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"I know I could get this job if I could only get an interview."
Have you ever found yourself feeling this way? It’s a common challenge, especially in the entry-level job search since some companies still filter candidates through unadvertised criteria—such as undergrad GPA.
It’s time to muster some moxie. Here are three ideas you can use to catapult yourself onto the interview list. Pick the one or two that you feel most comfortable putting into play.
1. Make friends with a potential employer on Twitter, follow them on LinkedIn, or like a company on Facebook. Then send a message saying why you like them.
Why it Works: When you’re an applicant on paper, your resume is one in a stack. Remember the kid’s book Flat Stanley? It’s kind of like that…you are one-dimensional.
When you start a conversation through a social network, you become a real person. (Think Velveteen Rabbit.)
2. Provide subtle cues of your creativity or resourcefulness online. Take a look at Alec Brownstein’s $6 campaign that landed him two job offers. Or embed a QR code in your resume that links to a sample of your work that’s relevant to the job.
Why it Works: You demonstrate your tech savvy and creativity—skills desired by virtually all employers.
3. Demonstrate “raw” curiosity, and seek out an informational interview first. Want to work in a field of interest but don’t have an "in"? Approach your job search like a research paper in need of a live source. Check out the 411 on informational interviewing from Quint Careers, and put it to work.
Why it Works: Conversations lead to connections, and connections lead to jobs.
Bottom Line
Employers are definitely looking for new staff members. However, with all the job competition, these three tactics will help you be noticed in the crowd of applicants trying to land an interview.
© Copyright Chandlee Bryan, 2011. Used with permission.
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About This Author:
E. Chandlee Bryan, M.Ed. (@chandlee) is the President and Founder of Best Fit Forward, a boutique consulting firm providing career management services to individuals and organizations. The former Director of Career Services at Dartmouth College's Engineering school, Chandlee has worked as a recruiter, career counselor, and as a consultant to Microsoft, and is co-author of The Twitter Job Search Guide (JIST 2010).
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