1. What makes a candidate an “excellent candidate”?
An excellent candidate is one who is articulate and confident in their skillset. They can provide examples of how they add value to the team and can clearly speak to what they were responsible for. Excellent candidates are also solutions orientated. Instead of always asking for help, they see what resources are available to them.
2. What can applicants do to stand out in a resume?
Always use quantifiable achievements. Your resume should read more like a highlight sheet than a job description. I should be able to skim it and I recommend bolding key words to draw the eye to important information.
3. Should I have a LinkedIn profile and what do recruiters look for on there?
100%. Everyone should have a LinkedIn profile. Your profile should mirror your resume but also provide some additional insights into your skillset and who you are as a professional. Recruiters are going to be looking for specific roles you have had, software you have used, professional designations, and types of companies you have worked for to name a few. The more details you have on your profile the more searches you will appear in.
4. Do recruiters still want to see a cover letter? Should I be sending a cover letter even when it isn’t being asked for?
I am not a fan of cover letters but they do have their place. As a good rule of thumb if they don’t ask for a cover letter then the only time I would include one is if you feel there are additional details not on your resume that would be relevant to the role you are applying for. This could be really old experience that is not listed or some project details that wouldn’t be appropriate on the resume itself. Don’t submit a cover letter if you are only going to reshare all of the details of your resume.
5. References:
a. Should I add references to my resume?
Absolutely not.
b. What type of references do companies want?
Ideally something recent and ideally from someone you reported to directly.
c. Should I contact my references when a company asks me to supply my references?
Yes, absolutely. It is also useful to give them a brief on the role so they can ensure they are highlighting the pieces of your time together that would compliment this new role.
6. Is there a way to prepare for situational questions and what is the best way to respond to them during an interview?
The best way to prepare for situational questions ahead of time is to ensure you have run through your work accomplishments and projects so that you will be able to reference them in your example. During the interview ensure you are articulate and building out step by step what you would do given any situation. Something that will set you apart from other candidates is forecasting any potential problems or barriers and what you would do about them.
