The first thing that you want to remember when you are at a job interview is that first impressions count. Dress appropriately for the job. No matter what, though, never wear jeans to a job interview – it doesn’t matter how casual the job is that you are applying for, jeans are inappropriate in any situation.

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Your reference sheet is important to have as well – like we stated earlier. While this will not be mailed along with your resume and cover letter, you will still need to have it on hand during an interview so that you can produce it when your potential employer asks for it.

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As we’ve said, the cover letter can be just as important as the resume, so you will want it to look as professional and intriguing as it can. We found a few sample letters online that you may want to use to refer to when crafting your own cover letters.

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You are trying to get a job and you are all ready with your resume, reference sheet, and cover letter. Before you get all excited and put your info in the mail, you will want to go through a few check points.

First and foremost, run a spell check on your computer. But don’t stop there. Read your documents over and over to make sure there are no typographical or grammatical errors. It might also help to have someone else read over them as well to be sure that it looks the way it should.

The more people who see your resume, the more likely that misspelled words and awkward phrases will be seen (and corrected).

Here is a checklist to keep in mind for your cover letter:

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The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce you and your resume as well as give some additional information about yourself to potential employers. You may also want to point out some parts of your resume you want the employer to pay special attention to.

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You will want to have several different people on hand who will vouch for you as far as your character, your work habits, your work ethics, and your general value and worth as an employee and person.

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You can choose a few different ways to word this section. If you like, it can be titled “Activities and Honors” or “Awards and Organizations”. It really is up to you. You have to tailor your resume to your specific needs as well as towards what type of job you are applying for.

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While not all resumes contain a skills section, this may be helpful when you want to emphasize the skills you have acquired from your various jobs or activities, rather than the duties, or the job title.

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This section can be set up much like the job experience section – it all really depends on what format you are choosing for your resume. This section is an important one for most students, and it is a required element of the resume. In this section, you should include:

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This is the most complex section of your resume, and it is required, although you have a great deal of freedom in the way your present your experiences. To get started on this section, make a list of your job titles and the names, dates and locations of places where you worked.

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There are two schools of thought regarding an objective statement. Some people say you shouldn’t include this on a resume because that is what your cover letter is for. Other people say that stating what you want to accomplish in your career is probably the most important part of the resume.

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The heading of your resume provides basic contact information about you. That means your name, address, any telephone numbers you are available at and your e-mail address. You can arrange this information in a variety of ways. The simple way is like this:

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In preparing your resume, the more you know about the position you are targeting, the better. If you know the company’s missions and goals, if you understand the needs of the position, if you recognize the company’s “concerns,” and if you know who comprises the company’s competition, you will be prepared. AND you (and your unique skills and experience) can meet the needs of all the above (you have accurately assessed your own value to those who have employed you in the past), you will have the material necessary to create an effective marketing piece.

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The resume is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace. Your resume has to sell you in short order.

While you may have all the requirements for a particular position, your resume is a failure if the employer does not instantly come to the conclusion that you “have what it takes.” The first hurdle your resume has to pass–whether it ends up in the “consider file” or the “reject file”–may take less than thirty seconds.

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If you’re in a pinch and need a job right now doing something in the Information Technologies industry, here’s a few quick tips to get you on your feet.

Job that is always available: Help Desk / End User Support

Help Desk, a.k.a. “Technical Support Representative” positions are a dime a dozen with a very high turnover rate. Why? Because people hate the job. However it usually pays well. This is one of those positions where they will pay you to stay. Continued