Guest Post: Aruna Bhat

Aruna is one of Chris' Summer 2010 Professional Speaking students. Here she writes about getting the job you want.

What is my field of interest? Am I right for the job? How do I get the job I like?

How important is it to answer these questions? Seems very, as they decide where we finally land in our career. After all, we all work to live and hence it only makes sense to do what we enjoy doing. This article talks about the points one needs to keep in mind when searching for a job.

First and foremost, one has to figure out what interests them the most. Do not fret if you cannot decide immediately on this! Most influential personalities in the world were not clear about their goals till very late in their lives. Try to clear your mind of all diversions and think about the one thing you would love to do for the rest of your life. If you like talking to people and are a good orator, then you are probably good for a consulting or a management profile. On the other hand, if you enjoy working behind the scenes and are good in technical aspects, you are suitable for a technical job. Once decided, the next step is to think about how to go about it. Make use of the one thing that practically gives you all the information you need; the internet. Research on the kind of job you are interested in, network with friends and acquaintances and discuss the prospects.

Once you are satisfied with the outcome, browse through the companies which have openings for similar positions and assess whether you fit the role. Learn about the background and any interesting facts of the company on a higher level. On a granular level, learn about the business of the company, their strategy and their upcoming projects. Also, read about its competitors and where it stands as compared to the competitors. Try to get in touch with the current employees and ask them about the culture of the company and any information that will help you decide if that is indeed the company you are looking for. It is important to research these factors as at the time of interview, it shows the interviewer that you have done your homework and are interested in working for the company.

Now that you have figured out the kind of job you want and researched on the company, your next task is to prepare an impressive resume. Due to the volume of resumes the recruiters receive, it is believed that they spare just about a few seconds on each resume. Hence, they look for keywords to help them filter good resumes from the bad ones. The rule here is to keep your resume short and concise with keywords relevant to the job description. Print your name clearly along with your e-mail ID and contact number. Then, briefly write in one sentence about your experience and how it fits with the company. This should be followed by qualification and work experience. Instead of writing paragraphs on your past roles and responsibilities, mention two or three significant responsibilities which yielded results. A good resume goes a long way in getting an interview call.

Up until this point, you have done everything that it takes to get an interview call and you do not want to ruin your efforts by feeling drowsy at the time of the interview! Ensure you get a good night’s sleep to keep your brain active and alert the next day. Dress professionally; reach early at the venue and be polite to everyone around because it talks volumes about your personality. During the interview, keep your cool and be confident. Talk about your asset points and tell the interviewer how you fit the company’s culture and how you can contribute for its growth. All the research you did on the company initially will guide you through this. Talk about STAR (Situation, Task, Approach/Action, Result) as applicable. Try to turn an interview into a conversation by asking questions. After completing the interview, take a few minutes to retrospect on the events that happened at the time of the interview. As a last step, send them a thank you note for giving you an opportunity to interview with them and if possible give them one more reason as to why you think you are right for the job.

To conclude, these points, if religiously followed, coupled with good communication can definitely fetch you the job you aspire for.