Do you have what it takes to make a phenomenal first impression in only 10 seconds? 

The business community makes decisions quickly.  When you present your résumé or yourself at an interview - you have 10 seconds to make a great first impression.  Résumés and personal appearance are the two things in life where there are no do-overs.  How we present ourselves in person or on paper is very important whether we like it or not.  It is very important to make a good impression and KCDEE can offer the following advice.

Résumés - The rules are simple:

• Ask a professional to review it – this is often a free service at an Illinois workNet Center in Elgin, DeKalb and North Aurora. Take advantage of it.
• Keep it current – if you obtain a new skill, job title or duty, or education include it.
• Use a style that best suits your experiences – functional, chronological or a combination
• Proofread – in addition to a professional reviewing it, make sure that your résumé is grammatically correct and that all spelling reflects the correct content and intent.  The number 1 complaint by Human Resources professionals is spelling errors on résumés and applications.
• Customized – if possible do not send out a generic résumé.  By including something from the job listing in your objectives and featuring experiences that show you meet the qualifications needed for the job, you could find yourself in the interview seat.

Appearance – The rules are not as simple:

It is a good idea to match your attire to the workplace for which you are interviewing – but take it up a notch. Research what the attire is at a company prior to selecting your interview attire.

• Try visiting the employee entrances at the start or end of the workday to see what the employees are wearing to work.  Friday may not be the best day because many places have a dress-down day.
• When you schedule the interview, ask what would be appropriate attire. 
• Call the human resources department to ask about the company’s dress code.

In a more professional environment, suits are back!  Men need to wear a suit, tie and dress shirt and shoes. Women may wear a suit with a skirt or slacks, but if you wear a skirt, make sure that it is long enough to sit comfortably during the interview.

More casual environments may allow dress slacks, shirt and tie for men or slacks/skirt and blouse for women.  Whatever your decisions make sure that your clothing is clean, fits well, and is not loud and garish.  Basic grooming is important – clean hair, nails and hands, no gum, candy or cigarettes, limit the jewelry, cologne, make-up, and visible body piercings or tattoos. 

Youth – A good way to approach the job search is to be prepared to be interviewed on the spot when you ask for or turn in an application.  With many businesses, if there is a Help Wanted sign on display, they are ready to hire.  If you are dressed in a respectful manner – perhaps khakis, dress shirt/tie or blouse - you may find yourself being interviewed right away.  It will definitely have you walking away with more applications to fill out.

How we can help – We offer many resources to help you gain a new position.  The Employment and Training Representatives at Kane County Department of Employment and Education can help you find all the information you need to dress for success, make your resume stand-out, write compelling cover letters, and ace an interview.