3 bold moves for getting the interview

3 bold moves for getting the interview3 bold moves for getting the interviewHow do you grab a recruiters attention to get the job interview? Be different1. Ditch the Cover Letter. Write aPain Letter instead.Though it sounds painful, a Pain Letter is a simple-yet-groundbreaking alternative to the formulaic titelseite letter. Instead of writing about yourself, you focus on a specific challenge that you know the company has been facing, and explain what you would do to help find a solution.When hiring managers see a Pain Letter, they automatically know your intentions are solid and you know the company well. Theyll also know thata) You did your researchb) You are a bold problem solverc) You have a vision for both the company and the role you want to play in itInstead of presenting yourself as a possible new hire for the recruiter to mold into a seasoned employee, present yourself as a sharp potential team member who already has fresh ideas for the team you want to join.2. Finda personal reference and email the recruiter directly.You cant always counton the system. Sometimes sending your letter to hrpeoplecoolcompany.com will fail you. Instead, dont be afraid to directly email the recruiter by connecting with them online, or if youre lucky, through a mutual friend or colleague.Be intentional but also considerate in the way you make an introduction. Instead of just asking this person for a favor, emphasize how specifically you can serve their company through the role you are vying for. Referring back to tip 1, show that you have a vision for the company and the role, and genuine passion and value to bring to the table.Heres an example of what this email could look likeHi Miranda,I am an applicant for the social media director position at your company, and I came across your contact information and website profile after seeing your post on your innovative approach to increasing brand awareness through video and audio streaming advertising with Periscope. During my ti me as an intern, I pioneered a video streaming advertisement strategy that the company is now using. I am sending you a link to some of my project samples.As you can see, the brand was able to benefit considerably from the 30% increase in readership and clicks. I was very excited that your article highlighted and predicted the benefits of this innovative strategy. Please let me know if you are interested in more details I would also appreciateany help from you in my application process for this role.Sincerely,Jordan Michael3. Dont jump on the resume bandwagon - make a portfolio instead.As appealing as the idea is of making a cool music video or Game of Thrones-themed infographic to tell your career story, being cute and gimmicky on your resume usually doesnt fly. Many hiring managers are not amused by bright and flowery attention-grabbers on what should be a clear-cut document. For most, visuals (even a profile picture) can be highly distracting from what really matters on your res ume.Nonetheless, if you are creatively/artistically-inclined, and your aesthetic sense/design talents are highly relevant to the position youre applying for, by all means show it off create a portfolio of your work. This is an appropriate medium to pull out those infographics and SlideShare skills, or even deviantART projects. Treat this as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd,bring your application to life in an especially impressive way,and showoff all of yourrelevant skills. By submitting a portfolio, youre not only displaying tangible examples of what you can bring to the table, youre also showing that you are willing to go the extra mileto land theposition.If you do decide to do this, make aya you highlight just a few of your most recent and outstanding projects, instead of just compiling all the work youve done since 10th grade into one large, messy folder. Use portfolio sites to help you achieve the most professional, sleekest look possible. (Some popular sites are Squa reSpace,CargoCollective, andCarbonnade.)Tried-and-true methods are always a trusty go-to, but sometimes the road less traveled by can lead to unexpectedly positive results. Heres to achievingthat breakthrough in the new year