To become an official employee, you must initially become a job applicant. A job applicant is an individual who seeks employment by undergoing the hiring process. It is the first step you must take to land your dream job, and thus, you must embody certain attributes to conform to the company’s standards. Resilience, confidence, intelligence, and eloquence are some of the qualities a job applicant must possess.
The hiring process can be long since the company will have to do certain steps such as screening, choosing, interviewing, and more. Nonetheless, to become the job applicant they never knew they needed, you have to be well-prepared and educated. Your preparation should be visible not only in your physical appearance and actions but also in your outputs. Therefore, here are the documents you must prepare as a job applicant and some tips to think outside the box.
Resume
A resume is a formal document that summarizes your competence, which constitutes your previous job experience, educational attainment, and professional skills. It is usually one or two pages long. A resume, particularly a well-written one, is significant because it formulates the first impression that hiring managers have of you. A positive impression can have you prioritized in a sea of applicants. Thus, an outstanding resume can be your greatest asset as you enter the selection process.
On a positive note, you can make use of technology in writing your resume. Several resume builders and a resume example are available online so that you will have a clear view of what a professional resume looks like. By having such, you can emulate their format and structure. Always bear in mind that your resume must be precise and brief. It must focus on the strengths that will get you hired. Thus, irrelevant information such as your religious or political connections, civil status, and orientation must no longer be included.
Cover Letters
Outside of the US, employers frequently request cover letters from candidates or refer to resumes as “cover letters.” Nonetheless, cover letters are not exactly the same as a resume. A resume is a one- to two-page document that highlights your credentials and experience. A cover letter is longer and provides more in-depth details of your entire career path. A resume is most common when seeking jobs. Cover letters, on the other hand, are commonly used for academic purposes. However, it’s important to keep in mind that submitting a cover letter rather than a resume may be necessary when applying for jobs in the scholastic, research, scientific, and healthcare industries.
In writing a cover letter, elaborate on the things you have written in your resume rather than repeating or paraphrasing them. This shows that you put in a significant amount of effort and time to impress the hiring managers. Furthermore, in writing a cover letter, you must emphasize the reasons why you should be selected. You can assert well-detailed stories that can justify your qualifications.
For example, you can include the projects and organizations that you supervised and the achievements of each. More so, you may also state the compliments you have received from your managers over the preceding years. You can also specify your attributes, such as being optimistic, and how these characteristics can benefit the company.
Work Portfolio
Presenting your achievements, education, experience, and basic information is not sufficient. You should prove that you must be hired by having a work portfolio. In simple terms, a work portfolio is a compilation of your work samples and outputs. You can physically give this to the interviewer during your interview sessions or have it posted online.
By having a work portfolio, you are not just proving your worth verbally, but rather, you are giving them concrete evidence of your abilities. A work portfolio is an efficient way to showcase the quality of your work. It will also be easier for the company to decide whether to hire you or not. Consequently, if you get accepted, they will already have an idea of your competency and give constructive feedback on the aspects that you need to improve.
Here are some of the most common documents that hiring companies require. Having an in-depth understanding of these documents can help you increase your chances of landing your dream job and company.
