Practical Preparation Lands the Job

The Connors Group is proud to work with the highest caliber of candidates for mission-critical IT positions. To help you succeed in your career search, our firm is now offering no-cost interview workshops. Join us each month for tips, practical advice, and coaching that will help you confidently face any interview situation.

A great resume is a great start
When was the last time you updated your resume? Even if you made changes recently, you might want to take another look. After all, your resume is the first personal marketing tool that potential employers will look at when they are considering whether your education, experiences and achievements are a good fit for their needs. Preparation is the key to a great resume — and landing that interview you want.

Patti Richards, technical recruiter at The Connors Group, says that most employers spend just seconds looking at resumes.

“That often means candidates have less than a minute to impress an employer enough to snag an interview,” says Patti. “That’s not much time, so candidates have to really be on top of their game when they represent themselves with a resume. Even a single mistake can stop someone from getting an interview, so it’s truly a critical piece of the process.”

Top candidates follow specific steps when preparing a resume, Patti says. Specifically, they:

Know the purpose of the resume — and tailor resumes for each employment opportunity
Put the most important information first, focusing on achievements instead of responsibilities
Explain the benefits of their skills, using action verbs, avoiding negativity, and using numbers whenever possible
Use effective titles
Use proper English, leaving out slang and jargon
Back up qualities and strengths and weed out irrelevant information, such as immaterial work experiences, personal hobbies, or religious and political affiliations
Keep the resume to two pages or less, using bullets and a good design flow
Proofread at least twice, and double-check typography
Include the right keywords for the opportunity
Employ professional help when they need it

Best foot forward
A great resume, of course, is just the first step to landing the job you really want. Even more important than a resume? Nailing the interview.

If you look good on paper but can’t follow that up with a strong interview performance, you’ll find yourself continually missing out on the opportunities you really want. To assist candidates in career searches, The Connors Group is introducing no-cost monthly interview workshops that will provide practical, real-world tips and advice for IT professionals.

For quick reference, Patti offers these seven tips to job-seekers:

Learn something about the company, and know as much as possible about the job you are applying for.
Review your qualifications that are specific to the job and be able to cite any applicable success stories.
Be prepared to answer a broad range of questions about yourself. Also, write down a list of questions you want to ask the client so you don’t forget them.
Be neat and clean — and dress appropriately!
Have a couple of resumes in hand just in case additional people join the interview.
Be prompt, or even a little early. If you need to, drive by the location a day or two before the appointment so that you know exactly where to go.
Unless the interviewer uses your name directly, introduce yourself politely. Shake hands firmly and briefly, and when the interview is over, thank the person for his or her time.

Interview workshops

To enhance your interviewing skills, attend one of The Connors Group’s no-cost interview workshops. They will be held the last Tuesday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m. starting Jan. 27. Call Nicole Hayes at 201-617-0022 to sign up or learn more details.