I learned something new this year, women know what we are going to get them for Valentine’s Day. I guess you could say chocolate, stuffed animals, jewelry and flowers are predictable.
Being predictable typically is not a good thing. This holds true when applying for a job or internship. The most average person does not get the job, the person who stands out with the best qualifications and has more to offer gets the job. Making sure an organization understands how you are different than the typical candidate can can contribute to the organization is very important.
You can highlight your unique skills in your application materials and interview. Applying for jobs is a production, just like Valentine’s Day. The first step is making sure your resume is in tip-top shape. Make sure the key points that differentiate your from your competition stand out and are noticeable. The formatting of your resume can also help you stand out. Work with your alignments, font style, font size and colors to create a custom design.
Next, you should make your cover letter and references have the same heading. Your cover letter should not just be a regurgitation of your resume, but rather highlight the main points that apply to the job posting. You should not reuse a cover letter because it should be specific to each position. You should have at least three references. These references should not include family members, but rather people that can give you a quality, professional reference.
When interviewing, you need to be confident, strong and just be yourself. Organization recruiters will respond to that. Make sure you also ask questions about the job or internship and the company because you are also interviewing the organization to see if it would be a good fit for you.
Following up and sending thank you emails/cards are a great way to stand out from the crowd. These are easy things to do that can help settle close calls and put the offer in your favor. Completing these steps can make you less predictable and are important application ideas that will help you get the job or internship.
In the end, I guess I was not too predictable because she still loved the bracelet. She almost cried. Maybe there is some hope for me to be romantic (once a year on Valentine’s Day). Ok, maybe I will be more romantic than that.
