Your resume is your best tool to stand out against the competition, if it's written properly. It can go into much more detail about your work history, personal skills, and accomplishments and/or awards that specifically identify you as being the best candidate for the job. Even if a company doesn't require applicants to submit a resume, you should anyway. In fact, turning in a resume where it's not required often stands out on its own and can give you a leg up from the get-go.
A well-written resume is comprised of several different sections, as illustrated by Alison Doyle, my colleague who runs the Job Search site here at About.
- Your Contact Information
- Your Objective (Optional)
- Your Career Summary
- Your Education
- Your Skills
Sometimes visual aids are helpful when learning something new, so Alison has a great selection of templates and sample resumes that you can take a look at before creating your own.
Each resume should also be preceded by a thoughtfully written cover letter. A cover letter is your personal introduction to the employer who is examining your application and resume. Your cover letter is usually the very first thing they see/read that speaks to your character; a handshake if you will. A limp handshake lacks confidence and eagerness, and so does a weak cover letter. So, we again turn to our Job Search expert, Alison Doyle, for advice on writing a gripping cover letter.
Once you've got your completed application, cover letter, and resume in hand, you're ready to start turning them in. The next part of this article will help you to put your best foot forward when applying for a job in person.
Submitting an Application in Person
When you’re ready to submit your application/resume, it’s very important that you treat it as if you’re going to an actual interview. Bathe, groom yourself and dress well; if you have visible tattoos or piercings, this is when you need to decide how you want to present yourself. I would advise covering your tattoos as much as possible with your clothing, and removing at least most facial piercings. A single eyebrow or nostril piercing is usually okay, unless of course this is a high profile white collar job you’re applying for. Large jewelry of any kind isn’t a good idea; you want people to notice you, not your accessories.
This may seem like a lot of work to simply walk into a store and drop off an application, but trust me – there’s a method to the madness here. Keep reading and you’ll understand why.
When you enter the establishment you’re applying at, you need to catch the eye of each and every staff member you encounter and smile warmly. Say hello, and approach someone who doesn’t look too busy and ask them how you should go about submitting your application (even if you already know!). This gives you an immediate rapport with the people you could possibly end up working with, and sometimes these team members have an influence on who gets hired and who doesn’t. Also, there’s always the possibility that one of those people could be management or directly under management, so making this impression from the moment of submitting your application is really important.
The Impromptu Interview
When you officially hand your application to someone, ask them (remember, warm smile and friendly attitude) if there would happen to be a manager available that you could talk to now. There may not be, but there’s always that chance you might be able to have an impromptu interview right then and there, which could give you a great advantage if you’re prepared for the “unexpected” interview.
If you’re not able to talk to anyone that day, or even if there was only one staff member to speak to and they were surly and unhelpful, all is not lost on the effort you made. You never know who may have been listening around a corner, or if you just happened to catch a manager on a very bad day. Making a good impression is never a bad thing and, if nothing else, each encounter gives you more experience that could help you improve on the next.
The Follow-Up
Once you’ve submitted an application, the next part is the wait, which can be nerve-wracking. Try to be patient; don’t go calling the business every day asking if they’ve reviewed your application yet. However, once a week has passed, it is a very good idea to call and give them a friendly reminder of your existence.* Tell them that you just wanted to check in since you applied about a week ago and hadn’t heard back yet, and that this business is your first choice of places to work even though you’ve applied/interviewed at several others. Give them the feeling that they’re special, but that they can’t take too long to decide whether to hire you or not or they may lose you to someone else. If you did your job right in filling out the application and writing your resume, then they should already know that you’re someone they would be privileged to have on their staff.
*When you call to check in on an application you submitted, don’t waste your time speaking to someone not in management. Be friendly with whomever you speak to, but ask to be transferred to management (tell them you’re calling about a job, so they aren’t worried you’re calling to complain or something). Once you’ve been transferred, usually one of two things will happen: either you’ll speak directly to a manager or you’ll get their voicemail. If you’re asked to leave a message, it’s fine to do so but make sure you already know what you’re going to say. Write it down; create a script if you need to. The last thing you want is a permanent recording of your inability to communicate. If you’re not prepared to leave a message, hang up and call back later when you are. And be prepared that you may actually get the manager in person when you call back!