on I became somewhat of a pro, if I do say so myself. 🙂 Come on, I’m allowed to toot my own horn a bit.

However, this didn’t come from just reading about each company, it came from knowing how to answer questions and knowing what questions I struggled with.  You wouldn’t believe what I had to work through in interviews but I think Alesia’s advice sums it all up.  So here we go:

“…thinking about questions you will be asked can strengthen your resume and create a consistent impression as you formulate your ‘brand’ for potential employers.

Consider the first impression you want to deliver to potential employers and hiring managers. You control first impressions by being meticulous about details contained in your resume, and that process can help you develop consistent answers to commonly asked interview questions. The resume begins to build your brand, reflecting positive impressions of you from the very first glance to the final reading.

Convey Strengths instead of Weaknesses

Focusing on ‘duties or responsibilities’ emphasizes your reporting to others. A better presentation showcases your initiative, creativity, and ability to exceed expectations on your own efforts. A description of your role as an ‘underling’ can diminish the power of accomplishments.

Present a Progression of Professional Growth

Using a chronological resume provides a progression of accomplishments and professional development, culminating a forecast of the next step in your career. The progressive professional summary replaces the old career objective with a sense of how your talents can complement the potential employer’s mission and ‘bottom line.’ Past success predicts future contributions.

Don’t Detail Reasons for Leaving Past Positions

Although most interviewers will ask the reasons for leaving your more recent positions, you don’t want to use the limited space in your resume to explain this part of your professional history. These are definitely answers you want to prepare for the interview…

Ask Pointed Questions About the Company

Appropriate questions can highlight research you have done about the company’s strengths and new directions. Do not use the interview to explore salary or benefits. Avoid including salary history in your resume as well…

Highlight Unique Skills

Compare your job history and accomplishments to other likely candidates. What skills are unique and which are considered routine? Using common software, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, is unlikely to distinguish you from the 100 other candidates. Analyzing current trends in the field and creating forecasts to help the employer stay one step ahead of the competition, however, are clear strengths that set you apart.

Handling Conflict

How have you managed difficult situations successfully, such as counseling or terminating an under performing staff member? Have you facilitated consensus among a diverse team? Quantify these successes in typical results you are likely to produce for the new employer, such as increased productivity or team cohesiveness.

Managing Competing Demands

Multi-tasking is a common requirement in most positions, particularly as companies downsize. Have you effectively managed and delivered multiple projects simultaneously? What about directing teams remotely? Have you over-delivered despite challenges of tight time-frames and reduced budgets? These are valuable skills that deserve the spotlight in your resume.

Performance under Pressure

Typical examples of this quality include being calm under pressure, bringing structure to chaos, and rapidly responding to unexpected obstacles. Not all candidates bring these high-level skills to the interview…

Turning around Failure

None of us like to think about shortcomings, however interviewers often want to know how you perceive past failures to gain a sense of your own objectivity and ability to grow from challenges and constructive criticism….Package the ‘failure’ in the context of how you turned it into a success by emphasizing a short time-frame or major results achieved.

Establishing Credibility

Describe how you establish authority as you take on a leadership role. Do you use the position to create leadership or cultivate respect in leading by example? Do you unintentionally sabotage your authority by being too much of a worker bee? Is your status as a Subject Matter Expert your basis for credibility? Each approach creates a different type of respect, affecting interactions with your team. Review your work history in the context of what kind of leader you have been and what kind you want to be.

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

This classic interview question can provide the framework for your resume. Your answer should build on your individual career progression by highlighting accomplishments in each position that provide logical steps toward your 5-year plan. Be certain your plan is career-related. Ideally, your 5-year goals dovetail nicely with the mission of the company where you plan to interview.

Translating the Big Picture Produces Results

Reviewing your answers to likely interview questions and incorporating them into your resume will help you present a consistent brand to potential employers. Your ability to condense the big picture into a practical presentation of skills and accomplishments provides an example of your planning and communication strengths to potential employers. These skills can translate into success for you in the interview process, as you translate your big picture into positive results from your resume.

These are some fantastic tips!  Use them wisely and good luck!

What did you do today?

Information about GetInterviews.com, the country’s leading resume writing firm. They provide professionals with customized, branded resumes and career marketing documents. Alesia’se and her firm’s credentials include being cited by JIST Publications as one of the “best resume writers in North America,” quoted as a career expert in The Wall Street Journal, and published in a whopping 25+ career books. Established in 1994, the firm has aided more than 100,000 job seekers to date. All resume writers are certified writers. GetInterviews.com offers a free resume critique and their services come with a wonderful guarantee — interviews in 30 days or they’ll rewrite for free!