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How to Win in the Denver Job Market

Contributed by: Mia McKenzie on 7/17/2007

I teach people, among other things, how to interview for a job they really want and get it. I am the owner of a small business here in Denver, McK Scribe, that provides writing workshops, including a writing-based workshop that teaches participants how to close the gap between job interviews and job offers. I'm always surprised at how many people, even once they identify the position they want, and even secure an interview, don't know how to actually land the job.

This month, the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC) reported that Colorado is the seventh largest state economy in the nation, and total employment in Metro Denver increased by 12,600 positions from April to May of this year. With these rankings being above the national average, the job market for Denverites is great right now. Still, somehow, there are a lot of folks who can't seem to snag the job they really want. Even with the Colorado economy booming, competition for jobs is still very tough. Employers get hundreds of resumes for the jobs they post.

So, how does one separate oneself from the pack and snag not just any job, but the job one really wants?

I have a knack, I don't mind telling you, for landing really great jobs. At the risk of sounding immodest, I am better than most people at finding a job I want and getting it. I research what's out there. I identify the job I want. I land an interview. I secure an offer. Bing. Bam. Boom. Since I moved to Denver four years ago, I have been offered nearly every position I have interviewed for. And it's been up to me to decide which offers to accept. Even in cases where others had just as much, or even a little more, experience, I am the one who came away with the offer.

The reason for this is simple, really. I interview well. Better than well. I interview extraordinarily well. So extraordinarily well that in my current job I teach other people how to ace interviews.

Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver EDC stated that, "It is apparent that the region is benefiting from a sustainable and competitive economic environment." In this kind of flourishing job market, it is essential that serious job-seekers understand the art of the interview, so that they can make themselves stand out. Really, when it comes to interviewing, there are two things you must do to ace any interview.

#1: Be prepared. Sure, it sounds obvious enough, but too many job-seekers don't take it to heart. What it means, first, is that you must do your homework. Your potential employer wants to see that you didn't just stumble into their office as one in a long line of random positions you're applying for. They want to know just how much working for them means to you. So, take the time to do your research, find out what they're about. Interviewers love it when you can tell them about their company.

That's just one way you need to be prepared, and there are tons of other ways. The goal is to be so prepared that you are the one in control of the interview. That may sound impossible, but it's not. When I go in for an interview, I already know exactly how it's going to go. And, guess what? It always goes how I want it to.

#2: Be yourself. This one is very difficult if you don't have tip #1 down. When you're prepared, really prepared, you'll be relaxed, instead of being a nervous wreck, and it's only when you're relaxed that you can be your charming self. When interviewers get to see who you are, and they like you, they are much more likely to want to work with you, even if another guy has a couple more years experience. Remember, their goal is to hire someone who not only has the experience and skills, but someone they can work with, and hopefully for a long time.

Landing the job you really want definitely has a lot to do with your resume, but that's only part of it. Once you're in the interview seat, your resume doesn't matter anymore. If it did, you'd have got the job without needing the interview. Once you're sitting across from your interviewer, what matters is who you are and how much they like you. It's all about being prepared so you can be yourself.

For more on how to snag the job you really want, visit www.mckscribe.com, and check out our Job Interviewing Intensive Workshop.

written by Mia McKenzie
www.mckscribe.com






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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Mia McKenzie

Denver , CO

Mia McKenzie has posted 4 stories and 0 comments since joining on 11/20/2006. Mia McKenzie's average story rating is 5.
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