TURNING
NO INTO YES
Finding a job nowadays is HARD. Add
having a felony conviction to the mix and the task can seem almost impossible. The fact is, with so many resumes and
applications coming across their desks, employers are literally looking for reasons
to say no. The quicker they can get through the pile, the better, and
unfortunately the first to go are often times those with criminal backgrounds. This is why our mission here at Nolef Turns Inc. is to help those who have
made mistakes in the past to find employment. Almost daily, job listings and
upcoming job fairs are posted on our Facebook page. But, as I’m sure you are aware,
there is more to getting a job than knowing where to go. You must know what
steps you can take before,
during, and after the interview to increase your chances of receiving a yes.
Turning
No Into Yes is a 3-part series that will outline what you can do to impress any
employer. It is important that you do
not give them a reason to say no. Take the time and do the work necessary
to get the YES!
Part
One: Before the Interview
The
3 R’s
Resume
They say
first impressions last forever and your resume is that first impression. Within
seconds your resume must stand out above all the rest. Your resume should be:
·
Neat & uncluttered
·
Lined up evenly
·
No longer than one page
AND
· Not have any outrageous fonts and/or
colors.
Resumes are getting fancier but a
good rule of thumb is to keep it simple and keep it neat.
Once you have completed your resume make sure
you triple check
it for grammatical errors and typos. Read it aloud to yourself or let a family
member check it over. You do not want your resume tossed into the trash because
of a simple error.
Final tip on resumes…
Make sure you have a professional email.
You should never use any email addresses
that have gang affiliation, sexual content, explicit language, or anything else
inappropriate. It is not uncommon to
have multiple emails, one for business and one for personal use. So, if you
want to have the email hotkitten227@gmail.com then do so. Just make sure you
have another account for professional purposes.
References
Let’s say you use your friend Dave as
a reference. Potential employer calls Dave and hears music lyrics full of
expletives blasted in his ear followed by Dave instructing him, very rudely, to
leave a message. Wouldn’t make a very good impression, right? No, it wouldn’t.
And if you’re thinking this would be a silly reason to not get offered a job
please keep in mind…. they are looking for reasons to say no, even silly ones.
Give everyone you plan on using as
a reference a heads up so that they will be expecting the call. Try to use
friends and family that you know will not only answer the phone but will
also be professional. And last, don’t forget that when filling out the
reference section of any application to make sure that you have accurate phone
numbers and emails. Not being able to get in touch with a reference can slow
down or even stop the employment process.
Research
But before you begin celebrating, it’s a good
idea to spend some time doing research. There are two things you should be entering
in your search engine:
1)
The
company. It is good to know who you may be working for and what it is
that they do. Impress them with your knowledge of the company and their
products. This will also help you determine if the company is a good fit for
you.
2)
Possible interview questions. Ever
been to an interview and got asked a question you had absolutely no idea how
you wanted to answer? I have and it’s not fun. Some common questions include
a.
Why do you want to work here? (The research you
did on the company will go great here)
b.
When was a time you were part of a team and how
did you contribute?
c.
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
A quick google for (position applied
for + interview questions) is a good place to start. Practice what you will say
ahead of time and go to your interview confident and ready to answer any
question thrown your way.
If you
follow the three R’s you are already on your way to getting that Yes. Your
resume is polished, your references have been notified, and if you have gotten
a call back, you've done your research.
Don’t forget to check in next week
for Part 2: Acing the Interview.
Need
more tips or how to create a stand out resume? Check back soon for a more
in-depth article on how to create a resume that will get you noticed.
By:
Martasha Johnson
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