Increase Your Chances of Getting Job Interviews with These 5 Tips

Mary was among the lucky people to land a job immediately after graduating but became jobless after four years due to redundancy in the company. Two years of tireless job search without success frustrated her.

Several thoughts coursed through her mind. ‘Why do employers reject my application? What am I doing wrong? How can I boost my chances of getting my CV to a yes pile?

She wished somebody could tell her the best way to get an interview because she had tried all means but all were in vain.

I advised her to book a one-on-one interview coaching session to understand the mistakes that she was making and sharpen her interview skills.

Getting a job in the modern world is not easy. While many jobs are advertised daily, the odds of being invited for an interview sometimes may not be on your side.

So, how can you increase your chances of being shortlisted in the cutthroat competition?

Find out in this article

1. Be An Early Bird When Applying For A Job

I had a conversation with James, the recruitment officer at CSS and I wanted to find out when shortlisting begins. “Sometimes we have roles that need to be filled immediately and the client may request the profiles before the deadline. In such cases, we begin the shortlisting as soon as we receive the applications and if we get the best candidates, we close the process even before the deadline.” He said.

Figure out how many applicants compete for the same role versus the recruiters who will shortlist for that role. It may be impossible to give attention to every application that they receive. The earlier you send your application, the better it will be reviewed and the higher chance you will receive an invitation for the interview hence it is important to apply for a job as soon as possible without waiting for the deadline.

2. Research The Company

Use the company’s website, and social media platforms or connect with the current and former employees of that company to get information about the company.

Understand the company’s pain points and vision so that you position yourself through your CV to be a solution and this will increase your interview chances.

3. Leverage Your Connections

Most vacancies nowadays are not advertised on the website because employers depend on referrals.

If someone refers you to a role, the probability of being called for an interview is high since referrals are rated as a top source of quality hires.

Connect with potential employers via social media, especially LinkedIn or professionals working in a specific field, and let them know that you are looking for a job.

Polish your social media profile and ensure that it is professional to ensure that you are visible to potential employers.

4. Read the JD Carefully & Polish Your CV

 I realized that Mary’s CV was not updated and that was making it difficult for the employer to find out why she was qualified for the role.  Our career advisor guided her to refresh it by including the skills she had gained and tailoring them for every role.

A resume is a marketing tool that employers use to check if you are fit for the role. Having a professionally written CV grabs the attention of employers and increases your chances of being called for an interview.

Remember that employer use average of seven seconds to scan through a CV and the more appealing it is, the higher the chances of getting your foot to the interview door.

5. Be Selective With Your Applications

I remember when I was looking for a job; I used to apply for every role that came on my way. Little did I know that it was diminishing my success rate.

I later learned that it is important to analyze the job description to find out if I was qualified for the role. Applying for the job in that I met 80% of the requirements would have increased my chances of proceeding to the interview stage.

Finally

The road to getting an interview is through improving your strategy using the above tips and you will shine when the right opportunity arises.

Invest in interview coaching and understand the mistakes that could be making you lag behind and ways to ace your next interviews. 

Good luck in your job hunt!