While resume companies can provide you with a great resume, cover letter and other career-related documents, there’s more to the job hunt than simply handing in a fantastic resume. Your job-hunting arsenal needs a solid resume, but you also need to consider the following:
1. Not Every Job Opening Is A Match
Too often, people apply to dozens and dozens of companies without really doing any research about each company. It’s crucial that you find a work environment that suits your needs and personality, and a workplace where you can excel. Research the company culture, as well as the company mission to see if this seems like a place where you will be a good fit.
2. Consider The Work Location
Realtors say it all the time – location, location, location. If you are applying for jobs in other cities or perhaps in your area, but with a long commute, this has to be considered. Do you want to spend two or more hours per day driving back and forth? Do you want to relocate? Can you afford to relocate?
In some cases, a job opportunity is simply too good to pass up, but the workplace location should be something that you think about before making your decision. This is especially important if you have a spouse or partner and children that will be affected by the new job. Relocating can be exciting and open up new opportunities for everyone, but it’s still a big endeavor, so don’t dismiss the location of a workplace as unimportant.
3. Consider Your Skills
In some cases, you may not really have the skills needed for a job, and in other cases, you might be a bit too qualified. If you don’t have the skills, you will need to work twice as hard to get up to speed, and if you aren’t willing to do that, perhaps you should apply for jobs for which you are better qualified.
If you are over-qualified, you may end up feeling bored and restless at the new job, so keep that in mind before you make a change. Obviously, sometimes we have to just take a job because there are bills to pay and obligations to meet, but if you have the option of waiting for a better opportunity, it might be worth it to stay in your current job until you find something that’s an excellent fit or you attain more skills.
4. Write Up Some Goals
Before you start hunting for jobs, create a list of personal and professional goals. Consider what type of job you want to have, as well as the salary and benefits. Write down your goals for the next five years, and try to find job listings that seem to lead you to these goals. Of course, your goals can always be altered as time goes by, but it’s never a bad idea to think about what you want to achieve in the future.
5. Dress For Success
Resume companies know that a fantastic resume is the first impression you make with hiring managers, but the second impression, at the interview, can be just as important. Proper business attire and a neat, tidy look are crucial when setting the tone at an interview.
Even if you will be working in a fairly casual environment, wear business-suitable clothing, get a haircut and look as presentable as possible. Once you become part of the team, you can dress like the co-workers, but you want hiring managers to know that you are taking this opportunity seriously, so invest in a few business outfits.
6. Practice For Interviews
Of course the resume and business attire will only get you so far. If you aren’t adept at answer interview questions, this definitely can blow your chances of getting hired. Obviously, we aren’t all amazing interviewees, and it’s easy to get nervous in an interview situation, so practice your answers to common interview questions again and again so that you will feel more comfortable when you are actually sitting in front of a hiring manger.
7. Don’t Forget The Follow Up
You always should express your gratitude for an interview, both at the end of the interview and after you leave. A handwritten thank-you note is the best option, as this truly provides a thoughtful follow-up, but a thank-you email also is an option. Be sure to express your thanks, as well as your willingness to answer further questions or clarify anything that was said in the interview.
While the resume isn’t everything, a solid resume can lead you to the interview stage, and creating your own resume can be tricky. We highly recommend that you use the services of resume companies, as these firms know how to create resumes that truly attract the attention of hiring managers.
There are plenty of resume companies out there, so how do you select the best one? At Top 5 Resume Writers we have studied resumes from many resume companies and created a short list of top candidates. Our favorite pick, Resume Writing Group produced a dynamic, error-free resume and provided the best customer service. We highly recommend that you use their services for resumes, cover letters and other related items.
