You send out resumes, have the right LinkedIn profile, but you never get a job interview?
Getting a call for the job interview is a combination of events that must come together. There is no one “sure fire” way to get an interview (unless a parent owns the company or you start a company yourself).
I’ve taught hundreds of students how to write a resume, cover letter, create a LinkedIn profile, and how to interview for the job. Based on my experience, to get an interview you must focus on at least these 3 areas: Resume, LinkedIn, and Networking.
Your Resume
Your resume is one of the biggest factors in getting an interview for a job. Your Resume:
- is your invitation to know more about you
- is an appetizer that you are serving. The main meal is the job interview!
- must convey your value
- must highlight your accomplishments, NOT a description of what you’ve done
- layout must easy to read and professional
- is your brand and reflects YOU
Your LinkedIn Profile
Your resume is your 1st appetizer. If the company likes what they see, they will move on to the 2nd appetizer – your LinkedIn profile.
Most companies will look for you on LinkedIn. If you don’t have a profile, this hurts your chances of getting an interview. Do NOT skip this important part of the job search process. Your LinkedIn profile:
- should match your resume
- should have a Professional Picture (no pictures of you climbing a mountain, with your poodle, with your girlfriend or boyfriend, etc). Of course, there are always exceptions, but your profile should convey professionalism in your industry.
- should interest the reader to know more about you (and invite you to an interview)
- should include volunteer activities, interests, etc. A potential employer wants to know if you are well-rounded and have other interests.
The number of connections are NOT important. A recruiter can see through someone who is padding connections to look more important than what matches reality.
A LinkedIn profile can HELP move to the next step to secure a job interview.
Your Network of People
Your network can include professional relationships, social relationships, and your social media presence.
Social Media Presence
First, if your social media presence is not appropriate for the industry in which you are applying, clean it up. In some cases, people have deleted their social media accounts and started over. Make sure:
- your social media accounts accurately portray who you are
- you are proud of your social media presence
If you are unsure about the two items above, then you need to clean up your social media presence asap. Before you start deleting your accounts, most people do not need to clean up their social media account – this is only in extreme cases.
Face to Face Networking
You should also be networking with others in your industry. Who do you know? Maybe you are new to the industry, and your professional network is limited. That is fine – you can ystart to build a network by
- connecting with appropriate people on LinkedIn,
- going to trade shows and conferences
- attending career fairs
- attending local community groups such as Rotary, Pilot Club or Lions Club?
You would be surprised how fast your professional network can grow by using these simple techniques.
In conclusion, when conducting a job search, you MUST consider a combination of things. There is no “one magic part” of the job search. Rather, look at yourself, your resume, your social networks and your LinkedIn profile for starters. These 3 areas are an excellent first step in securing a job interview!
Tell me what you think! Has this helped you?
Stay in Touch,
Kathleen
Kathleen C Olivieri, PhD
Communication Specialist & Speaker
