Interviewing and Resumes 101: How to nail that first impression

Justin H
Jan 30, 2017
2 min read

So, I’ve been a hiring manager at R&R now for about 8 years. I’ve conducted good interviews and bad interviews, found questions that worked and found some that didn’t. There’s no magic formula of questions and job posting that leads to the ‘perfect’ hire. It’s all guesswork and hoping for the best, but in my time as a hiring manager, I’ve learned a few things and feel that passing them along to people seeking jobs may help them land that dream opportunity.

On your resume, do not use “Objective” statements. Your objective is to get a job. The company you apply for knows that already. You wouldn’t have applied otherwise. Replace it with a much more appropriate “Summary of Qualifications” statement that is catered to the job you are applying for.
Have several versions of your resume! The person responsible for reviewing resumes only has time to skim each one for relevant bits of information that makes it stand out from others, so writing about all your warehouse experience when applying for that customer service position isn’t exactly going to win you any points.
Speaking of skimming resumes, proper grammar, punctuation and formatting is important. There are too many applicants to waste our time as employers interviewing someone that can’t be bothered to capitalize their own name or run their resume through basic spell check. A three-page bullet list of skills isn’t a resume we want to look at either; keep your entries position related and brief.
On interview day, dress to impress. Everyone has heard that phrase, but realistically, it just means wear well-fitting clothing and make sure you are groomed and looking professional. I would hire someone who takes the time to look clean and is only wearing a polo shirt and khakis over someone who looks like they haven’t showered in two days and whose suit is two sizes too large.
Know the most common interview questions and prepare slanted responses that make the interviewer see how your employment would benefit their company. Some of the most common questions are: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Tell me a time you led a project and what were the results? Describe a time when a customer was being particularly challenging? What is your greatest accomplishment?
Be prepared for oddball questions. I personally use an oddball question to accomplish two things: To throw the applicant off guard, seeing how serious of an individual they are and setting the stage for the type of company we are and determine if they would be a good culture fit. Of course, this particular item is still new in the hiring landscape so it’s less likely to happen, and really depends on the type of company you are applying to as well.

These are just a few tips on how to secure your job. Feel free to give me your own tips, or ask questions and I’ll be happy to help you land that dream job of… your dreams!