The 5 things you need to have ready when searching for a job
Searching for a job can be a difficult process. In fact, it’s becoming harder, as the job market broadens and electronic methods of applying gain popularity. Sometimes it can feel like you’re just sending out resumes into the ether, with very little response.
Let’s face it: applying for a job is more like entering a competition, according to Forbes. In fact, it’s harder than it ever has been before. What can you do to stand out?
At first glance, the way you’ve written your resume will have a huge impact on your chances of being called for an interview, and you will have to work hard to make sure that it represents you well. However, there is more to job seeking than having an ace resume. Basically there are 5 main elements you’ll need to consider before you apply for any job. In a nutshell, here’s what they are.
Searching for a job in 5 steps: here’s what to have ready
Let’s go!
Step 1: Your resume
Your resume is an incredibly powerful tool when it is written correctly, often being the driving force behind a successful application. To appear as professional as possible, this document will need to look good, read well, and be free from any errors.
To handle this first part of this, a simple template can be used, making it easy to make something beautiful. For the next two, though, you might have to do some learning, along with using sites like Grammarly to improve the quality of your writing. Of course, having someone else read it for you will also help.
Step 2: Referees/references
It will be hard to convince business to trust you if you don’t have any references to back up your credentials. The people you choose for this need to be selected carefully, with their positions and roles playing a large part in making you look good. If you know the CEO at your old job, it would be a better idea to use their name over the line manager you worked under. This can make a surprising difference to your chances of being called into an interview after applying for a job.
Step 3: Interview prep
Once it comes to the interview stages of this process, acting like a professional will go from being a benefit to being completely essential. To give yourself this quality, you’ll need to get some practise with the questions you’re likely to be asked. Having an idea of how to respond before something tricky comes up will make it much easier to respond in a direct and professional manner. Along with this, though, working hard to appear confident, calm, and collected will help your chances of success.
Step 4: Check your skills
A lot of people put every single skill they’ve ever worked towards on their resume, filling it up with things which their prospective employers don’t need to see. When this document is obviously bloated, it can make it look like you haven’t worked enough in any one area, and this will make you look less professional.
Instead, to get around this, you should always tailor both your resume and the way you talk at the interview to make it seem as though your primary skill set is the one they want for the person taking the role.
Step 5: A contact
Finally, as the last part of this to consider, it’s time to think about the contact details you give to your prospective employer. Companies like Physical Address can help you to look like you live somewhere much nicer than your actual address, giving the illusion that you’ve been doing grand things.
Along with this, you should be careful to make sure that your email addresses and other details don’t include anything you wouldn’t want your employer to see. Even social media accounts can fall prey to snooping bosses, giving you an additional layer to consider.
Good luck in your search!
Hopefully, with all of this in mind, you will find it much easier to give off a professional vibe during the course of your next job hunt. This quality is something a surprising amount of candidates don’t possess, leaving themselves without the skills to impress the people offering the jobs they want. Of course, though, anyone has the power to achieve this goal, you just have to work towards it.
Related Posts
They Moved all the Desks in the Office
They moved all the desks in the office Now I sit opposite Andre I try not to cough Too loudly Because I know I can be annoying. I make lots of funny noises when I’m at work I stretch and grumble and eat apples and drink coke I wouldn’t want to sit next to me. […]
Not Being Treated Fairly at Work? Do You Recognise These 3 Signs?
Are you being treated fairly at work? Let’s face it, work is usually never easy, after all, that’s why they call it work. But there’s a big difference between a job that can sometimes be something of a challenge and a job that makes you feel like you can’t bring yourself to even get out of […]
What to do when you’re stuck: 7 questions to ask yourself
Are you stuck? Got a problem you need to fix? Found yourself in a tight place? Yep, we all know the feeling. There has been a flurry of activity online about the fact that having too many choices can cause anxiety. Personally, I have experienced this to be true. I tend to be a relatively […]