Looking for a job? Here's some tips on what to do - and not do - to ace an interview

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Now that Nashville is open, the restaurant and hospitality industries, along with others, are working to rebound. Whether you’re looking for a summer job, entering the job market as a recent college graduate, or re-entering the workforce after being laid-off or forced to quit during the pandemic — there are still some universal tips for all of us to make an excellent applicant and ace that interview.

Travis Guerra, a Business Development Manager with our "The Rebound" partner, SHR Talent, which is an employment agency here in Nashville has tips for landing a job this summer.

Guerra says there are some basics steps to take right away:

1. Put yourself out there by getting your resume on job boards.
2. Reach out to a professional for help. Many career hunting services for candidates come without a fee.
3. Proofread your resume. While it sounds so simple, Guerra says so many people forget past versus present tense, and even misspell words, which employers notice.

Now, say you have the interview, Guerra says there is one mistake many candidates can unfortunately make, which is disparaging past or current employers in an interview. He says he's even heard of it happening not just with entry-level positions, but also at the executive level.

"It's easy sometimes... we want to let out our frustrations and explain to people... even if it has been tough, being positive is very important... especially when you're interviewing for a new role.”

Guerra also offers some other simple steps from SHR Talent, one of which is to check your social media. He says potential employers will check, so make sure it’s appropriate. Also, if you’re interviewing over video conference, make sure you have a good connection, solid lighting, and a simple, clean background.