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Southern Temporary & Personnel Services
69730 State Hwy 111 • Suite 205 • Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
760-328-8585

A job applicant can approach a job interview as an intimidating exchange where the potential employer grills the applicant about his/her skills and work experience. This experience doesn’t have to be frightening — but it is important! The potential employer may be familiar with your skills and education from the resume you presented. This will be your first opportunity to make a good impression, so make sure your resume looks and sounds professional.
 
Here are a few simple tips that can help you put your best foot forward.

• Be prompt!
• Dress professionally.
• Be pleasant and cheerful.
• Shake hands warmly and look your interviewer in the eye.
• Prepare a short description of your skills and talents. No more than 2 minutes.
• Be prepared. Research the company before the interview.
• During the interview, ask questions about how you can help the employer—listen to the answers.
• Save questions about employee benefits until you need the information to make a decision about joining the firm.
• Keep discussion of personal matters to a minimum.
• Refrain from negative comments concerning previous employers. Emphasize the positive ways in which you handled a difficult situation if one existed.
• If, toward the end of the interview, you have some skills that weren’t explored in the interview, be sure to mention them. This is your chance to showcase your talents. (If you have a portfolio of your work, that’s even better!)
• Follow up within a day or two with a Thank You note to your interviewer. This will make you stand out from the crowd.

The first thing Southern Temporary & Personnel Services or any potential employer will ask for is a copy of your resume and an outline of your experience and qualifications for the job in question. Think of your resume as a one-page first impression. It is critical to project a professional image with your resume.
 
When sending a resume to a potential employer, always include a personalized cover letter summarizing your qualifications for the job and why you are particularly interested in this position.
 
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The trend in resumes today leans toward more concise and skill-oriented information. Accuracy and good taste, though, will always be in style. Use good quality white paper, readable type, and make sure that your resume will fax legibly.

Keep your resume short — preferably one page. Employers prefer a brief description of your skills and abilities.

Keep it accurate. Never lie and don’t claim skills that you don’t really have.

Give brief but accurate contact data. Include your home address, phone numbers, & e-mail. Do not include your phone number at your current position.

When job hunting, make sure your answering machine has a professional greeting. If anyone else answers your telephone, make sure they are prepared to respond and take a message in a professional manner. A clueless roommate or rude child can easily ruin your chances for an interview.

Use action words and quantify your achievements whenever possible. If you increased sales, tell how much they increased; if you signed up new clients, tell how many.

Most importantly, proofread, spell-check, and proofread again! Many employers will automatically discard any resume with a typo.                      

This style of resume is appropriate for the widest variety of positions. On it, you should list your work experience, with the most recent position listed first.

Include the following elements in your resume:

Heading — your name and contact information.

Objective — should be customized for each position.

Education — beyond high school, your most advanced degree should come first. List the institutions, degrees, and areas of study.

Experience — including job title, employer, location, dates, and responsibilities. Put most recent job first.

Skills — including your experience with different computer applications, typing speed, etc.

Special Skills — including your fluency in a foreign language, public speaking, or perhaps an unusual computer application.

Professional Affiliations — if you belong to any professional organizations, list them, along with your dates of membership. If you were a board member or officer, be sure to include that information too.