subject: New Job Success [print this page] The key to job success is confidence and competence. Whether you are just entering the job force, or you are changing your career, it is difficult to get a job without experience, but not impossible. The beginning of job success starts in your resume. With an effective resume, you can impress employers and earn yourself an interview.
Since you do not have any experience or qualifications for the job you are applying for, you must focus on your transferable skills. These skills are skills you have attained through past work experience, school, or volunteer work that you can apply to any job. Some transferable skills include communication skills, leadership, and ability to work under pressure, fast learner, organization, and problem solving. These skills should be listed under a section entitled "Abilities" or "Skills" to make sure you draw your employer's attention to them. Any language skills and computer abilities should also be listed, as they are very useful assets in today's workforce.
Whether you are fresh in the working world, or are experienced but looking for a change, list your past work experience, internships, and community services with confidence. Well roundedness is also a very attractive characteristic to an employer. For each past experience, write a brief summary of your duties, relating it to the duties expected of you in the job you are applying for. This section gives you the opportunity to highlight your transferable skills and show how you have put them to use in the past.
Including an objective section in your resume is a very important method in job success. Without any relative work experience to the job you are applying for on your RESUME, you must tell the employer what your intent is by applying for this job. Be as specific as possible. An example objective could be: To secure a position as a (state position here) in an established company where I can apply my skills and utilize my knowledge to my fullest potential. When possible, state specific skills in your objective that specifically pertain to the position you are applying for.
Once you have mastered your resume and have been awarded an interview, you must really sell yourself as a hard-working, competent individual. Prepare a couple of examples of situations where you have utilized your skills in the past that concern the prospective job. Make it evident that although you do no have any specific qualifications for the job, you are capable of doing it. Also, show interest in the job and prepare a few questions to ask the employer at the end of the interview. Initiative is never looked down upon.
Achieving job success can be strenuous, but taking the right steps will help you along the way.
