Resume & Interviewing Guide

Over the last several years, the job market has become increasingly competitive. The average job application is reviewed in six seconds, so it’s important to present a strong resume that accurately reflects your skills and experience to make sure you get invited to an interview.

On the other hand, if you’re getting interviews but not job offers, you may need to strengthen your interview skills. Let’s explore some resume resources and job interview preparation tips.

Building a Strong Resume

Your resume is the first thing a potential employer knows about you. Employers use resumes to learn more about you and determine whether you will be a good fit for the job they are trying to fill.

In the past, resumes were lists of duties and responsibilities you held in your past jobs. However, with the rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), it has become more important to write a resume that the system won’t ignore. This means finding natural ways to include keywords from the job description in your resume.

Modern hiring managers also want to see accomplishments and impact. An effective resume should tell an employer how you used the skills they’re looking for in your past roles and any results you achieved. Your resume should also be formatted well to make it easy to read.

Writing an effective resume doesn’t have to be difficult. We have resources and recommend tools to help!

• Career coaching: Our free career coaching can help you identify your skills and accomplishments from past jobs and describe them well. If you’re a recent graduate, career coaching can help you describe your education and any experience you gained in school.
• Formatting help: When a human hiring manager looks at your resume, they will often spend only 30 to 60 seconds reviewing it. One page is best for most resumes, and using SkillUp’s resume template or a free resume writing tool helps employers quickly capture everything you have to offer.
• Cover letter development: Cover letters are becoming less common, but it’s still good practice to write one with each job application. A solid cover letter gives you the chance to explain why you want the job and can help you contextualize your experience.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview

A job interview is your opportunity to make the best possible impression on the hiring manager. An interview is your chance to showcase your experience and skills and help the hiring manager see you as the best candidate, but don’t forget—it’s a two-way street! You and the hiring manager are both trying to gather information to decide whether you’re a good fit for the role.

Whether you find interviews to be nerve-wracking or exhilarating, preparation, practice, and positivity can help you make the most of the interview. Make sure you have researched the company and are prepared to ask good questions in return.

• Speak on past experience… with confidence: Remember a pair of helpful acronyms: PAR (Problem/situation, Action, Result) and STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Reference your resume and describe your work experience with the situation or problem, what you did to solve it, and what the outcome was. Write down these examples so you can use them during the interview and stay focused on answering the question without giving a long response.
• Mock interviews: Make sure you’re prepared for your interview by practicing your interview responses! Your friends or family can be good choices to provide job interview practice and help you prepare your responses to common interview questions. You can also practice with free resources like Practice Interview, InterviewBit, and Career.io.
• Help with interview questions: While you can’t predict what questions you’ll be asked in your interview, most interviewers ask a few common questions. Increase your confidence by preparing answers to these questions ahead of time!
• Remote job interview questions: If you’re interviewing virtually for a remote job, keep in mind that it’s still a formal interview even if it’s conducted by video conferencing software. Remember to dress as professionally as you would for an in-person interview, choose a neutral or put-together background, and make sure your camera is at eye level. Also, make sure you have a strong internet connection and that you won’t be interrupted during the video interview.

How SkillUp Can Help

At SkillUp, we have free resources including group career coaching to help you write the best resume and nail the interview process. Whether you’re looking for an in-person job or you’re ready to join the remote workforce, we can help you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Do I Ace a Remote Job Interview?

Remote job interviews are a lot like traditional in-person interviews, so a lot of the same skills apply! Here are a few tips specifically for remote job interviews:

• Learn how to use common teleconferencing software like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet.
• Make sure you have a strong internet connection and know how to troubleshoot common computer problems, should they arise.
• Choose a quiet space with good lighting and a neutral background.
• Dress professionally and be punctual.

What Helps a Resume Stand Out?

With a little time and effort, you can write a resume that not only gets through ATS but impresses hiring managers!

• Keyword research: Make sure your job experience is described with the same keywords as the job description.
• Clean formatting: Keep it simple and consistent. ATS can’t read resumes that use nonstandard fonts or include images like your headshot.
• Demonstrate your impact: Whenever you can, use numbers to quantify the impact you had in previous roles to position yourself as results-oriented.

Do I Need a Cover Letter?

Whenever possible, yes! Few people enjoy writing a cover letter, but it’s a great way to stand out by showing that you took the time to express why you want the role and to provide a context for your experience. Some employers even require cover letters, so it’s important to become familiar with writing them and ensuring each one is customized for the role you’re applying for.

What Are Some Example Job Interview Questions?

• Tell me about yourself.
• What interests you about this role?
• Why do you want to work at this company?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What are your greatest weaknesses?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?
• How do you define success?
• Why should we hire you?
• What is your salary expectation?