10 Advancing Women Conference Erin Stuart gave a passionate workshop session at the Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference called “Beyond the Basics: Advanced Resume and Interview Techniques for Career Growth”, which outlined strategies to help candidates not only land an interview but also set themselves up for success once they are being interviewed. Erin Stuart is a Recruitment Consultant at De Lacy Executive Recruitment, specializing in the Agriculture and Food & Beverage Processing industries. Erin works closely with candidates every day, supporting them through the interview process. “Candidates can have all the experience and skills an employer is looking for, but if they can’t effectively communicate that in the interview, the employer won’t have the chance to see it,” Erin said during her presentation. This article will provide highlights from her presentation and provide readers with some tips to help you succeed in the interview process. What You Need to Get the Interview: Your Resume and Online Profile Your resume is the bridge between being identified as a candidate and securing the interview. First impressions are made quickly, especially on paper. Start with a professional summary that highlights your key achievements and experience. Maintain a “master” version of your resume. This should include every role you have held, so when applying for a specific position, you can then tailor the resume to include the most relevant experience. Use your master version to create your online (example: LinkedIn) profile. Keep the reader’s attention by listing most impactful achievements in the first few bullet points under each role. Use metrics to quantify your success—dollar amounts or percentages have impact. For instance, instead of simply stating, “I grew sales in my territory,” say, “I grew sales in my territory by 25% ($1M) over the previous year by incorporating educational customer events.” Be mindful of terminology. If a recruiter searches online for a “Grain Merchandiser” but your profile/resume only mentions “Wheat Merchant,” you may not be identified as a candidate. Use a variety of keywords to describe your experience—such as grain, wheat, merchandising, and trading—so your profile appears in more searches. Lastly, while hobbies and personal interests can be valuable, they’re best left off your resume. Keep it professional to maintain the attention of hiring managers. You’ve Landed the Interview—Now It’s Time to Prepare You have put in the effort to perfect your resume and have secured the interview. Now comes the second critical stage: preparation. Let me ask you this: do you always give your best answer when put on the spot? Or do you perform better when you have had time to think and prepare? Preparing for the interview is all about taking that time to gather your thoughts so you feel less like you are being put on the spot. Here are some guidelines for your preparation: 1. Research the Company Look into their structure, customer base, competitors, and products/services. Knowing this information allows you to ask insightful questions during the interview, which demonstrates both your interest and preparation. If do not understand how the pieces fit - write down your questions and ask them in your interview. 2. Use the Job Description to your ddvantage Print out the Job Description and add specific examples from your experience that align with the responsibilities. If the Job Description says, “Provide training and support materials to help showcase products,” add an example like, “I created a ‘lunch and learn’ training program for clients, resulting in a 20% increase in sales and a 30% boost in weekly engagement.” By preparing these examples ahead of time, you’ll be ready for questions like, “Tell me about a time you created a successful program for a customer.” 3. Know Your Resume inside and uut Print off your resume and make notes about relevant customers, projects, or tasks that might come up during the interview. This way, when questions arise, you can quickly recall examples (with details!) and respond confidently. 4. Anticipate common interview questions Think through questions that are likely to come up, such as: • Why did you apply for this position? Address both perBEYOND THE BASICS: ADVANCED RESUME AND INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES FOR CAREER GROWTH
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