COVER LETTER
When applying for a job in Ottawa or any place for that matter, always include a cover letter that is relevant to that particular company. The company name should be mentioned in the letter and a quick reference about your enthusiasm should be revealed as well. Remember that most CVs are boring and redundant so your cover letter is where you can bring your personality to life. Also, you may be applying for a position where everyone else has the same skills and experience as you, your cover letter is where you can stand apart from your fellow candidates.
RESEARCH
Once you have been contacted by the company and an interview date has been set up, do some research. Use the internet to learn about your possible future employer. You want to be aware of what the company specializes in, their growth and any new endeavors they are pursuing in the future. This will allow you to use your past experiences and relate them to the current job, giving you the upper hand against other candidates.
INTERVIEWS
An interview is unique in the sense that the employer is already intrigued at what they know about you on paper. It is now your opportunity to prove that you are the best candidate for the job. There are certain small things that should be done that go a long way.
ATTIRE
Attire is always a tricky area. I always say, dress one step above what you think is necessary. If you are going in to apply for a position in an office, try to wear a power suit. This may not be the daily attire that you will need, but it will show the interviewer that you are a professional on their level. I have seen many qualified candidates not get a certain position because he/she was not wearing the appropriate attire, always overdress for the part!
BE EARLY
Always prepare to be at least 15-30 minutes early to an interview. The obvious reason for this is to prove that you are punctual but let me state the less obvious. Whether you are driving or taking public transportation, there may be obstacles such as traffic, construction, weather conditions, or getting lost, which may interfere with your punctuality. You may think that it only takes 20 minutes to get to the job site from your home however if here is construction on one of the side streets that you must take and your arrival is delayed by 15 minutes, the employer gets a sense that you do not prepare ahead.
SMILE
Upon entering the job site, greet everyone with a smile. From the receptionist to the interviewer, show that you are a friendly person as these may be your future co-workers. Also remember that a smile is contagious, the more you smile during an interview, the more your interviewer will smile back, just don't be creepy about it.
ESSENTIALS
Bring a pen and paper with you to your interview when appropriate. It sounds irrational to take notes on someone who is there to take notes on you, but this could be the one step that gets you hired. When the interviewer is giving you a job description, jot down notes for your own referencing. Obviously don't jot down irrelevant information as you don't want to loose your eye contact for long periods of time. Later on when you are discussing your experience, you can refer to these notes and relate past experiences that you have had with the job description that you have noted. This shows the interviewer that you like to prepare in advance and that you are taking this interview/job/company, very seriously.
BODY LANGUAGE
During an interview, you are typically sitting face to face with your interviewer with an object in between the two of you such as a table. Keep your body language appropriate to the interviewer. If you notice that the interviewer is leaning with their back straight in the chair, do this as well. If you see that the interviewer is sitting on the edge of their chair, do this as well. Remember that the interviewer needs to feel just as comfortable in their environment as you. Mimicking their body language will put them at ease and make for a more pleasant conversation.
KEY WORDS
It is important to listen carefully while the interviewer is talking as they will give you slight hints on what type of candidate they are looking for. For example, if the interviewer states that the position requires many different task to be done on a daily basis and many hours of overtime, try to relate your experience by indicating that in your previous jobs you have mastered the art of multi-tasking and that you are a very reliable candidate who has worked on call in the past.
PROMOTIONS
Companies are always looking for candidates who can grow with the company. It is important that you indicate that you would like to excel within the company. If applicable, discuss future developments that may arise. Indicate that as the company matures, you would like to mature with it and that you would like to assist in the growth and development of the business.
CONCLUSION
Upon completion of the interview, sum up relevant information that was discussed. For example, "Thank you for taking the time to see me today, I believe I possess many of the skills that this position requires. I understand you have more candidates to see today, I wish you luck and I look forward to hearing from you in the next couple of days" followed by a smile and a handshake. The way you end an interview is just as important as the interview itself. Never leave the interview unaware of when you will be contacted. You don't want a situation where you are waiting for an answer meanwhile passing on other opportunities that come up.
FOLLOW UP
If the interviewer has indicated that they will be seeing more candidates all week, feel free to follow up if you have not heard anything by the beginning of the next week. You obviously don't want to harass them but you do want to seem keen and excited about the position. If you are told that they went with another candidate, thank them for their time and wish them luck in the future. Don't be discouraged as that position may not have been suited for you, just move on to the next!!!
