Career Articles

Would You Hire Yourself?

By Audrey Field, CRW, B.A., B.Ed.

There are many crucial actions, some more subtle than others, to elevate your attempts to secure the ideal job. Aligning these 6 considerations will benefit you during your employment search or advancement.

1. The Paper Trail

Even in this electronic age, sending or hand delivering a hard copy document is recommended. So, the first point of contact with a decision maker will not be you; it will be your résumé. We're not focusing on résumé content here, rather the appearance. Is the document folded or crumpled? Did you scratch out an old phone number and pen in a new one? Busy employers do not want to try to decipher text through coffee cup rings, grease marks or smudged text. Quality paper carries smells, so be careful if you smoke or wear strong perfume or cologne. Stand out the proper way.

2. Looks Count

Be cognizant of how you look. This obviously refers to wardrobe, manicure and hair during interviews for men and women. I applaud those individuals who care enough about their appearance that they look fantastic when they are not pounding the pavement. Remember what they say about never knowing who you will bump into while waiting in a supermarket line. So, dress up and look the part of a busy, employed person and you will be soon.

3. Be Positive

If you maintain a confident-rich demeanour, others are sure to notice. When you functioning with an optimistic mind-set, others will adapt the same perception. Operate under the assumption that once a job with a good fit crosses your path, you'll consider it. If you demonstrate a desperate or defeatist manner, this slashes your marketability. Read books like What to Say When You Talk to Yourself.  Positive affirmation works for some, but you need to be positive from the inside out. Employers can tell when you have worked on yourself. That matters in every job. Apply this upbeat nature when discussing former employers, colleagues and work places.

4. Be Responsible

Make sure you are on time for interviews. Arrive about 10 minutes before it is supposed to start. Do not show up earlier than this. Ensure you have any reference letters, additional copies of résumés or portfolio ready if this has been requested. Follow through with keeping subsequent scheduled interviews, phone calls and forms completion.

5. Speaking

Practise saying good things about yourself. Rehearse the phrases that will undoubtedly enter the most common behaviour-based interview questions to yourself, in front of others and in front a mirror. Thinking about the answers is not enough. Actually plan and articulate your answers aloud. Thought fillers - uh, um, hmmm - or slang phrases - like, man, and that type of thing, you know what I mean - or simply taking too long to respond to these tough questions indicates you were not prepared. Diminished credibility with the hiring manager likely follows. Closely linked with our verbal message is the information we send with our body.

6. Body Language

Your mom told you to sit up straight and she was right. Slouched posture, weak eye contact, nervous facial expressions, and excessive hand gestures can be distracting and work against you. It's amazing how many tics and weird things you'll observe when using the mirror as outlined above. Don't weaken your chances by ignoring this. If not a professional, have a friend interview you with a video running. In a recent study it was shown that in face-to-face situations most of our communications are nonverbal. It documented that 55% of communication success stems from nonverbal body language and behaviour. The balance comes from words, tone, inflection, volume and meaning.

Reflect on these tips to see if you're the kind of candidate that you would hire.

Audrey Field CRW, B.A., B.Ed. , Public Relations & Marketing Advisor of Career Professionals of Canada is an award winning, Canadian professional resume writer operating Resume Resources. She is well recognized within the career search industry for her publications and television appearances.