7 Tips To Get a Job Interview

These seven (7) tips should help you get a job interview at any digital agency. 

1. Write your cover letter from scratch
It's understandable that you may be applying for several different jobs, but it really makes a difference if you write a fresh cover letter for each job. Keep it short though!

Also it's wise to use the words YOU and YOUR more than I and MY.  Say what you'll bring to the table and how you’re actually going to add value.

BAD EXAMPLE: “Whilst I have little experience, I am ready to learn and I’m very hardworking.”

...Why? Too many Is, too few YOUs, boring…. and what are you actually bringing to the table?

GREAT EXAMPLE: “You’ll get an enthusiastic person, keen to learn how you do business and eager to develop new skills to help your company win more new clients.”

...Why?  Plenty of YOUs, plus you’ll help “win new clients” – wow that gets your attention!

PS. Proofread your letter – it speaks volumes that you care enough to produce a typo-free cover letter which uses correct English! 

2. Have a ONE (1) page resume
Yep, your entire resume on one A4 page. If you make the effort to summarise your resume onto one page, you’ll be seen favourably by the person who has to sort through all the applications. You don’t need to say everything about yourself – just pick the best bits!
 
Incidentally, many companies have their 25 year strategic plan on one page, so I’m sure you’ll be able to fit your CV on one page.  For more on 1 page strategic plans, see Verne Harnish’s Gazelles.com website

3. Be specific with your examples 
On your application form, you’ll be asked to describe some of your achievements. Be as specific as you can and answer all the questions that are asked.

BAD EXAMPLE:  “I worked as a checkout operator and reported to the store manager.”

...Why? It doesn't really say too much about what you learned

GREAT EXAMPLE: “As a checkout operator at Coles for 12 months, I was on the ‘front-line’ of customer service and dealt with hundreds of people every day.  As you could imagine all sorts of challenges arose and I am proud to say I managed to handle nearly all of them alone.  However when I was out of my depth, I learned a lot from asking the duty manager to whom I reported.”

...Why? It demonstrates you can think for yourself and also that you are comfortable asking for help and learning from others!

4. Get a LinkedIn profile
Your LinkedIn profile is one of the best ways to get in front of potential employers. Be sure to include your work history, your interests, your education, add your photo, get endorsements and get ready to be noticed!

Most web design or digital professionals are registered on LinkedIn and it's easy to make contact with them. LinkedIn also allows you to search for jobs for free and it will show you if you are connected to people who work in that company.

5. Follow us on Twitter, find us on Facebook, watch us on YouTube & subscribe to our blog
It shows you’re interested enough in the company to find out a bit more. There is so much more than just the website (which is mainly client focused). You can normally see pictures, videos and reports from social functions and get an idea of what your future work mates might be like.

If you follow your potential employers, they can also reciprocate and follow you which is a cool way to showcase your talents! 

6. Of course feel free to be original!
Some good ideas include:

• Posting a YouTube video introducing yourself and emailing it in. 
• Seeing if you have mutual friends (hint: Facebook, LinkedIn, client list and staff) and asking them to endorse you
• Laying out your cover letter like the front page of the newspaper

I'm sure you can think of some beauties too. 

7. Share your dream career
Be honest as most employers will think it is a breath of fresh air.  To support this, the motto here is “do what you love.”

Some love to design websites for exciting clients and some love to work 3 days a week. Some would love to advance their careers interstate or overseas in a few years and some would love to start their own business one day.  

This is OK because most employers understand that you are likely to work for many organisations during your career.  The aim is to make the time together so fulfilling and rewarding that when the formal relationship ends, both parties are better off from the win:win experience.

If you do all these things, you'll stand a great chance of getting a job interview in any digital agency! 

If you happen to come into Bluewire Media for an interview, I look forward to meeting you and we can discuss how we can help you carve out your dream career and allow you to do what you love! 

I am very interested to hear what other employers or employees think about these tips. 

Web Design Jobs Brisbane: If you're thinking about a job in a digital agency, consider giving Bluewire Media a call on (07) 3846 7687.