I’ve said it many times; finding work-at-home jobs isn’t that hard. What’s difficult is getting hired. The first step in getting an employer to take notice is your resume or applications. It needs to be tailored to fit the job, so that you look like the ideal candidate. While you shouldn’t lie or embellish, you do need to match your skills and experience with those the employer needs.
This week, I asked work-at-home experts to share their opinions and advice on getting more job interviews and job offers.
Matthew Mercuri, Dupray
The secret that everybody is afraid to talk about is that many young career-minded individuals get a shot at a job because a family member or friend vouched for them. Unfair? Yes. The only way to get around this is to hustle more than these lucky people do. Apply as many times in as many places in as many roles as you humanly can. If you apply 10 times and get 1 interview, try applying 100 times for 10 interviews. Somebody will give you a shot. You just need to take it.
Sam McIntire, Deskbright
Create a portfolio. For telecommuters in particular, it can be difficult to get noticed with a resume alone. Consider creating a portfolio website that showcases your past work, and provide a prominent link to the site in your resume itself. Showing is often more powerful than telling, and a full-featured websites that showcases you as a candidate can help differentiate you from a crowd of paper resumes.
Focus on ‘why’ and ‘how’. Oftentimes, job applicants focus too much on what they did for their previous employers. But more relevant to most recruiters and hiring managers is why that work was important and how it helped the company or institution in question. How did your work compare to what your organization had been doing previously? Can you outline any metrics that demonstrate tangible value that you added? Be sure to include answers to these important questions on your resume to show your recruiter why what you’ve done in the past is important and how it can help their business.
Include hobbies. It can also be helpful to include 1-2 lines on your hobbies and interests outside of work. Oftentimes, these tidbits add another dimension to your application and help paint you as both real and relatable. They may even be good conversation pieces during your interview.
Laura MacLeod, From the Inside Out Project
Networking is the best way to get job offers and interviews. Talk to anyone and everyone you know and let them know you’re looking. Make it easy for them to refer you- have all your contact info, resume and job info ready and offer to write emails they can copy/paste and sign. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help and who they know!
Jennifer Bouley, Bouley-Mak Consulting and Coaching
1. Have a different resume for each employer, target it directly to the employer telling them how you can help them, you can do this by the first three quarters of the first page, insert points that are relevant to the employer. The key is to take the most important points the employers needs and demonstrate through writing a sentence showing how you can achieve their business objectives with in that role.
2. Use a cover letter and always make reference in the first and the last paragraph how much you like the company and what drew you to that company.
3. Keep in constant communication with the organization. If they request info or call you, contact them back in a few hours. Not doing so can hurt your job application.
Shari Medini, Push Pull Sales & Marketing
Research is the one thing that can really set you apart from other applicants.. Research the company that you are applying for, mimic language they use throughout their website & job listing, customize your application to highlight what they are looking for, & then display that you thoroughly understand their company when you go in for the interview.
Silvia Pingitore, The Shortlisted
Try to get the name and the contact of someone inside the company, and add them on LinkedIn. This will ease your contact with that company.
Be on LinkedIn, and be there well! Complete every section of your profile, and ask as many job recommendations as you can. This will help your ranking and you’ll be found easily by recruiters.
Target your CV and your covering message for every single application you make, and adapt every single part of your CV accordingly.
Joe Flanagan, Velvet Jobs
Go beyond your resume as the only calling card to get more job offers. You should also try to make friends with potential employees within organizations you want to work for. Begin to comment on their blogs, tweet at them and join in their conversations on LinkedIn. If you do this you can be sure you’ll be on their radar the moment they receive your resume.
Note from Leslie:
I can’t tell you how much good information you can find on this page. If you want a work-at-home job, go back, read it again, and take notes!!
– Tailor the resume
– Have an online portfolio
– Network
– Play the numbers (not gambling, but increasing your submissions).
These tips and so many more are the key to getting a work-at-home job.
