Applying for your dream job or internship for Summer 2021? Here are 5 tips to being successful and helping leverage yourself during the interview & job application process! Whether you’re a college student or a recent graduate, these tips will allow you to have a chance of being more likely to being hired (of course, these are designed by a marketing student more for a marketing/social/community career – always do what your gut tells you to do)!
#1 Be Yourself.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to applying for jobs is simply: being yourself. If you are applying for a job or in an interview and put on a characteristic/personality that isn’t you, then why are you even bothering to apply? Interviews are not just the candidates being interviewed, but you, yourself, actually seeing if the company is a good fit for you as well. Be genuine and be real! Especially in the gaming/esports industry, it’s super obvious when candidates are being fake, or “networking” with someone just to get a job offer.
#2 Be Confident.
When it comes to the interview and being asked questions/asked to talk about yourself or why you want to work at the specific company: be confident! I understand the first few interviews can be intimidating, but if you’re having trouble finding the confidence simply fake it till you make it babeeeyyy. In seriousness, make sure you practice beforehand so that way you know what you’re talking about! This goes a long way should an employer be looking to analyze how your responses align with their job description & ideal candidate.
#3 Stand Out.
Stand out, stand out, stand out! Think about it, what specifically is setting you differently from another candidate? Could it be your degree? Or could you both have the same education and now you’re on the line for an ultimate dual for getting the job…. You will want to make sure to develop ways for you to stand out to employers, that way if they’re going through a few hundred applicants/day, they’re able to remember who you are, your name, and why you’re the best candidate for the position. Great ways to stand out include having a well-developed personal brand, active social media account(s), a personal website or blog, content creation like youtube or twitch, etc.
#4 Be Proactive.
This is a huge one, and employers at so many companies are constantly looking for applicants who are able to exert this priceless skill: proactivity. Recognize where you can improve individually and leverage yourself for the position. Let me give you an example: You are applying for a social media specialist position at X Esports, before your interview you decide to type up and print out some notes on ideas they can do new social media activations, increase engagement, and reach new company goals/milestones. This shows to the hiring manager that you were proactive enough and dedicated enough to take the time to come up with some creative ideas – they’ll definitely love this.
#5 Be Positive & Thankful.
And of course, be sure to stay positive and thankful throughout the application process. When you are done with your interview, drop an email or message to who you just interviewed with thanking them for their time (because they chose to interview you). In addition, be sure to respect hiring managers’ & employees’ times when it comes to interviews. Try not to go over if they’ve set the interview up for only X minutes, as they’re most likely on a tight schedule getting through everyone. And finally, be positive. Regardless of the job decision, know that you did your best and there will be other opportunities to come! Still sending a follow-up thank you even when you receive a rejection email can show to the employer that you’re not easily tempered, respect their decision, and are left on good terms (p.s. – I’ve heard doing this has even made hiring managers reconsider the rejection decision)!
Conclusion.
So there you go, 5 successful tips on helping you through the application process! These are all skills you can start working on now before your next interview. So what are you waiting, it’s time to get improving! Have a question or want more advice? Drop me a tweet at @erictigerawr.
