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Job hunting? 3 ways Microsoft can help you make a good first impression

First impressions matter. Especially when you’re looking for a job. It's why we fuss over the right verbs in our résumés and rehearse our introductions. Every detail matters at every stage of the process, and here’s how Microsoft can help.

From a recruiter’s first look at your résumé or LinkedIn profile to job interview tips, Microsoft has what you need to help you present your best self and make that great first impression.

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1. Create a well-designed, well-written résumé with Word

Start with Microsoft Word to make a professional-looking résumé that catches a recruiter’s eye.

Word’s free résumé templates are beautifully designed and easily customizable, giving any job seeker a great starting point to stand out from the competition. Let Word take care of the formatting—you can focus on the content. That’s where the Résumé Assistant tool comes in when you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Integrated as a panel in Word as you edit your file, the tool enables you to look up roles in specific industries to see top skills related to that role.

You can then use them as inspiration for your own description. For example, if you’re seeking a role as a project manager in marketing, you can use Résumé Assistant to receive suggestions regarding work experience summary, skills, and other relevant content available on LinkedIn.

Once you’ve built your résumé, you can use Microsoft Editor to scan your résumé for mistakes. The tool looks out for résumé-specific style issues such as first-person references, vague verbs, awkward expressions, and more. Remember: When it comes to presenting your best self, polish is vital.

Resume featuring a picture, bio, key statistics, and education

Make résumés that help get interviews

With more than 100 résumé templates for free, you’re bound to find one that catches eyes.

DISCOVER RÉSUMÉ TEMPLATES

2. Build your professional identity with a great LinkedIn profile

These days, recruiters or hiring managers often search the internet for your name when they receive your résumé or are considering you for a role. Make sure they like what they see by making your LinkedIn profile as compelling as possible.

Sure, you may know how to make a résumé. But the next step is about telling a story that says you’re the perfect candidate for the job. What better platform to broadcast it to potential employers than LinkedIn? With 690 million members (and counting), it’s the world’s largest professional network by far. And it’s the first stop for many who want to get connected, stay informed, and get hired.

Tyrona Heath, global lead of LinkedIn's B2B Institute, offers a few tips on how you can improve your profile:

Add a photo that suits your profession. Did you know adding a photo results in 21 times more profile views and nine times more connection requests?
Draft a compelling summary. This is not only an opportunity to tell your story, but also to weave in searchable keywords based on the job you want.
Detail your work experience. Profiles with more than one position listed are 12 times more likely to be viewed! If you need help writing a description, just use Résumé Assistant.
List your skills. Including at least 5 of your skills gets you up to to 31x more messages from recruiters and others who can help you get ahead.

Brown haired woman in denim jacket and red shirt dancing

Why you shouldn’t tackle a LinkedIn profile like a résumé

Get tips on how to add work examples, to showcase career accomplishments, and to list aspirations. Plus, check out phrases and language that can help tell your personal story.

ROCK YOUR PROFILE

3. Prepare for your interview with Presenter Coach

Why just rehearse in front of the mirror when all it can do is show your reflection? Instead, you can rehearse and get job interview tips from Presenter Coach, accessible via LinkedIn Interview Prep or PowerPoint! By using artificial intelligence (AI), Presenter Coach can record and give you feedback on your delivery for a presentation, interview or simply how you present yourself. Here are a few things Presenter Coach checks:

Words per minute
Filler words like “ums” and “ers” and frequency
Non-inclusive terms and phrases, like “you guys” or “best man for the job”
Originality, helping you avoid clichéd expressions
Monotone pitch: Presenter Coach can also give tips on varying your tone to avoid boring your audience.

This can be especially good preparation for remote interviews. The first impression potential employers are getting from you will be via video calls and recorded “introductory clips”—so make them count!