your career

have delivered through your achievements.

Always remember, the best predictor of your future performance to a potential employer will be a measure of your past performance in previous roles. An achievements-based resume can objectively demonstrate your key successes and ability to link them to business efficiencies.

The other key tool to make an effective job application is the cover letter. Use this to address the key selection criteria listed by the employer in the job advertisement. Applicants often forward the same cover letter for multiple roles to which they apply. Always try and adapt your cover letter to address the requirements listed for respective roles as the selection criteria may vary for employers.

Often I come across cover letters in which applicants did not even bother to change the ‘Position Title’ from the last job they applied for using the same cover letter. A crafty cover letter demonstrates your attention to detail and keenness to apply for a role.

Preparing for an interview

Once you have made the shortlist of candidates through a well-written resume and cover letter, the interview is often the next crucial step towards obtaining a role. Facing an interview panel can be daunting for most of us, so the key is to be prepared. As part your preparation, review the key selection criteria and the position description provided by the employer with their job advertisement.

Chances are that most of the interview questions will be based around the key selection criteria. List and practice your responses to address those selection criteria – think of real examples from your past experience (if you can) where you may have had success in similar situations. Try and do a mock interview with a friend or a family member and seek their feedback. Practice your responses. Meditate/relax your mind prior to the interview. Reinforce self-confidence. Research the Company’s website for information about the business (annual reports, management structures, mission and values, corporate strategy).

Attending an interview

As you enter the interview room, feel assured. Be positive and confident in your body language. Nice, firm handshakes. Listen carefully and try not to interrupt the panel members as they speak. Ensure that you switch off your mobile phone prior to entering the interview room. Do not hesitate to request panel members to repeat or clarify their question/s if they are not clear. Take your time to think and construct a response. Most interviewers provide candidates an opportunity to ask questions towards the conclusion of the interview, so use this time to provide any additional information that may not have been covered by the interviewer or to ask any queries you may have about the role, the recruitment process, or about the entitlements.

Remember, in an interview scenario, employers are looking for non-technical cues more than the technical skills (your resume and cover letter and educational qualifications have already informed them about your technical skills). The interviewer gauges the applicants’ verbal and nonverbal reactions while responding to the interview questions.

The most commonly used interview technique is “behavioural interviewing”. The questions in this format of interviews are aimed at providing applicants a scenario and then seeking their response to it based on their previous experience in a similar kind of a scenario (again, past performance is the best indicator of future performance). The best way to tackle these questions is to break your response in three parts – provide the interviewer the scenario that your example is based upon, then provide the actions you took, and finally provide them the result or the outcome of your actions. This approach will enable you to objectively answer such questions while demonstrating your ability to deal with those situations.

273 rejections later, I did get a job when I started my career. And it has been a continuous learning curve since then. The biggest learning for me has been the fact that it may be hard, but it is not impossible. Determination and perseverance will overcome hurdles and frustrations. Do not doubt yourself, and do not underestimate others.