Landing your dream job is hard work. At its most basic level, it takes a lot of research, networking, and time. But when you add in the fact that not every job posting gets thousands of applicants — and many don’t get any at all — you might feel like there’s no way to break through the noise and stand out from the crowd. Not so! With these tips for how to get an interview, I’m going to walk you through everything from writing a stellar resume to reaching out directly to hiring managers. Once you’ve mastered these techniques as well as some basic networking skills (and maybe even learned how not to be afraid of rejection), then it’ll be time for me to say “goodbye” and wish you well on your journey toward securing future interviews — starting with this one!

Do your research.

The first step to getting an interview is doing your research. Researching the company and its mission will give you some insight into what they are looking for in a candidate, and it can help set the stage for a productive conversation with your interviewer.

You should also research the position itself–what do they expect from someone who fills this role? What skills are needed? Are there any requirements (e.g., degrees or certifications) that would make applicants stand out?

Finally, do some digging into the hiring manager’s background and experience so that when you show up for an interview, you know as much about them as possible!

Write a stellar resume.

If you’ve been looking for a job, you know that the first step to getting an interview is writing a stellar resume. A good resume can make or break your chances of landing a job offer, so it’s important that yours contains all the right information and is formatted correctly.

Here are some tips on how to write an effective one:

• Your resume should be a summary of your career to date–not an exhaustive list of every single thing you’ve ever done in life! In other words, don’t include irrelevant details about previous jobs or volunteer positions unless they’re directly related to the position for which you’re applying. For example: if I’m applying for an accounting position at McDonalds and I worked as an accountant for my church last year (which has nothing whatsoever do with fast food), then I shouldn’t put this factoid on my resume because it doesn’t show how well prepared I am for working as an accountant at McDonalds (and besides–no one cares). However…if my current job involves managing finances and accounting processes at our company headquarters but only lasted six months before we were bought out by another firm who brought in their own team members instead…then yes! That would be relevant info worth mentioning on page two under “Work Experience” because it shows why we really need someone like me around here now more than ever before.”

Network with the right people.

The most effective way to get a job is by networking. But what does this mean?

Networking is about building relationships with people in your industry, as well as those outside of it. The more people you know who can help you, the better off you’ll be when applying for jobs and securing interviews.

So how do you go about networking? Think about all the people who could potentially help you land an interview: friends, family members, colleagues at work (both current and former), mentors–the list goes on! Once again, think back on all the connections that exist in your life and consider how they might benefit from helping out their friend/relative/colleague/mentee/etc., aka YOU!

Once again though: don’t forget those outside-the-box options too! If there’s someone who works at another company or organization but happens not have any direct connection with yours yet still wants to help out because he thinks highly enough of himself…well then why not take advantage? After all he may end up being exactly what gets between “possible” and “probable” when it comes down selecting candidates from among hundreds vying for just one opening; so why not let him try his luck out?”

Reach out to hiring managers directly.

• Use LinkedIn or other professional networking sites to find the right person, and then reach out by email or phone.
• Make sure you have the hiring manager’s contact information before you do this–don’t just wing it!
• Don’t be afraid to reach out; the worst thing that can happen is that they say no, but if they do say yes and then hire someone else who didn’t ask first…well…that would be pretty bad too!

Don’t send a generic email with your resume attached (it will probably get lost). Instead, explain why YOU want this job at THEIR company specifically (and don’t just say “I love what y’all do”) – mention something specific about one of their products/services/products/services…or even better: tell them about yourself and how YOU could help THEM achieve THEIR goals within 6 months.

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.

If you’re like most people, you probably hate asking for feedback. You think it’s a sign of weakness or that it makes you look like an amateur. But if you want to get hired, there’s no reason not to ask for feedback at some point during the hiring process–and here are three reasons why:

• You can learn from it and improve your interview skills (e.g., how well did I answer that question?)
• You can use it as an opportunity to ask more questions (e.g., what else should I know about this company/position?)
• It could help secure an offer

Focus on your personal brand.

The first step to getting an interview is to make sure you are presenting yourself in a way that makes you stand out from the crowd. A personal brand is a way to do this, but it’s also something we can all do better at! If your resume and cover letter are strong, but don’t include any information about how you’re different from other applicants (e.g., what sets you apart), then there’s no reason for someone on the other end of their computer screen or phone call with their HR department not just cutting-and-pasting those documents into some sort of database where they’ll never see them again.

A good way to start thinking about creating your own personal brand is by looking at what companies do when trying create one for themselves–especially ones that have done well enough so as not only survive but thrive over time. For example: Apple has always been known as being cool/hipstery/”cool” in general (I’m sorry if I offended anyone). You may love or hate their products (or both), but there’s no denying that when people think about Apple…they think about style + innovation + quality + fun(ny ads).

With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to landing an interview, and hopefully a job offer!

Now that you know how to get an interview, it’s time to start applying! Here are some key tips:

• Make sure you do your research. There are tons of resources out there on the internet that can help you learn about companies and positions, but don’t just look for information about a company or position–also look into their employees. Find out what people working there like doing in their spare time and what they think about certain issues affecting the industry as a whole. This will help give them a better idea of who they’re interviewing when they meet with potential candidates like yourself later down the line!
• Write an excellent resume (and cover letter). If someone sees something wrong with one part of their application package–whether it’s how long ago they graduated college or whether or not they spelled their name right–it could hurt them badly enough during this stage that no amount of networking skills would make up for it later on down this process called “The Hiring Process” which usually takes place over several months/years depending on where exactly these things happen inside companies’ walls; so try not making any mistakes at all by double checking everything carefully before sending off anything else related too closely related topics such

You now have the tools to get an interview. The most important thing is to follow these tips and do your research. Remember that there are many ways to get in touch with hiring managers, so don’t be afraid if one approach doesn’t work out for you. You can always try another one!