Article Source: EzineArticles.com/
When applying for a job in Ottawa or any place for that matter, always include a cover letter that is relevant to that particular company. The company name should be mentioned in the letter and a quick reference about your enthusiasm should be revealed as well. Remember that most CVs are boring and redundant so your cover letter is where you can bring your personality to life. Also, you may be applying for a position where everyone else has the same skills and experience as you, your cover letter is where you can stand apart from your fellow candidates.
RESEARCH
Once you have been contacted by the company and an interview date has been set up, do some research. Use the internet to learn about your possible future employer. You want to be aware of what the company specializes in, their growth and any new endeavors they are pursuing in the future. This will allow you to use your past experiences and relate them to the current job, giving you the upper hand against other candidates.
INTERVIEWS
An interview is unique in the sense that the employer is already intrigued at what they know about you on paper. It is now your opportunity to prove that you are the best candidate for the job. There are certain small things that should be done that go a long way.
ATTIRE
Attire is always a tricky area. I always say, dress one step above what you think is necessary. If you are going in to apply for a position in an office, try to wear a power suit. This may not be the daily attire that you will need, but it will show the interviewer that you are a professional on their level. I have seen many qualified candidates not get a certain position because he/she was not wearing the appropriate attire, always overdress for the part!
BE EARLY
Always prepare to be at least 15-30 minutes early to an interview. The obvious reason for this is to prove that you are punctual but let me state the less obvious. Whether you are driving or taking public transportation, there may be obstacles such as traffic, construction, weather conditions, or getting lost, which may interfere with your punctuality. You may think that it only takes 20 minutes to get to the job site from your home however if here is construction on one of the side streets that you must take and your arrival is delayed by 15 minutes, the employer gets a sense that you do not prepare ahead.
SMILE
Upon entering the job site, greet everyone with a smile. From the receptionist to the interviewer, show that you are a friendly person as these may be your future co-workers. Also remember that a smile is contagious, the more you smile during an interview, the more your interviewer will smile back, just don't be creepy about it.
ESSENTIALS
Bring a pen and paper with you to your interview when appropriate. It sounds irrational to take notes on someone who is there to take notes on you, but this could be the one step that gets you hired. When the interviewer is giving you a job description, jot down notes for your own referencing. Obviously don't jot down irrelevant information as you don't want to loose your eye contact for long periods of time. Later on when you are discussing your experience, you can refer to these notes and relate past experiences that you have had with the job description that you have noted. This shows the interviewer that you like to prepare in advance and that you are taking this interview/job/company, very seriously.
BODY LANGUAGE
During an interview, you are typically sitting face to face with your interviewer with an object in between the two of you such as a table. Keep your body language appropriate to the interviewer. If you notice that the interviewer is leaning with their back straight in the chair, do this as well. If you see that the interviewer is sitting on the edge of their chair, do this as well. Remember that the interviewer needs to feel just as comfortable in their environment as you. Mimicking their body language will put them at ease and make for a more pleasant conversation.
KEY WORDS
It is important to listen carefully while the interviewer is talking as they will give you slight hints on what type of candidate they are looking for. For example, if the interviewer states that the position requires many different task to be done on a daily basis and many hours of overtime, try to relate your experience by indicating that in your previous jobs you have mastered the art of multi-tasking and that you are a very reliable candidate who has worked on call in the past.
PROMOTIONS
Companies are always looking for candidates who can grow with the company. It is important that you indicate that you would like to excel within the company. If applicable, discuss future developments that may arise. Indicate that as the company matures, you would like to mature with it and that you would like to assist in the growth and development of the business.
CONCLUSION
Upon completion of the interview, sum up relevant information that was discussed. For example, "Thank you for taking the time to see me today, I believe I possess many of the skills that this position requires. I understand you have more candidates to see today, I wish you luck and I look forward to hearing from you in the next couple of days" followed by a smile and a handshake. The way you end an interview is just as important as the interview itself. Never leave the interview unaware of when you will be contacted. You don't want a situation where you are waiting for an answer meanwhile passing on other opportunities that come up.
FOLLOW UP
If the interviewer has indicated that they will be seeing more candidates all week, feel free to follow up if you have not heard anything by the beginning of the next week. You obviously don't want to harass them but you do want to seem keen and excited about the position. If you are told that they went with another candidate, thank them for their time and wish them luck in the future. Don't be discouraged as that position may not have been suited for you, just move on to the next!!!
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