www.fastcompany.com: When you’re looking for a new job there’s a lot to figure out: What information should you include on your résumé and what do you need to trim? Is a cover letter really necessary? What are the best answers to the most common interview questions? Do you really need to send a thank-you note?
9 comments:
I love reading articles like this about getting a job or interviews, and although they are all very similar, they often have a couple tips that stand out and are really helpful. Having the practice in Production Planning really helped, but I also wish that I got training when I was in high school so I could better prepare for my college interviews. I never had to write a cover letter before, and many of the articles online aren’t as helpful as you think, but this one is actually helpful, and it tells me what the main purpose of the cover letter is. Also know what each question is/ what its purpose is is also helpful, as I can better answer the question. I never knew you could even send a thank you note after an interview, but I mean, if someone really wanted the job, I don’t see why they shouldn’t do so and boost their chances.
Before heading off to grad school, I got my feet wet working with a bunch of different production teams. Interestingly enough, even though I bounced around between teams quite a bit, I only ever had to sit down for a formal job interview once. It turns out, in the theater world, a lot of the time, jobs just kind of come to you through people you know, like your colleagues or the folks producing the shows. But that doesn't mean the advice in this article isn't super useful to me. Sooner or later, everyone's got to face their first real interview, especially in this industry. Plus, if you're thinking about switching things up, say from managing what happens backstage to taking charge of the whole production, you're definitely going to need to chat with some people in interviews. Getting a handle on what makes a good interview can really make a difference, so I'm all ears for any tips on how to nail those tricky interview questions and make a great impression.
I always enjoy reading articles that are centered around jobs, resumes and interviews because I like to see if there are new perspectives or insights into how one should approach these things and also keep up with industry standards and trends. After learning about what should be included in a resume in production planning it was interesting to see another perspective on how a resume should be structured and what should be included. I also think that it is important to note that the article did say that cover letters are important even though it recognized the divide as to whether or not it is still necessary in today's world. I also think that it is interesting to read the article's thoughts on talking about questions like “where do you see yourself in five years” and “what is your greatest weakness” . Often the suggested way to answer those questions is so different depending on what you are reading.
This was a good refresher on how to approach the job scene. I think applying for jobs can be stressful and make you feel like a cog in the machine writing the same things over and over that a thousand other people are probably saying for the same job. While I think the tips and instructions in this article are standard and solid, I will say sometimes the ability to get your “dream job” will never be contingent on how good your resume or cover letter looks–but by who you know and where you are. I’ve had friends lose jobs in final rounds of hiring to people who are related to someone on the staff or who have parents with a foot in the industry. Also sometimes dream jobs come easier based on who you are racially and on other levels of identity that may come across to hiring staff in the interview process. No matter what the companies’ five-sentence, bolded racial justice and equity employment statement is, there will always be a barrier to entry in this industry in America to non-white folks.
I have been trying to figure out what to do over the summer, but I have been having difficulty so far. I applied for an internship at American Ballet Theatre, and this application was a bit tricky for me to figure out. I have a resume of my performing experience and I also have a resume of my work experience that mostly includes design and production. However, I was not applying to a job related to design and production, and they wanted someone with a preferably strong background in dance. This left me very unsure of which resume to send in. Also, performing resumes and work resumes have such a different format, I did not know what they expected or how to make adjustments accordingly. I think that having information on what questions you should ask yourself before you go on the hunt for a job was really helpful. I definitely did this by recognizing that I did not want a design job this summer. I also did not necessarily want to do something in design and production, however, I did want to do something related to theatre.
I have always had trouble when trying to put together a resume and cover letter to try and sell myself for the job I'm going for. I do not have an insane amount of job experience, but I have worked more jobs than will fit on one page of a resume. This is always a challenge to try and figure out what jobs I should show together to give me the best chance of getting a job. It is a similar feeling when it comes to cover letters, I just never know what is the best things to say in order to show that I could be a good fit at a company. I don't think that anyone ever really feels comfortable doing this for a job they really want, as it's nerve racking to try and respresent yourself fully on basically just 2 pieces of paper. I do love seeing and reading articles like these because the more I can understand what other people do, the better chance I have at understanding what collection of items to show in order to get a job I want.
This is actually really helpful! I know that we already know how to make resumes and cover letters in class, but other tips could obviously help. I think that a job search is actually really hard and takes lots of time. genuinely the things about this summer are stressing me out so much, and I know they are stressing other people up as well. However they definitely are necessary. I think this is because it is such a good skill to learn how to hunt for a job instead of just getting handed them. it's really important to go through the process of making resumes and cover letters so you can know where your actual skills lie, and so you can see what companies really align with your values. In AREPT we learn a lot about matching company values to their actual actions in the world. This is really pivotal in Job searches and you have to research not only the company you're working for, but honestly you have to research yourself. you have to learn how to sell yourself in the best way possible, and honestly some of that comes from self searching.
Job searching as well as the interview process is one that must be mastered for anyone looking to be successful in any field. A first impression, and many times only impression should be a lasting one. One that someone can look back on and feel confident about since they are deciding if they should hire you. Also, it is all about trust, trusting your resume is honest and reflective of your skills, the interview is the ‘real’ you and you are not putting on a facade. It is a stressful process as well, one moment can alter your future. In this article, they say to have a great resume and cover letter, have a perfect interview, and, be polite with a thank you note. I agree with this and will be looking to this when interviewing for jobs I'm interested in. In my industry especially, my future bosses will be trusting me for my work ethic, skills, and creativity.
GETTING A JOB IS HARD!! Finding a job in itself is hard; what is reputable? What will advance my resume? What do I value in a job? The questions that this article offers in the “job search” section are questions that I have definitely asked myself when looking for jobs in the past, especially now as I am looking more at launching myself into the industry. Crafting a resume has been, admittedly, one of my favorite parts of looking for a job. Making a resume has been fun for me in the past. Writing a cover letter has always been painstaking and difficult. The hardest part is securing that highly coveted interview; and from there a lot of the time it has been smooth sailing. I am interested in seeing how my past experiences in securing jobs differs as I get older and get more opportunities.
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