How to land a good career

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One of the scenarios that led me to start this blog was our quest for financial stability. As a recent graduate looking for strong work experience, I struggled to find a permanent job at the beginning of our marriage. Although not a college graduate, Robert was in the same situation when he returned to Charlotte from Lumberton. We’ve been fortunate enough to find full time jobs now and are both working towards career advancement and more education. Even as our lives begin to find stability, the path we’ve taken has never left us. I know that in this economy, our story matches that of so many other newlyweds. The job market is getting better, but it’s still a competition out there.

As someone who has gone through the job hunting process, as well as met with countless career coaches, I want to share the best career seeking tips I’ve received. If you’re looking for that perfect full-time job, keep a few of these tips in mind:

- Tailor your resume to fit every position you apply for and don’t send a generic copy to each job listing. Each opportunity is looking for different strengths, so make sure when you send your resume to a certain position, you highlight the strengths that company is looking for.

- Don’t be afraid to seek advice on your resume. A second pair of eyes can remind you of actions you’ve performed that you’d forgotten about. I just recently applied for a supervisor position at my job, and when I sat down with my own supervisor, she asked probing questions that sparked a lot of forgotten experiences.

- Try to keep your resume at a page. As a writer, this is the toughest tip I’ve had to follow, but I have been told countless times that employers do not want to see wordy resumes. With hundreds of applicants, they want to be able to skim your resume to see if you’re qualified. Keep your resume to a page and be concise with your experience and achievements.

- When it comes time to interview for a position, set up a few practice positions you feel the hiring staff may ask. I do this is by looking at the job listing and deciding how I meet the requirements. I’ll take details like “must be able to meet deadlines” and “must be able to multi-task” and think of ways I’ve demonstrated these strengths in the past. Some of the most popular questions also include “tell me about yourself,” “where do you see yourself in five years,” and “what attracts you to the position.”

- Remember to be confident and stay positive! While this may seem like the most obvious tip, it’s so easy to let nerves get the best of you during an interview. It’s just as easy to let rejection get you down (as you’ve read me post here before). Just remember that every interview is practice and eventually the right job will come along. It took me two and a half years to find my position with Carolina Bride and finding the right fit was well worth the wait.

Good luck with your search!

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