Pima County One Stop is open and free to everyone in the county.
One of its many resources is providing tips and tricks to get your foot in the door for the job you want.
“We do want you to apply as quickly as you can. But also keep in mind that just because it's late, and maybe it's only a day or two, you should that should not discourage you from applying. The only way you're not going to be considered is that you don't apply. So make sure you apply anyway, make sure you fill out the application completely and follow instructions because each company is different,” said Patty Short, Pima County One Stop’s program coordinator for training.
Do your research on the job and apply using the keywords used by that company. Short says more often than not if you apply online, many companies use computer programs to weed out applicants before the application gets to a physical person.
“They don't look for meaning in words, they look for the words themselves. They're not going to interpret anything, they're going to go and look for the keywords. You need to make sure that you use the same ones they use. So they know that you will have the skills that they're looking for. If you use different wording. And sometimes we're tempted to make it sound better. It's not helpful,” said Short.
And with that research, Short says you can set yourself up to be in the best position when it comes time for the interview.
“What we tell our clients is that by the time you make it to an interview, you already made it through the first cut. Make sure you know what the company is about. Make sure you know what their values are. So all those little things know what the culture is about know what's going to give you that little bit of an edge to separate yourself from all the other people who are already applying,” said Short.
Pima County One Stop has several skills classes, resume building services, and folks who are available to help you in your job search.
