Launching a career is one of the most important and exciting times of your life, and it starts by getting the job. Applying for a job can seem very daunting, but the actual process can be broken down into several easy stages.
When it comes to successfully landing a job, preparation is half the battle. Whether you’re looking for your first job, changing careers or seeking a promotion, here is some of our advice to help you steer clear of common pitfalls, so you can make the most of your job search.
Success takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
A genius is a talented person who does his homework.
Thomas Edison
Bill Gates was a computer geek before he was catapulted into the limelight. Michael Jordan was a hardworking and determined high-school and college athlete before he became one of the greatest athletes of all time. These men devoted themselves to their work, have been willing to work hard, and haven’t been daunted by failure.
Job Searching
Having a clear idea of what you’re looking for and what you have to offer helps make the search process easier and more fruitful.
- If there’s some specific type of job that comes to mind, it’s more likely that you’ll find something you like. Look into your career options, and be sure they are in line with your interests, skills, personality, and values – it will put you on the right track!
The advent of online job postings has fundamentally changed how hiring gets done. Now, there are countless networking platforms specializing in job search and recruitment with offices throughout the country. People flocked to the concept due to its convenience and ease of access over traditional methods. But, as more people flock to these platforms, it can be difficult to navigate through them all.
Disadvantage: lack of face-to-face communication between candidates and recruiters
A solution?
Thus, it’s always ideal to have someone else do your job searching for you. Recruiters and staffing companies can serve that purpose by leveraging their experience to give you the best chance at finding a job that truly fits. In particular, staffing companies have a huge network that can immediately connect you with temporary or temp-to-perm opportunities, which are increasingly becoming an avenue that employers use to “hedge their bets” before bringing a candidate on board permanently.
Getting hired
After narrowing down your job options, it’s time to make a good, convincing application. There are two things you have to keep in mind:
1.) Your CV
Your CV is the first impression you make on the employer, and it’s often the only chance you get to grab their attention.
While most of us are familiar with the notion that fashion sense or a good body can make us feel good, we often underestimate the power of a well-designed resume or CV to give us confidence and make us stand out in an interview.
- The design of your CV should complement your background and skills so that it will distinguish you from other applicants who may be applying for the same position at the same time as you. Effective CVs use strategic inclusion and placement of information as the primary method to accomplish their objective, which is to get you an interview.
Fun Fact: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Research shows that only one interview is granted for every 200 CVs received by the average employer. You have only 10 to 20 seconds to persuade a prospective employer to read further, which means that you need to pass the first-glance test by making the first few lines really count.
2.) Job Interview
Interviewing for a job can be an unnerving experience. The first hurdle—being invited for an interview—is one you’ve gotten over. However, it leaves you with a lot of thinking to do up until the day of the interview and then it isn’t over yet.
You have to start preparing for this meeting in earnest too, because if you don’t know what you’re talking about, how can they trust you? Do your homework.
- Gather whatever relevant information you need in order to present yourself as a knowledgeable interviewee.
If your goal is to persuade the hiring manager or recruiter to give you the job, you must entice them with your abilities and experience, like describing aspects of your work experience that you most enjoy or when you lose all sense of time.
Overcoming your Fear
Success is not a destination. It is a journey, and you are the driver. Success is not just your ability to accomplish something—it’s a way of thinking.
Successful people understand that it’s not enough to be ambitious; they know that ambition without the right mindset won’t take them anywhere at all. Most of us were raised with rules and know the consequences of disobeying them. But if those rules have taught you that it’s dangerous to take risks, you are limiting your rewards.
When building a career in the competitive work world, you must be willing to take risks to reap the rewards you seek. What many otherwise ambitious careerists fail to realize is that not taking a risk is also a risk. There’s a risk involved in not trying, and along with the risk of failing, there’s the risk of regret.