Quick tips for landing the job and salary that’s right for you
You’ve got your job search in full swing when, all of a sudden, you hit a roadblock and you don’t know what to do. Fortunately, Monster career expert Vicki Salemi, who has more than 15 years of experience in corporate recruiting, has shared quick bits of advice for every step of the job search process — from writing your résumé to talking salary. 1. Avoid typos in your résumé and cover letter. Want to know what not to include in your résumé or cover letter? Misspelled words, fragment sentences and grammatical errors, that’s what. Salemi says the easiest way to turn a recruiter off is with a typo or spelling mistake. Always use
spellcheck, but also proofread your résumé and cover letters. Have a friend review them, also. 2. Follow up after every application. It’s not enough to send your résumé, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Salemi says you have to follow up. For every résumé you send, set a reminder to follow up a week later.
3. Research the company. The more you know about a company, the better you’ll look during an interview. Before your meeting, check out the company’s “About Us” page, set up a Google News alert for the company name and follow the company on social media. Additionally, you can also look up company profiles and read employee reviews through Kununu on Monster. 4. Work on (and nail) your elevator pitch. Whether you’re out running errands or hitting up a networking event, you never know whom you’re going to run into, which is why Salemi says it’s important to have your elevator pitch nailed down. 5. Send a thank you note. After an interview, sending a thank you note can help you seal the deal. Salemi says there are three things your thank you note must include: First, thank the person for meeting with you. Second, reiterate your interest in the position and why you think you would be a great fit. Finally, mention something you talked about in the interview. 6. What do to when you feel like you’ve been ghosted. When you feel like you’ve been ghosted by a recruiter, Salemi says you should follow up. Give it about 10 days after the interview, and if you still haven’t heard anything, check in by email, saying, “I just wanted to see if there is a status update on the position.” 7. Determine your desired salary. Since some applicant tracking systems automatically reject candidates whose salary requirements are higher than a set dollar amount and you don’t want to price yourself out of the running, enter the lowest number possible. Salemi actually recommends listing 0 or $1, so you have a chance to get a foot in the door. 8. Take charge of salary questions. If you’re asked about your current salary, Salemi says you
can dodge the question and get the upper hand by, instead, turning the question around and asking what the range is for the position. Then, state the salary you’re looking for. 9. Negotiate a higher salary.
If you don’t negotiate salary when you get a job offer, Salemi says you’re leaving money on the table. When you get an offer, enthusiastically say, “That’s great, I’m honored!” Then negotiate by saying, “I was actually hoping for a higher salary—would that be a possibility?”