7 Surefire Tips to Land the Job Interview

7 Surefire Tips to Land the Job Interview7 Surefire Tips to Land the Job InterviewIts a fact that recruiters spend an average of six seconds anfangsbuchstabely reviewing a resume. This is when a recruiter decides whether you will move forward in the hiring process. Not to be overly dramatic, but that six seconds can change your life. If you make it past the first screening your odds increase dramatically. This article will show you how to beat the six-second test.Be a good fit for the jobObvious advice, but this truth is ignored by many jobseekers. If youre not qualified for the job you will not be successful in the traditional application process. This isnt to say that you cant get a job for which you are not qualified. Youd need to do it through non-traditional ways.Apply to fewer jobsDont bother applying for jobs that youre not excited about. You could be excited about the product, the team, the money, or the skills youll learn?- ?but make sure its something. If youre excited abou t the opportunity, youll spend more time applying and do a better job of it. Simply sending your resume to hundreds of open jobs is a waste of both your time and each companys.Extensively research the companyTaking the extra time to research the company is your best weapon. Youll get an idea of its products, culture and values. This information will be extremely valuable when customizing your resume for the job and writing a cover letter. In the interview stages it becomes even more relevant.What to researchThe company websiteNews articles and press releasesThe companys products. If it is software, sign up or watch a demo. If it is a physical product, go to a store and give it a try.Interviews with any key team members (try a YouTube search)Team members LinkedIn profiles and social media profilesThis will give you data on what the company culture is like and help you get a better idea of what exactly its looking for.Customize your resume (and cover letter) for the jobAwell-designed resume will outline your skills, experience and how it all relates to the job. Customize your resume for each job application, and use keywords from the job description to increase your chances at an interview. The initial resume review involves pattern-matching?- ?looking for similarities between the job description and your resume. Make the job easy. According to The Ladders resume study, recruiters spent almost 80 percent of the time looking atCandidate name, current title and companyPrevious title and companyStart and end dates for current and previous positionsEducationBeyond these data points, recruiters did little more than scan for keywords to match the open position, which amounted to a very cursory pattern-matching activity said researchers inthe study.A piece of advice Never apply to a job with your LinkedIn profile?. ?It is too general and doesnt outline exactly what you bring to the table specifically for the position.The same advice applies to your cover letter. Adapt your cover letter to the companys style using information you learned in your research.Get a warm referralContact someone relevant at the company for an informational interview where you can learn more about the position, impress the right people and increase the odds of your resume getting a second look.Search on Data.com or LinkedIn to find someone to speak with at the organization. Find their emaille address (dont send an InMail).Write a relevant email outlining why youre interested in learning more about the company. If you show your passion for the job and ask great questions, you will get a response.Following these five steps will give you the best opportunity to move forward in the hiring process.Now what?Heres how to get the job after passing the initial resume screen.Beef up your online presenceOnce employers like your resume, theyll dig deeper. This includes a second look at your resume and a Google search.Link to an online portfolio of your top projects from your resume. Our data shows that people spend on average almost four minutes viewing an online portfolio? ?compared to a six-second resume screen. Its your best opportunity to make a lasting impression.You should also have a basic LinkedIn account and Twitter profile. If youre not planning to be active on Twitter, delete your account. Clean up your Facebook and Instagram accounts to make sure you dont trigger any red flags. Red flags are anything stupid youve done in the past with picture or text evidence.Prepare for the interviewResearch is your best friend for interview preparation. If youre getting an interview? ?the employer is interested.Your hours of previous research will be extremely useful here. If you know the company, the product and the people inside and out you will do well. A simple Google search will also help you find the most common interview questions?. Employers usually ask at least a handful of these. Get an idea of their style, and try to emulate it. Same goes for the compan y style. Another trick is to get in touch with people who have interviewed there before and ask for any insight.Close the dealIf youre well prepared and confident going into the interview, youll nail it.James Clift is the CEO atVisualCV the fastest way for job seekers to build stand-out resumes and portfolios. Build your free online resume and view thousands of real resume samples atVisualCV.comtoday.FollowVisualCVon Twitter visualcv.