You have the talent, and perhaps the experience, now you just need employers to know it. Whether you’re a seasoned produce pro that’s ready for the next chapter, or just starting in the industry with limited or no experience, getting your foot in the right door can be a challenge.
When you use a search agency, aka “headhunter” or “recruiter,” you partner with a company that has professionals who know the industry, and who spend the time to understand your background and skills, as well as your objectives and criteria.
Everyone knows you need a resume, and sometimes a cover letter, and to practice interview skills before coming face-to-face with your potential future employer, but what about the rest?
Here are the steps you do not want to skip in your search for the perfect job in produce:
An Industry-Specific Employment and Recruitment Portal
Enlisting the professional help of an industry-specific pro, like Joe Produce for example, presents you with the full package of job-seeking necessities, including resume services, easy-to-access and apply job listings specific to the produce industry, and the inside track to a huge network of produce and produce-related companies.
A Plan
The internet is an incredibly useful tool that can minimize your work and time, and maximize your reach. It can also be overwhelming at times. So, make a plan. Know your targets and objectives, what you want and what you don’t want. This can be company and job types, geography/locations, compensation, and any other criteria that is specifically important to you.
The resume can make a difference
Your resume is often the first impression an employer has of you, so make it a good one!
A good resume is a necessity, and if you don’t know what a good resume is you can find out through your own research, have someone help you, or hire a professional resume writer to do it for you. It’s a competitive world out there, and people with poor resumes oftentimes “start the race in the back row.”
Once you have a great resume, make sure you update it periodically. Check out JoeProResumes.com for sample resumes.
Clean Up Your Social Media
While your Facebook and Twitter accounts may be yours, they are also your future employer’s best window into who you are outside of work. If you were really a “train wreck” in college, for example, you may have some work ahead of you. There are even third-party Apps and services that clean up social media.
Making sure your privacy settings are up-to-date, that the photos and posts you are tagged in are things you’re comfortable with your future boss seeing, and that your profile pictures are presentable in a professional capacity are a few ways to make sure that a fun night out doesn’t bar you from the job of your dreams.
Sample Interview Questions & Possible Answers
It may be cliche, but practice really does make perfect… or at least darn good! Though it may seem you can’t predict what your employer will ask you, there is a compilation of information that says quite the contrary.
Some of the more popular interview questions include: asking about your personal weaknesses, why you want the position you’re interviewing for, what you can offer that other candidates cannot, and what are some positive/negative things your previous employer/co-workers might say about you.
While these may seem easy to answer, practicing a general but genuine response to these topics beforehand can help you to be much better prepared going in.
Take care of your health
Looking and feeling good will help exude positive energy in your interviews. Drink water, eat right, and get in some exercise. Something as simple as a daily walk will make you a better candidate, as well as make you more confident about yourself as a potential employee!
Post-Interview Follow-up
Yes, it’s important to follow up with your interviewer. Upon returning home from your interview, send an email thanking them for their time and consideration. This is also a great time to let them know that you would like to join their team and make a difference. Mentioning something that was discussed in the meeting is also a nice personal touch, and can be a brief opportunity to reiterate one of your assets.
Too often we forget how far a simple “thank you” can go, and showing gratitude for the chance to meet with this person will show them that you recognize and appreciate that chance, as well as truly wanting the position.
By the way, I recently just received a handwritten thank you card from someone. It made my day, and impressed me that she took the extra time and postage to send me a card. (“Thank you” back to her… you know who you are!)
Network, Network, Network
Though enlisting an industry-specific pro like Joe Produce’s professional assistance can help, reaching out to those you know is still a valuable strategy in finding a great job. If you’re still employed elsewhere, that will be a shorter list of very trusted souls.
Checklist
- An outline of your desired position.
- An industry-specific employment and recruitment portal.
- An up-to-date resume.
- An up-to-date cover letter with room to address the specific needs of the position you are applying for.
- All social media modified for employer internet checks.
- An updated LinkedIn Profile and work-appropriate photo.
- Sample interview questions and possible answers.
- A list of followup information post interview (i.e. the name and contact information of your interviewer) to thank for the opportunity.
