4 Questions Job Seekers Often Ask

Knowing where to start when job searching can be very hard. You probably have plenty of questions to ask ranging from your cover letter length to the thank you page! Resume writers get these questions all the time, a

Maybe you’ve been in the same career for a long time, or have gaps in employment. That’s okay, in this article I will go over the most often questions asked when changing jobs.

1. How long is my resume supposed to be?

Hiring managers only spend 6 seconds looking at your resume so it really shouldn’t be more than two pages long. There should be keywords that catch their attention and it should guide the eyes across the page. You need to make a first impression that has the hiring manager wanting to learn more, so don’t worry about making it long. Adding too much information is a thing and can/will ruin your resume. So, make sure you're only attaching information that relates solely to the position you’re applying for.

This also goes for your cover letter. You need not go more than one page hence boring the reader or seeming like your trying too hard. It should be simple, sweet and short.

2. How should I write my thank you letter?

Truth is so many people struggle with just saying something as simple as thank you. There are so many ways you could do it – email, texting, even over social media! However, there is nothing more flattering than a handwritten letter and over 50% of hiring managers to prefer it.

Still, even though handwriting a thank you note is personal, you can usually still send your note via email it. Other than the way you choose to send it to be sure to keep the thank you note short. You will need to mention anything you forgot in the interview and really sell yourself one last time. Send this after the interview quickly, that way you're still on the interviewer’s mind...

3. How do I apply for jobs?

There are plenty of ways to find a job, but one is not necessarily better than the other. You can go to the business website or social media and apply from there. You can also job hunt on the internet – there are so many sites that offer it such as monster.com and snagajob.com.  

Make sure before you apply that you are making your resume fit keywords that are appropriate for the job you’re applying to.

The reason being your resume will probably be sent through an ATS (a machine used to help the company sort through resumes more efficiently by using keywords and topics) so if you don’t fit it to relate to each job, there is a huge chance, it will get thrown out before it’s even seen.

Also, if you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile than your missing out on HUGE opportunities. IT WILL help you get recruited by hiring managers and show how serious you really are about your job search.

4. How long should I wait before following up?

You should follow up no more than three times. Take the date the employer gave you and mark it on your calendar. If the employer doesn’t contact you by that deadline then you can get in touch with them by calling.

If the employer gave you no date as to when they would contact you then be sure to wait at least 5 days before phoning/emailing them.

Wait at least a week to contact them a second time. If you’ve had to contact them 3 times, you should move on, it’s likely you didn’t get the position.

I’m looking for a job. Any other tips?

• Provide reasonable wage expectations. Don’t expect to be making as much as your boss the first go around.
• Apply to many places. You should be applying a few days a week if not daily.
• If a recruiter contacts you about receiving your resume make sure you call them back the same day, as quickly as possible.
• Make sure your voicemail and social media are professional and in no way, will make you look unethical. Remember everything you put on the internet stays on the internet.