4 steps to get you noticed for that next career opportunity!

In person, over the phone, on paper and electronically, you literally have just seconds to make a positive impression. A thoughtful shift in how you present yourself at the start could go a long way toward swaying results in your direction later on:

• In your cover: Address the letter to specific hiring managers, in human resources as well as within your functional specialty. If you’re unsure who that would be, call the company, or research contacts on LinkedIn.com. Be sure to confirm the gender of each contact, as many women now have men’s names. And always check that you’re spelling their names exactly right.
• On your resume: Write it as if you’re looking through the eyes of the hiring manager. What would she want to know most about you, if she only glanced at your documents briefly? On average, a hiring manager will spend less than 10 seconds deciding if your resume is worth a closer look. Consider the position you’re targeting and be sure that all information is on point. Leave out unrelated content, and always proofread documents for errors.
• When calling: Phoning to follow up on an application can be nerve-wracking. As a result, candidates may speak too quickly, and in garbled sentences. Avoid coming across as harried and disorganized by writing out a script, and rehearse it. When you do connect, speak slowly and clearly, as if you were talking with an older relative.
• In person: Anxiety can come into play here, too, especially in the first few seconds. If making eye contact unnerves you, look at the space between their eyes instead—they won’t be able to tell—and introduce yourself with a short pause between your first and last names. This practice communicates confidence, and helps the contact to better understand how you like your name to be pronounced. And never forget the power of a smile to build rapport.

Overall, consider that when someone is learning about you for the first time, too much information too quickly can be overwhelming, so prioritize what’s most important, and deliver it effectively.