JOB ......GETTING THE FIRST ONE
Right of
first refusal
HR professionals point out
common mistakes made by those applying for their job, providing a list of dos
and don'ts
Many argue that academi fails to
prepare fresh graduates in communication etiquette, necessary in the corporate
world. It is thus a task for some of them to even get employed as job
interviews require one to present his or her skills, while conducting oneself
in a certain manner. To address these concerns, we list mistakes made my
first-time job aspirants and how they can be corrected.
EMAIL ETIQUETTE
So, you've heard about a suitable
job, managed to procure the employer's email id and decided to shoot off your
resume for consideration. But when you're a fresher, your résumé may not be
your biggest strength. So what do you do? “A mistake freshers make in their
résumé is, since there's little to speak of in terms of professional
achievement, they litter it with details about their family and their hobbies,“
says Srinivas Rao Katkoor, Director Human Resources South Asia, SAS Institute
(India) Pvt Ltd. Rao adds that freshers need to highlight their educational
qualifications, technical skills and their college projects in their résumé.
“If you've done an internship, you need to mention your exact role and learning
from it in your résumé,“ adds Rao, who feels that grammar and punctuation
cannot be compromised in one's CV. “A cover letter is also a must and it should
briefly summarise the candidate's skills and the kind of role they're looking
for, along with a reason for applying for the role and choice of company,“ says
Rao.
How one addresses the person
receiving the résumé is vital too. A “Hi“ followed by the person's name is seen
in poor light. “It would be advisable that the candidate figures out who he is
applying to and address the mail to the concerned person, making the
application personalised. And one should never make the mistake of applying to
multiple companies by adding several email ids in the BCC as it's seen as
unprofessional,“ says Rao. A suitable salutation in such emails could be `Dear
Sir', `Dear HR Manager' or `Dear Hiring Manager'.
On a different note, the email id
created to send your résumé could also affect your chances of getting
short-listed. “If an employer receives a résumé from an id like
serialkisser01@gmail.com, the reaction it would receive is obvious,“ laughs
Ashish Arora, Managing Director, HR Anexi Pvt Ltd, who recommends short and
straightforward email ids with a subject line clearly drawing attention to the
role being applied for.
TELEPHONIC SKILLS
You may have been talking on the
phone for decades, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're prepared for a
telephonic interview. Usually the first filter in most interviews, this is the
stage when employers connect employees to validate the claims made on their
résumé. “First-time job applicants aren't aware of etiquette to be followed in
telephonic interviews. You rarely come across candidates who begin a call with
a greeting like `good morning' or `good afternoon' based on the time of the
day,“ says Rao, who feels that one should be frank, using this as a chance to
talk about specialised skills. Doubts about the exact role can be clarified
along the way.
FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW
he way to approach the final
interview where one meets one's prospective employer to pitch one's skills has
been much debated. What to wear, how to conduct oneself or even what to prepare
for, are all grey for most freshers who make the common mistake of going
ill-prepared and end up being rejected. A firm shake hand and constant eye
contact during the interview are known to convey confidence and honesty but
there's plenty else to learn. “Shabby attire, reaching late for an inter view,
laid-back posture communicate that the candidate is unenthusiastic,“ says
Arora. He advises that candidates speak slowly and clearly, responding to
questions honestly, after having heard the entire question. “Another com mon
mistake is ask ing how much one will be finally paid, early on in the
interview. This is a stage when the can didate's employment has not been confirmed
and it is looked at in poor taste,“ adds Arora.
MM8JUL15
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