How to get through the first stage of the job interview process
How to get through the first stage of the job interview process
CloudMade is hiring. We’re looking for Community Ambassadors, Product Managers and a Senior Director of Developer Outreach to join our growing team. The current job market favours employers – there are a lot of highly qualified people looking for work. So how can you make sure that your CV gets in front of the right person and you get your dream job? Here are five tips that will help you get through the first stage of an interview process and get a first interview at your future employer.
Professional
Around 10% of the CVs and applications I receive have spelling, grammar or formatting errors in them. No matter what role you are applying for, obvious errors like this are un-professional. The problem is not that you can’t spell. It’s that you have not taken the time or been resourceful enough to make sure that your work is produced to a professional standard. I consider a candidate’s CV to be their first assignment. If they don’t deliver a professional CV, they aren’t going to deliver professional work as an employee. Ask your friends and family to read over your CV and covering letter for you – a fresh set of eyes often spots unseen errors.
Pre-Emptive
Make the hiring manager’s life easy for them. If the job notice asks for CV as a PDF, send a PDF. Give your CV a sensible file name, like joe_blogs_cloudmade_cv.pdf and not jb_cm_cv.pdf. As an employee you wouldn’t want to make your manager’s life difficult, so don’t do it as a candidate.
Personal
Address the hiring manager and the company personally. “Dear Sir or Madam” is just lazy. Find out who the hiring manager is. If the job notice does not have this information, call the hiring manager’s PA or the company secretary and find out. Make contact with the hiring manager on LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.
Personalize
Find out what the company you are applying to does and what they want from the position. If you are applying for a position as a Developer Evangelist and your cover letter and CV do not mention developer evangelism activities you are not going to get through the first round.
Persistent
If you really, really believe you are right for the job, don’t give up. Maybe your CV or cover letter were not quite right. You’ll never know unless you keep on trying.
Consider your job application your first piece of work for your prospective employer. Really try to think about what they want to see in a candidate and make sure your CV and covering letter sells your unique qualities to your now employer.
The news is full of stories about lay-offs and job cuts – but lots of companies are still hiring. You have to compete with more candidates, so follow these tips and give yourself the edge.
How to get through the first stage of the job interview processApril 4th, 2009 - Posted by Nick Black in Jobs, cloudmade, tips | | 8 Comments
on April 6th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Nick, I couldn’t resist, when you mention spelling and grammar.
“Its that you have not taken the time or been resourceful enough to make sure that your work is produced to a professional standard.”
Its should be it’s.
on April 8th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
“Its that you have not taken the time or been resourceful enough to make sure that your work is produced to a professional standard.”
You misspelled the first word of that sentence.
on April 8th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Come to think of it, I don’t even think that’s a sentence, it’s a fragment. You should have written:
“The problem is not that you can’t spell, it’s that you have not taken the time or been resourceful enough to make sure that your work is produced to a professional standard.”
Not this:
“The problem is not that you can’t spell. Its that you have not taken the time or been resourceful enough to make sure that your work is produced to a professional standard.”
Ask your friends and family to read over your blog postings for you – a fresh set of eyes often spots unseen errors.
People in HR shouldn’t live in glass houses.
on April 8th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Thank you Nick for this useful info. I always wondered whether the hiring manager would mind being followed on Twitter so this it’s nice to know that in your case at least, that’s OK.
Not having any typos in an email is a great idea. I am particularly aware, at this point, of the importance of getting a second pair of eyes.
on April 9th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Thanks for the tips, so whose the hiring manager for Austin, Texas?
on April 9th, 2009 at 3:50 am
nick –
i love how i ran into your little blog AFTER i applied for a position with your company. this was very helpful. though i feel i have gone through most of these steps..it’s a wake-up call to read something like this. thanks.
on May 6th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Thanks for the advice. I hope you don’t mind if I take you up on it!
on May 27th, 2009 at 9:17 am
hmm, always the employers laying down the rules. Why not have the employers try and get the best candidates by showing the wage and working conditions they have to offer? I’ve often turned down job offers which always surprises the employers who think they hold all the cards…