Being a skilled job seeker can be an art form. Even candidates who are under qualified or have less experience than others applying for a position, can gain a competitive edge in the interview process simply by being a strong interviewer. Here are some key components to landing your first job:

• Preparation is key.– Nothing jumps out to a hiring manager or HR rep faster than someone who is unprepared. Preparation for a career search can be timely process and being thorough is key. Many candidates complete the obvious such as obtaining contact information for references and preparing a resume, but don’t forget to think of how the recruiting market has changed in the past several years. Make sure that your social media landscape is separated by your personal and professional images. Having an employer locate you on LinkedIn with a professional profile that appropriately highlights your greatest attributes in your career field can quickly lose it’s power if your Facebook profile reflects less than a professional image. Keep in mind that the average recruiter spends less than 10 seconds reviewing your resume. Make sure your resume sells you quickly.
• Maintain an active network. Want to stay up to date on the latest trends in your industry? Do you want to be the first to know of excellent career opportunities in your field? The best way to gain and maintain up to date information in your field is to network with others in it. Social media and sites such as LinkedIn, provide excellent opportunities with little time commitment to stay informed and build relationships with others in your field. Make sure that others in your line of work know that you are looking for career opportunities. A simple update on your LinkedIn profile can quickly open doors. Sharing information and industry trends in groups and through status updates can quickly show others that you are knowledgeable and passionate about your field. In a recent survey by Salary.com as many as 72% of respondents reported using social connections to land a job.
• Do your research. Most employers will do a decent amount of research on you including reference checking, background screening, testing, and credential verifications. Show them that you have invested time into the process as well. Be educated and informed about their company, industry trends, their reputation, and their goals. Make it clear that you want to work with them and that while you have other options, partnering with them to meet their objectives and goals is something you are passionate about. Arrive early and dressed appropriately for your interview. Simply dressing the part and some simple research on the company can give you some added confidence in the interview, something employers are looking for. If you appear unsure, uneasy, or uninformed an employer may get the impression that you are uninterested or unprepared for a position with their organization. Strong interviewing skills can quickly progress you ahead of your peers.
• Partner with an industry expert. If you are a recent graduate or are entering a new line of work, your career search may prove more difficult than others with more experience in the role. Many employers are seeking candidates with prior experience or a more proven ability for their open positions. Getting a foot in the door with these employers can often prove to be more difficult. Working with an industry expert recruiter can significantly increase your chances of landing a position in your field. Partnering with a recruiter allows you a foot in the door, more inside information about the company and its objectives, interviewing and resume support and guidance, with the ability to prove your skills and abilities to an employer for a contracted period of time before they make a hiring commitment. Many employers prefer this flexibility and are more likely to hire an entry level candidate through a staffing partner due to the additional testing available. A contract to hire position also allows you to determine whether or not the position or company is the right choice for you, while building experience and skills for your resume.

Regardless of the profession you are looking to enter, remaining confident during the job seeking process is a must. If you find yourself becoming overly frustrated or discouraged, consider taking a few days off from the job search or partner with a staffing partner for more assistance. Often time candidates who are frustrated with their job search results can come across as lacking confidenence or negatively during an interview.

Are you a stand out professional or technical professional seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job seekers section for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

• Capture their attention. The average employer spends less than 10 seconds reviewing your resume or CV. Bullet points highlighting skills that are relevant to the position are most likely to catch their eye. Avoid distracting formats or designs that could quickly take their attention away from your qualifications.
• Make it professional. No matter the level of creativity required for the position, this is not the place for a self portrait. According BeHiring.com, there is an 88% job rejection rate if you have a photo of yourself on your CV. Keep your resume free of personal information including family status, age, photos, and most importantly do not include your social security number. Your resume is a professional sales platform, use it to sell your professional abilities and accomplishments.
• Review Your Contact Information. Placing phone numbers that you are not likely to be easily reached at or that may be answered by someone that is not likely to pass on the message can certainly cost you an interview quickly.  Are you including an e-mail address? If so be sure to check it regularly, a growing number of employers prefer to contact candidates via e-mail to help cut down on phone traffic volume. Keep in mind over 75% of resumes are ignored if the e-mail address listed is unprofessional.
• Triple check it for errors. Make sure that before passing your resume along you have checked it for spelling and grammatical errors. Do not rely on spell check to proof your work. Be sure to have several people review it. Chances are, they may find an additional skill or accomplishment that you forgot to highlight as well. Submitting different resumes for various positions? Be sure to have each version proofed and saved separately. If you continuously change or update the file you are more likely to include an error.

Keep in mind with over 200 resumes received on average for each open position, your efforts to land an interview cannot stop after submitting a resume. With hundreds of thousands of resumes being uploaded weekly to sites like Monster and Career Builder, setting yourself apart from the masses is crucial. Proper interview and follow up etiquette can go a long way in setting yourself up against the competition.

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job seekers section for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

• Provide a weak first impression. Similar to a first date, your first impression is always the most memorable. Introduce yourself as confident, well prepared, and genuinely interested in the position and the organization. If you haven’t done your research and you seem unenthusiastic by the opportunity at this point, that’s likely to send a strong message to your interviewer.
• Leave your phone on.  Having your phone ring, buzz constantly, or worse yet answering it, is a quick way to send your interviewer the message that the interview is not a priority for you. An interview gives you a short time period to sell the interviewer on why you are the best person for the job; minimize any distractions and keep the focus on you and your skills.
• Answer the questions as if you are speaking to an automated phone system. If your answers are mumbled, short, or you aren’t able to converse on the topic you can quickly send the wrong impression. An interviewer is looking for someone who is knowledgeable and confident in their abilities and strengths for the position. If you are unsure of your ability to perform the duties required, they’ll likely follow suit.
• Know it all. Want to quickly appear like you’re above the job? Don’t ask questions about the organization, the position, the team, and minimize the work they do.
• Know nothing. Keep in mind your interviewer has done their homework. They’ve reviewed your resume, application, and qualifications. Make sure they know that you’ve done yours. Don’t ask what the company does, how long they have been in business, or any other information that can be easily accessed online.
• Don’t follow up. Want to appear like the interview was a waste of your time? Don’t do the following. Close the interview by reaffirming your interest in the organization and the position, thank the interviewer for their time, and follow up with a hand written thank you card.

Take pride in your experience, accomplishments, and knowledge in your field. A job interview is one of the rare occasions when you have to sell someone on your abilities. If interviewing is not one of your areas of strength, consider partnering with an industry experience recruiter who can help walk you through the process.

Are you a stand out professional or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities?  Visit our job seekers section for more information!  Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.