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Go Beyond Your Resume to Build Your Job Search Skills
Peter Vogt/Monster Contributing Writer
Given all the energy and stress involved in having your resume critiqued, followed by the inevitable rounds of revisions, it’s only human for you to wind up thinking, “Enough already! I’ll live without anyone evaluating my work for, oh, the next decade or so.”
But no matter how great your resume is, you must confront a job-hunting truth: By itself, your resume won’t land you the job or even the opportunity to land the job. What this means from a practical standpoint is more critiquing of your overall job search skills. Here are several other key job search elements you’ll need to examine closely.
Your Cover Letter
For most employers, your cover letter is the first thing they see associated with your name. But they won’t like what they see if your letter is filled with grammar or content mistakes or is generic or jargon-laden.
“Your cover letter should be your story – what makes you unique, perfect for the job and someone a company should interview,” says Brad Karsh, author of Confessions of a Recruiting Director and a former recruiter for advertising giant Leo Burnett.
Your Interviewing Skills
A mock interview lets you practice your interviewing skills with a career counselor, trusted friend or colleague who can critique the way you carry yourself and answer questions when the pressure’s on. You can even videotape the session so you can review your performance when it’s over.
“Would you even consider standing in front of people to sell them something without first doing some prep work?” asks Carole Martin, a former Monster contributor and author of Interview Fitness Training. “Of course not. So why would you think you could wing an interview?”
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