When Applying, What Graduate are You?

You are an encouragement.

You will reassure many that there is indeed a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You just have follow the rainbow where it leads you.

Your journey does not end in graduation though. You have just been prepared for such a greater challenges. Should you embrace these challenges, however, they would become more of gander adventures.

Do not be dwell much on with your degree, nor your Latin honors. The workplace recognizes less of that, you will see. It will get you noticed, yes, but getting the job, more so the career that you want requires more from you.

A summa cum laude affixed to the end of your diploma is definitely a resume booster. It does improve your chances of being interviewed – yes by leaps and bounds. That is not the be-all of selection, however, as education is but one of the many factors involved in determining the best fit for a role or post in an organization.

Excellent recruiters and managers would normally employ a holistic approach when selecting a candidate.

The ultimate question is, “What kind of graduate is this applicant?”

So, they look at a plethora of things.

Your Resume and Cover Letter are who you are.

When sending a resume and, if needed, a cover letter, do you showcase your thought organization skills by arranging resume talking points in order of importance in a highly readable manner? Do you afford the reader enough white space to lessen eyestrain or tension among words and lines? How enough is enough? To this and many other questions, prudence is the answer.

Do you edit for errors in Grammar and word usage? Do you make sure paper used – its texture, color and substance – is appropriate? Plain bright white short bond paper is best for general office, including job application, use.

Do you make it brief, concise and coherent?

During the walk-in for interview, did you exude a pleasant and positive aura with your get-up, your posture, the way you shake hands, your eye contacts, gesture or mannerism or lack of it, and manner of speech? Do you, then, demonstrate very good communication skills? While there are a jobs that prefer certain nuances in spoken language, most job will settle for plain yet effective communication skills.

How is communication effective? If it brings home the message. Organize your thoughts well, be specific, be spontaneous, act naturally, yet confidently. Focus on the question. Don’t stray. Few recruiters are shepherds. Give a direct answer. Expound. Elaborate. Make sure you are consistent too – what you are saying coinciding with what were stated on your resume, that is. Are you dependable?

Do you tell the truth? Are providing accurate information? Did you leave something inside the closet? Can you be counted on to keep commitments or promises? Show that can commit yourself for a long time. If not applying for a project-based or fixed-term employment, companies would rather have you stay with them for a long time, allowing them to groom you for a support or leadership role. Remember that. There are but a few dead -end jobs.

Can you meet work obligations? How were you as student when comes to attendance, punctuality, following school rules, procedures and instructions?

How do you see others?

Do you treat others with courtesy and respect? How tolerant of different beliefs, opinions, and personalities you are? Have you had experiences in building positive, helpful, harmonious and lasting relationship with others? Are you proactive helper?

How result – oriented are you?

Can you be counted on to meet or exceed performance goals? Do you get satisfaction from the doing the job and achieving excellent results? Do you aim from the doing the job right the firs time, every time? Do you take initiative to improve your performance? How do you react the to a performance slouch? Do you welcome feedback-negative especially correction, reproof? Do you incorporate feedback immediately in your next acts?

How organized are you?

Can you work efficiently, without much waste of time and other resources? How good is your sense of priority? How about your sense of urgency? Do you move quickly from one task to the next? Can you work on different tasks at the same period? How are you when stressed, or under pressure? Do you show excellent thought organization when giving out instructions? How about your costumer service orientation?

Do you have a strong interest in costumer service? Do you show genuine sense of helpattitude towards costumer, internal and external?

Acquired skill set, harnessed proficiencies, and good work attitude constitute job-readiness. These are learned over time, usually through dealings, mostly in school and during internships or on – the – job trainings.

The question above are but a few determiners if you are a competent, competitive, job-ready graduate. Now, ask your self.( Contributed article)