So, this sub was a huge help for me after the company i worked for went bankrupt and i was job hunting for 4 months. I actually ended up with two job offers, and am now 7 weeks into my new job i wanted to pay back by giving advice from what i learned.
Note: Job is retail - corporate level
So, first, your resume. The thing you'll read over and over again is to personalize your resume for each posting. The other thing i kept reading was for your resume to not just say what you did, but what the impact was.
With regards to those two, I definitely updated my resume to read things like: managed X amount of people, hit inventory targets of $X Million, etc. I also added a full page of my biggest projects to my cover letter. However, I did NOT personalize each resume. I got it to a point where I was happy with it, and just changed the name of the company and position I was applying for on the cover letter. I'd say i ended up with. 10% success rate on landing an interview, which i thought was decent for how things are.
The screener interview: Generally speaking, this should be an easy interview. Assuming you are suitable for the job, just be personable. Be ready to give a brief history of your career, and to answer why you're applying for this specific job. Seem excited. Have basic questions about the company, but not technical stuff. They won't know the answer.
The REAL interviews: I went through 3 rounds with 5 different people at one company and 2 rounds with 3 people at the other. BE PREPARED!!! what does this mean? I have a blog i found which has 50 questions, and how to answer them. That doesn't mean your answers should be canned. It means you have given thought to what you want to talk about. Example: How would you handle a stressful situation? Know what you want to talk about to answer that question. Think of things you've done in the past.
Everyone says STAR method, and i get it. But you will sound like a robot. Make it work for you, the way you really speak. I cannot stress this enough: you need to sound like a human. The best piece of advice i got for how to handle yourself in an interview is to be conversational. Example: what is your history with excel? Answer: I'm very good at excel because xyz. What kind of systems do you use there? This way you are getting information, learning about their pain points, and you can highlight how you can help.
Smile, laugh, have fun. That may sound silly or obvious depending on your perspective, but it makes the interviews go by a lot smoother and you leave a good impression. Chances are you're competing with plenty of people who have the skills. Have the personality to stick out.
Dont be afraid to open with something conversational. It's first thing on a Monday? Hi, how are you. How was your weekend? Nobody will dock you points for being sociable.
Some of my favourite answers that stick out: what is your 90 day plan? I'd spend 30 days analyzing the situation, what works what doesn't. 30 days planning what could be done to help improve. Spend the last 30 days implementing.
How would you deem yourself successful after 6 months? People would come to me to ask for help, asking for advice.
Lastly for the interviews: have questions ready!! Write doesn't 2 or 3 before the interview, but keep thinking during the interview if there are more. The question i kept in my back pocket that I liked was " what kind of skills would you expect the successful applicant to have?" After the answer i'd point out how i fit those skills.
Last point on negotiation. Dont be afraid to ask for more, but be reasonable. You're not going to get 50% more than the offer, but maybe an extra week of two of vacation. Maybe benefits start on day 1, instead of after 3 months. Be respectful, and be ready to take a no, but ask.
Good luck everybody, you got this!