Like it or not/ know it or not, you
have an image. You are judged by people based on this image. This is usually
doubly true when you're applying for a job. Your social media, the emails you
send, how your hair looks, the number of rings you're wearing, or how
appropriate you are with your questions all factor in to how a potential future
employer perceives your IMAGE.
Unfortunately, "judging"
is the way of the world. When a hiring manager only has a few minutes of interaction
with you to make a decision of the magnitude of a permanent addition to their
staff, they are going to use other cues to help make that decision. With that
knowledge, hiring managers tend to start judging way before you might put that
professional suit on. You've heard of the saying, "you never get a second
chance at a first impression"... right? Well, your first impression to
recruiters and hiring managers could be earlier than you think!
From this desk, I've seen and heard
all different types of mistakes that candidates make when presenting
themselves, and unfortunately, a lot of "no"s during the job search
are due to one of these common mistakes... way before you step foot into the
building for your interview. We all know we're supposed to dress professional, we’re
supposed to arrive a bit early, we’re supposed to have a strong handshake when
meeting people, and we’re not supposed to be chewing gum or twirling our
hair... but what if you never get to the interview? What could you be doing
wrong?
Firstly, with the internet as
strong and powerful as it is, you have to make sure your image is consistent
through and through. If you've applied to a professional organization trying to
convince them that you're a responsible and professional candidate... make sure
every correspondence, every mention of you on the internet, and anything else a
recruiter might see or hear is also representing you as responsible and
professional. If you're applying to a job on Craig's List (and believe me, I've
seen my fair share of CL responses) make sure you don't sound rude, informal,
or needy. Those are immediate turn-offs to someone who has 50 resumes to choose
from. Remember that the point of sending your resume into a company or in
response to an ad is to look attractive enough to be called about it... so you
can make your case for your interview (and, no, I don't mean attractive like
you should include a head shot on your resume).
Email Address: This is
actually a critical but often overlooked point. If your email address is
"Stonerstonedstone420@hotmail.com... I'm not calling you. To that point,
if your email address name is different than the resume you send me or the
signature (EX: Susan populates as the identity of the sender, and the first
line introduces the applicant as Javier)... I'm not calling you. Email
addresses are FREE with yahoo or Gmail (both incredibly appropriate servers to
use) and chances are, you only job hunt every once in a while... so create a
professional handle that you only have to check for the 3 months you're sending
your resume out. You can also even just forward messages from that email
address directly to the service or user name you typically use. Put some effort
into your job search. If you don't why would anyone else?
Subject Line: If your email
to a post has a subject that says: "I want to find out more about the
position your offering...." I'm not calling you. You automatically seem
needy, mean, grouchy, unhelpful, or at the very least unaware... all of which
are things not listed in the JD as ideal qualities in a candidate. Appropriate
subject lines could be the title to which you are applying, your name,
"Good Morning"... all of these are better than an inappropriate
complete thought... in the subject line.
Attachments: If the
attachment is some sort of sky-drive or a link to a drop box... I'm not calling
you. Borrow a friend's computer at the very least and attach a PDF or
Microsoft Word version of your resume. Again, you don't want to make
anyone work to hard to see who you are what you might bring to this position.
Make it easy. (You can see my thoughts on what exactly should be on your resume
here and here.)
Social Media: If when I
Google your name three selfies with Duck Faces turn up, followed by a link to
your Instagram account with photos of you drinking straight out of a vodka
bottle... I'm not calling you. And the reason I'll delete your email
immediately is not because of my judgement of your personal life, or how you
like to unwind.. It’s more likely based on what that lack of privacy or
responsibility means for your sense of discretion. As a hiring manager to see
that, they would think the same thing. At some point you might be asked to
attend a company dinner, or speak to clients on behalf of the company... if you
can't be trusted with your own image online, what does that say about how
you'll represent the company. If you're working with a client and they Google
you, your actions and social activity will reflect on the firm. A hiring
manager is going to want someone who needs no hand holding in this regard.
Don't take then post pictures that could get you in trouble. If you feel the
urge to do so, and that idea is infringing on your right to be who you are,
fine, just make your profiles completely private. Or don't hope to get a job
where that is a requirement. (Fun tip: have a friend Google you once you think
you've set everything to uber private mode, to double check you'll be hidden
from at least a basic search.)
Ring back tones: If when I
call you for the first time and the ring back tone is some hard-core rap that
sounds like a mush of noise... I'm hanging up before you answer. Ring backs
were awesome when they hit cell phones in 2006 when I was in college. At this
point, you can have that classic Classical tone, or a normal ring. That's it.
Anything else is annoying and unprofessional which calls into question the kind
of candidate you'll be. (This applies to your email signature and your
Voicemail message. Keep it normal and professional, at least while you're
searching for a job.)
