Education is Everything
Though education plays an important role in your career, experience in your related field will make or break your chances at getting hired. In today’s professional world, hiring managers look for experience for two reasons.
1- having work exposure shows that you have passion and interest in your chosen field. Having experiences in the past shows that you were able to sample career options and have chosen to stay in the one you are in now.
2- The professional world reveals things about yourself that education cannot. Having work experiences means you have been able to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and have time to polish your office etiquette.
Showing Up in Person to Apply
No longer are the days where showing up to a potential place of employment considered impressive. Showing up with nice cardstock paper probably won’t help your cause either, due to the transition to an electronic process. In today’s corporate world, most companies now require resumes to be submitted through an online recruiting system called ATS.
With the heavy-handed use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), hiring managers are spared from taking the time to speak with every applicant. The system works to filter out applications and resumes that do not meet company requirements.
Following Up Your Follow Up
In the past, it was completely acceptable to badger the hiring manager to show your initiative in wanting the position. However, in today’s modern society, this practice is highly frowned upon and can be extremely frustrating on the receiving end. If you had previously networked with the hiring manager, send an email stating your interest after you’ve applied and move on.