50 Best Tips for Getting the Job You Always Wanted

50 Best Tips for Getting the Job You Always Wanted

• Tip 1: When applying for jobs at small companies: If you can find the names of people who work there, say Dear Name, not To Whom It May Concern.
• Tip 2: Looking for a job? Don’t tell them you CAN send what they ask for in the ad. Show them by sending it!
• Tip 3: Meet them before you ask how many days off you’ll get.
• Tip 4: Applying to be a writer? Don’t misspell something in the sentence where you talk about the quality of your work.
• Tip 5: If you want me to look at your LinkedIn profile on the Internet, don’t expect me to Google it, give me a link.
• Tip 6: Don’t put your GPA on your resume. If you ignore Tip 6, make sure you have a 4.0.
• Tip 7: Match the font in the “to” field of your note to the content of your note to TRY to disguise standardized notes.
• Tip 8: When cutting and pasting into responses to ads –- PROOFREAD. Repeating the same text is not good.
• Tip 9: if you apply for a developer job and give your personal URL, make sure your site is working.
• Tip 10: Don’t forget the attachment. If you say it’s there, attach it.
• Tip 11: If the ad says “Don’t call,” don’t f%#@ing call!
• Tip 12: Know what you don’t know. Embrace it. Acting like you know everything makes you look like you know nothing.
• Tip 13: Remember, it’s a buyers market. I’m looking for a reason to rule you out. Don’t give me one. (see tips 1-12)
• Tip 14: If you’re applying to be a front-end web developer, don’t buy a template and send it as your sample.
• Tip 15: “People have always been told I am a better communicator through my writing not by my speaking.” For a writer job?
• Tip 16: If you’re going to be arrogant, make me laugh (and back it up).
• Tip 17: Put your education at the end of your resume.
• Tip 18: A great cover letter (sent in email, not just an attachment) will get me to look at your resume.
• Tip 19: If I can’t open your resume in “Preview” it goes in the no pile. Hint: PDFs open in preview.
• Tip 20: If your website plays sound automatically, you’re out. Let me opt in to sound!!!!!
• Tip 21: On resumes, objectives only have a downside. If you use them, make sure they match the job you’re applying for.
• Tip 22: Don’t include writing samples from Facebook or (especially) MySpace.
• Tip 23: We want people who want to work HERE, not just anywhere. Do a little research.
• Tip 24: If you have something cool to say in your LONG cover letter, say it at the beginning.
• Tip 25: This one’s important: Put your experience in chronological order on your resume. Disorganized = disorganized.
• Tip 26: Use a professional-sounding email address – preferably with some variation on your name.
• Tip 27: “I read your post… Could you send me more information and when i can start?” Seriously?
• Tip 28: Write something in the email. Don’t just include attachments.
• Tip 29: A document name like “dad’s resume” is a strong indication that Dad doesn’t have the computer skills to do the job.
• Tip 30: Don’t say you read the ad and the website in the same sentence where you say that you don’t know what kind of person I’m looking for.
• Tip 31: “…you ask for some sample works but I do not feel comfortable sharing my hard work with some faceless company.” Then don’t apply.
• Tip 32: Don’t be too clever with subject lines or your response will end up being filtered as spam. Say what you mean.
• Tip: 33: Be careful with idioms. Trite = trite. I am so tired of people tossing their hats into the ring. Get a new phrase.
• Tip 34: If you have to say “honestly” about something… it makes me wonder about that all the other things you say.
• Tip 35: At the risk of repeating. Cover letter/email matters! Drives whether I look at the resume and it affects how I see the resume.
• Tip 36: Be surprising!
• Tip 37: We don’t have a hat. We don’t have a ring for hats.
• Tip 38: Use parallel structure in your resume. If you don’t know what that means, look it up.
• Tip 40: “Oh, you know” is not an answer to an interview question. If I knew, I wouldn’t ask!
• Tip 41: Interviewing is like dating. Desperate is not appealing. Take cues. Be interested, not icky.
• Tip 42: First impressions matter. Weak handshake BAD. This is not difficult.
• Tip 43: “I work too hard” ARE YOU SERIOUS????? I didn’t even ask about weaknesses.
• Tip 44: In addition to being interested in the company, be interesting!
• Tip 45: Don’t give the interviewers names to recruiters. What message does that send?
• Tip 46: You know that tip about handshakes? Eye contact goes double.
• Tip 47: If you get rejected, writing a nice note to ask why is smart. It’s a small world.
• Tip 48: Men are decision makers, too. Don’t be sexist.
• Tip 49: Don’t help yourself to food from the freezer unless it’s offered. Even popsicles.
• Tip 50: Be interested, really interested, in the company you apply to.

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