The job market can be a very competitive place, depending on your field, and although you may have fantastic educational qualifications or a wealth of practical experience, making a good impression during the interview process is a crucial component to getting hired. By following a few tips and tricks, you’ll be able to crack the code and present yourself as the candidate that hiring managers are looking for.

Maintain a LinkedIn Profile

Make sure that you not only have a LinkedIn profile, but that you’ve built it to make a lasting impression. Use the skills section to tout your talents to recruiters so they can find you, and make sure that your professional history provides plenty of impressive examples of your work accomplishments. To really stand out in the crowd, wow them with a professional headshot at the top. There are a few things you should do before taking headshots to get the most out of your photo session. Get a fresh haircut and pick out an outfit that looks professional and polished. Consult with your photographer on what works well for their setting but avoiding bright colors or crazy patterns is usually a safe bet.

A High-Quality Resume

Your resume is the first thing that most hiring managers will see, so it’s important that it makes a good impression while conveying the necessary information. However, when you’re new to the process or too close to the information, it can be hard to discern what should be included and what shouldn’t. It’s important to edit your resume carefully so that you include only the most beneficial information. There are many fantastic resume editors out there that can help you build a resume that highlights your skills and accomplishments, which might be just the thing you need to edge out the competition.

Dress the Part

When meeting your interviewer for the first time, they’ll be sizing you up to see how you present yourself professionally. This will be especially important if you’re interviewing for any kind of client-facing role where you’ll be the face of the business. Research what’s standard for your industry, as well as what each company’s rules are, if possible. An accounting firm might require a business professional look at all times with a suit and tie, so arriving in khakis and a polo shirt would be frowned upon. However, a start-up tech firm might be more relaxed with their dress code and showing up in a suit would make you stand out like a sore thumb. Do your research beforehand so won’t be too overdressed or underdressed.

Do Your Research

Before the interview, take the time to investigate each potential company. Try to learn as much as you can about their history, their initiatives and their leadership. The hiring manager might talk about some of these things during your interview and being able to speak about them in a knowledgeable way will make a great impression and will let them know that you’ve come prepared.

Clean Up Your Social Media

Just as you’re doing your research on the company, any hiring manager worth their salt is going to be doing their research on you, and that includes taking a peek at your social media. Now is the time to either make your accounts completely private or remove any embarrassing posts. It’s fine to show that you have a personal life, but photos showing an excess of alcohol or ranting about politics may not present the best image of you to a potential employer.

Most of us dread searching for a new job, but by following these few tips, hopefully your search will be as short as possible and land you with the job of your dreams!

If you need help finding a new job, try my job search boot camp!

Or look at starting with what career is the right one to pivot into in Pivot and Pause Your Career

Cynthia Corsetti is an Executive Coach and Speaker. If you’d like to learn more on how her C.A.R.E. to Engage system can help you create an engaged workforce in your organization, you can email her at: [email protected]’m an open networker and I love to connect. Please join me over on LinkedIn and FB so we can take this journey together!