I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on the East Coast Executives Speaker Series for The Urban League of Philadelphia Career Alliance Group. The presenter on this day was Niki Bounds, Human Resources Manager at Global Submit. Niki spoke to the Career Alliance group about what she looks for in a successful candidate and the proper way to follow up to an on-line application submission.
Here are Niki's 5 basics necessary for a successful interview.
1. Arrive early
2. Have additional copies of your resume
3. Dress professionally
4. Provide clear concise professional answers
5. Follow up with a brief thank you letter
Please keep in mind that this list is not the sole criteria for success but if you as a job seeker fail to deliver on one of these basic points, your chances of moving forward in the process diminish dramatically.
Regarding following up to an on-line application; Niki spoke of “professional patience”. She understands that job seekers may be looking for an immediate response but she reminded the audience that often times the Human Resources representative may be responsible for more than just sourcing and filling jobs. She also stated that there may be internal factors that result in a delay in hearing back from a company regarding your resume submission. Niki suggested that a one week wait may be suitable when following up but please keep your follow up brief and professional. Being perceived as a “professional stalker” is not the way to secure an interview. Be courteous, be professional and most of all be prepared.
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