How to make your job application stand out

July 3, 9:21 AMNY Consumer Affairs ExaminerAsa Aarons

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Sometimes even the best paper resume is not enough. Devin Guinn found that out the hard way last fall when he was laid off and then struck out in many job interviews. He decided one way to get noticed would be to increase his online presence.

"I already had a website, but it was lacking and very basic," says Guinn. "It really didn't show off my personality and show off who I was, so but I was looking for something that would present myself better on the web.”

The system Guinn chose is called Wix, which is free software that allows the user to made colorful, dynamic web pages with a minimum of effort or programming experience. Guinn works in the theater and thought he needed something eye-catching and creative was essential for his job search. His efforts paid off. 

"When I got my current job at the New York Theater, they told me they looked up the website as well as my resume, and they were very impressed that I had that extra thing to present myself," says Guinn. Before spending money on a webpage designer, find out if Wix or another free program can give you exactly what you need.

Of course, the best website in the world won't help you unless you can do an effective in-person interview. "There's so much discussion about resumes and the interview questions that people forget what they need to bring with them," says Kimberly Bishop of Slayton Search Partners.

Bishop has pretty much see it all when it comes to job interview accidents. "A candidate was coming in for an interview a couple of weeks ago and had a cup of coffee and spilled a little bit on his shirt coming up the elevator," says Bishop. She recommends a job interview emergency kit, made up of detergent wipes for stain, a bottle of water, a mint, Kleenex hand wipes, a tissue, a pen and a comb. The kit costs only a few dollars and it could open the door to a high-paying job.

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Contact  Asa at askasa@ny1.com.