If you're like me...you want to know what an employer is looking for...straight from the horses mouth. I was thinking about this the other day and decided to put a phone call in to a friend of mine, Kathryn Payne, who is the Middle Tennessee Market Recruiter for the nation's largest Verizon Wireless premium retailer, Cellular Sales. With over 475 stores and 3,500 sales associates in only 18 years, Cellular Sales continues to impress with its company growth. So naturally they conduct interviews with potential sales associates every day!
Here's a little Q&A with Kathryn about what will get someone's foot in the door at Cellular Sales versus what will cause her to deep-6 a resume. (These principles apply to nearly ANY potential employer because the process is exactly the same!)
Q: "Are cover letters something you look for to accompany a resume?"
Kathryn: "I LOVE cover letters! And I especially LOVE cover letters when it reveals something that I don't see on the resume."
Q: "Does who the cover letter is addressed to make any difference to you?"Kathryn: "No, not really. But what does make a VERY big impression with me is spelling and grammar. Spelling and grammatical errors says to me that they don't take this seriously, that they don't care enough to pay attention to detail. If they don't take the simple things like spelling seriously, then they aren't going to take this job seriously either."
Q: "What tips do you have regarding what to include in a resume?"
Kathryn: "(Longevity) I look for longevity with past employers. Be sure to include how long you worked for your past employers and explain any gaps. If there are big gaps I want to know why? Maternity leave? Relocation?. (Layout/Format) Make it easy to read. Less is more. Space between lines. Format each category the same way. Ask someone to proof read it for you before you submit it. (Company Research) Nearly every company today has a website. Research a little bit before you apply. Don't just blindly submit a resume and not know anything about the company. It's just too easy to not do these things."
Q: "In today's job market many people are switching careers. How do you look at resumes for potential wireless associates who have no previous wireless experience?"
Q: "What are some do's and don't do's regarding a potential associates first interview?"
Kathryn: "Be on time! Dress like you're interviewing for a CEO position. Shirt, tie, pant-suit, skirt, jacket. That's HUGE! No wrinkled shirts, close shaven, etc. And the greeting handshake is very important. Shake my hand like you mean it. Greet me! Thank me for my time."
All of the above are simple little steps that pack a punch with any potential employer! So let's recap some of these:
- Proof your cover letter and resume for spelling and grammatical errors. If you know this is a weakness of yours then find a friend to help you.
- Explain employment gaps on your resume.
- Put your resume in a format that's easy to read, quick to look at and consistently written.
- Research the company you're applying to work for. Nearly every company has a website with an "about us" page. Read it!
- If you have little or no experience for what you are applying, be sure to include what you ARE good at.
- Got an interview appointment? BE ON TIME!!!
- Dress for success! Dress like you WANT to work for this company. Appearance is everything!
- Use a firm handshake upon the initial introduction to your interviewer and thank them for their time!
Want more 9 more cover letter writing, time saving tips?
visit www.whatisacoverletter-help.com and enter your email address to receive the entire 25 page .pdf that includes 10 more tips just as powerful as those listed above!
