For job seekers, nothing is more frustrating than getting multiple interviews with a company and then not getting a job offer.
If your resume made it past the machine and your interviews are going well, why are you getting turned down? Unfortunately, it’s probably because the recruiters decided to go with a candidate who is more qualified. So if you want to be the person receiving the job offer, work towards becoming the more qualified candidate.
Maybe most jobs you’re applying to require basic HTML knowledge, or maybe they prefer someone who implements SEO best practices—both of which you know absolutely nothing about. Instead of going through the entire recruiting process only to get turned away, work on attaining the experience credentials you need. No matter what you need to know, these tools can help you learn it:
Free Online Courses
Missing a hard resume skill such as graphic design, physics, or even a new language? Take advantage of free online courses. EdX offers free online classes from prominent and highly accredited colleges like Harvard University and Berkley, and you can browse its online classes by subject and level. Another popular resource is Khan Academy, which offers self-paced courses for various subjects. If you’re the kind of student that likes collaborating with and learning from peers, Open2Study allows you to connect with your classmates. Even if you’ve already graduated, or you’ve never taken a college class in your life, free online classes are available to you.
Webinars
If you’re guilty of binge watching television series on Netflix, replace this habit with one that will truly benefit your future: watching webinars. No matter what you want to learn, there’s likely a webinar to teach it to you. These are a great resource to become more knowledgeable about a specific industry or topic (which can also help you ace your interviews!). Also, if you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, webinars can help ensure that you’re up-to-date on the latest best practices and lingo. Sites like WebEx offer a huge collection of free webinars, all of which are pre-recorded so that you can watch them whenever is most convenient. There are also career-specific webinar sites, such as edWeb for teachers, that connect you with an entire online community of learners and educators.
Online Certifications
When you apply to a job, there’s usually a section where you can mention any certifications you’ve received. If you normally just leave this section blank, this is a huge missed opportunity. Gaining certifications and including them in your application can help you stand out from those several other candidates who don’t have a single one. For example, if you’re in the digital marketing industry, becoming Google Analytics and Adwords certified can definitely impress employers. Or, if you work in IT, completing a few of GoCertify’s technology certifications will help differentiate you from other candidates. Just do some basic research to find the certification that will benefit you most, and then start working towards attaining it.
Digital and Print Books
According to Statista, the United States has the largest publishing industry in the world. With so many print and electronic books available to us, we have an amazing opportunity to read and learn almost anything. If you’re trying to learn something difficult quickly, the famous For Dummies books published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. can come in handy. If you’re an audio learner (or if you just spend a lot of time in your car), check out audiobooks from Learn Out Loud. You can even download free ebooks from websites like Many Books so that you can read books on your smartphone. To read books and gain knowledge even faster, consider taking a speed reading course.
Online Tutorials
Not surprisingly, most employers prefer candidates who have experience with programs that the company already uses. This is why some job postings say things like “Adobe Photoshop experience a plus” or “experience with HubSpot required.” If you’re applying to positions that use certain programs you aren’t familiar with, watch online tutorials to learn how to use them. Websites like Lynda and even YouTube can offer tutorials that guide you every step of the way. If you have a multiple screen workspace, practice what’s happening in the tutorial as you watch it to get hands-on experience.
If you’re tired of being the under-qualified candidate, take initiative to attain the experience you need. By taking advantage of online tools, certifications, and classes, you can improve your resume and get the upper hand in the recruiting process. And the best part? Once you become a more qualified candidate, you can even go after those positions you’ve always dreamed of applying to.
What are you doing right now to prepare yourself for your dream career?