5 Tips for Securing a Job

This guest post is by Dr. Michael Provitera (aka "DocProv"), a motivational and organizational behavior expert. With his 15 years of executive experience on Wall Street coupled with his doctorate in management, he wrote two books about mastering self-motivation. One is for people hoping to become more motivated; the other is for executives who would like to discover ways to motivate themselves and their followers.

Job seekers are facing a competitive job market. A motivational mindset will help job candidates set themselves apart from others and be the candidate that hiring managers want to see. Here are five tips to help you secure a job in 2013.

Check your personality.

Job seekers today must have a great deal of skill coupled with an excellent personality. People hire people. Think of yourself sitting with your family at a get-together. People are smiling, positive, and willing to talk to you. That is how you have to appear to the hiring team -- be someone that others want to be around. Listen to others before talking about yourself, and if you are asked a question, be brief, get to the core of the question, and speak very little about yourself.

Check your image.

In most cases, you will be interviewed by three or more people. Do not show up with a glamour shot, but look your best -- dress for success. A navy blue suit with a white shirt is always a safe choice. Make sure your shoes are polished; if you wear jewelry, make sure it’s not too flashy. Hiring managers look for clean-cut, professional candidates with high self-esteem and self-efficacy. You get only one chance for a first impression, and each person you speak with, even in the elevator, could be the key to your success, so be ready.

Prepare yourself.

Be prepared and confident so that you will be able to get in, break in and fit in. In order to get in to the company or position you desire, you must separate yourself from others and stand out -- and be able to show this in an interview. Breaking in includes matching your skills to the job. Let the interviewer know that you did your research to identify how your skills are perfect for the job. Fitting in involves being a team player, socializing, and navigating the office culture.

Know your own history.

Be prepared to talk about yourself in a positive way. Have past positions in mind that you can refer to, and prepare a list of people you can mention as having had an effect on you or who taught you something. Have ready a short story that highlights how you motivated others to accomplish a task or led a group of people to accomplish their goals.

Ask for the job.

You cannot ask for the job after the interview -- the interview is your chance to ask for the job. Let the hiring manager know that you are ready to join the team. Asking for the job is important because it shows that you are assertive. A savvy job candidate must determine the needs and preferences of the company, and mastering self-motivation can help identify key selling points that set you apart from your competitors. This holds true for almost any worker at any job, no matter what point you are at in your career.