Five Steps to Land a Job from Tammy Trujillo

Having no job history or little work experience is not a reason to settle for less than you deserve. Brought to you from professionals, hopefully, these five steps will help prepare you to land a job.

Tammy Trujillo is a news director for "Animal Radio" and Cameron Broadcasting, and a news host of 89.3 KPCC, She is a professor at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. and spoke at the collegiate conference in Los Angeles last week. She offered advice to students on how to sell themselves as the best candidate for an internship.

1. Market yourself. 

"Be bold. Do not follow the herd. You don't need an invite to call some place and ask a question."

When you find an internship listed online, consider it similar to a cattle-call. There will be dozens, if not hundreds of responses, and the further down the list you are the less your chances of a call. Find the information needed to contact the company and call, even if it suggests not to. Take the chance to make a connection with the hiring manager and move yourself higher up the list.

2. Be prepared.

"You want people to stop looking at you as kids and look at you as an accomplished young person."

To present yourself as a complete package you need a cover letter and resume. In comparison to deciding if to purchase a book, consider your cover letter the book synopsis and your resume the table of contents. You want the interviewer to first read what you are about and then to see your qualifying experience. Even with no employment history you can include volunteer work, school club involvement, relevant classes taken, or community organization involvement. All of them will help define your character, commitment and motivation.

3. Be professional.

"Show me that you fit into my world."

In preparation for making contact with a potential employer, know that the interview starts before they meet you. Employers judge you on how you digitally present yourself. Your voicemail should be professional and simple, just state your name and that you will return their call. If you have an email address that is nameless, create an easy-to-remember address with your name. Clean up your social media. Employers are searching the internet to see how you spend your time and who you associate with. What do you want them to see?

4. Stand out.

"Make it easy for me to hire you, don't make it hard, because I probably won't."

Consider the paper that you print your resume and cover letter on. It could benefit you to use thicker than the average, non-white paper and text that is blue or green. Remember, most of the papers on someone's desk will be standard white with 10-point black text. You want yours to get their attention. The interviewer may use your resume as talking points to ask you questions. List awards you may have received or accomplishments achieved that could create good discussion.

5. Be confident.

"Don't be scared to say you are good at stuff!"

When you meet your potential employer show them how you will represent them when they hire you. Stand straight, make eye contact, have concise answers and be assertive. Shake their hand, be polite, be personable and smile. Most employers will want you to treat their clients in the same way. When asked what you are good at, don't be bashful. Tell them your talents that you will bring to the team if they hire you. Don't tell them how much you need the job, tell them why they need you.