So you’re after a new job, whether that be because you’ve just come out of school, or maybe you’re ready for a new adventure – whatever it may be, you will want to know all of the best bits of advice so that you can ensure you get the best paid job that is going, that gives you the financial freedom you deserve.
Job searches are always stressful. There is so much expectation that goes into it, as well as pressure because you just want to be perfect and meet all the criteria. You want to turn up to an interview and have the employer love you and feel as though they can’t get any further in their business without you. Unfortunately, that’s not how things always turn out. The reality of it all is that you will face an awful lot of rejection. This is something that you need to accept rather early on so that you know how to cushion the blow. It will get you down, and you’ll question why you’re even bothering. You will question whether you have the capability to do this job. And you will question whether this is something that you even want anymore. – There will be ups and downs, but that’s all part of the experience. You need to train yourself to pick yourself back up and brush yourself down, and of course, try again. If this is something that you really want – it will happen, your time will come, you just need to work exceptionally hard to get there.
Here are some things that you need to remember.
Research about the company
If there is one specific company that you want to work for, do as much research as you possibly can about them. This will give you an advantage because a lot of people will apply for multiple jobs and only have a slight bit of knowledge – the generic stuff most people know. So take things one step further and learn about them. Familiarise yourself with exactly what they do, what it is they sell, be it a product or a service, and more importantly – why. The reason why is what created a business and drove people to put all they have into it, so if you’re able to make a connection with that then you’re already winning, and they will appreciate that a lot. It will show them how dedicated and passionate you are.
Get the qualifications you need
If you know exactly what you want to do and what industry you want to get into, it is essential that you do all the appropriate schooling so that you can have everything you need on paper to bag you the job. You want to make yourself as perfect as you can so that when compared to other candidates credentials – yours is the one that stands out. If you don’t seem to have as much time on your hands that you’d want, you don’t have to worry as there are plenty of courses and programs that you can take from the comfort of your own home, or in fact, even when you’re on the move. You can find affordable online mba programmes and more through the internet, so have a look and see what you need to do.
Engaging your body language
The body language you give off says a lot about you as a person, so you should always be aware of this when meeting with the employer. You always want to start off with a strong handshake and eye contact – this gives you an air of confidence that confirms you’re ready for the quick firing round. Introduce yourself and wait to be asked to take a seat. Keep a good posture, and when you’re being spoken to, make sure you keep the contact there so a connection is formed. Even if you’re nervous and feel awkward – do it anyway. And always make sure you smile when appropriate so they can see the friendly, down to earth side of you too. You want them to like you as well as respect your credentials.
Let your personality shine through
No matter how good your knowledge and experience is, if there comes a moment where there are two resumes with exactly the same skill set on paper; one individual is rather quiet and dull, and the other is full of life and energy – the odds will always favour to the person that seems to have more passion and drive. So never think that what you give them to read is enough, because it’s so much more than that. This is exactly the reason why employers want to speak to the referrals that you have put on your resume to see what kind of a person you are. They then compare this to how you came across at the interview and see if it all adds up. So don’t shy away and focus solely on coming across as a professional, because let’s face it, that’s really boring and to be expected, so allow yourself to be remembered thanks to that awesome personality of yours.
Tell them what you want
Never leave anything unsaid or up to chance – if you want it, tell them how much. A company essentially wants an addition to the team who will come in and make things even better than they already are. They want someone strong, new, exciting, and vibrant to throw into the mix, and that could well be you. Don’t worry too much about being polite in terms of restricting what you say. If you’re so set on the idea that you are who they need, make that known to them. But it’s not a good idea to stop there, you then need to back it up and tell them why. Make them believe it, give it purpose. You want to walk out of the room by the end of the interview and leave them feeling excited that they have stumbled across someone like yourself.
Dress for the job you want
Of course, one of the first things you learn is to dress up smartly for the job that you want. Even if the role itself was a cleaning position, or a construction worker – you will still be expected to arrive looking sharp and clean with a presentable shirt, blazer, and bottoms, be it some trousers of an appropriate skirt. And never overlook the shoes, as the employer definitely won’t. Having said that, you also want to make yourself memorable, so it’s okay to be a little different. If this means opting for a bright yellow sunshine coloured shirt – so be it. Rather than being candidate number twenty, they may refer to you as ‘yellow one’. It may not be your name, but it’s definitely an upgrade from a number.
Prepare your answers
A lot of people tend to go wrong with this because they overthink it. So much so that they end up sounding like they’re reading a presentation from the board, as a pose to replying to questions that they have been asked. You don’t want to make this mistake because you’ll come off like a robot that has been programmed, and that’s not what they want – they want a real person with real opinions. So don’t go overboard, but it’s a good idea to prepare some of your answers so you’re not left with long awkward silences trying to figure out an answer that you think they want to hear. For example, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” It’s an awful question, and the answers all seem to be pretty similar to one another, so try and think outside of the box and give them a response they weren’t expecting.
A follow-up email
Once your interview is done and you’re back home again, give it a few hours, and then write up a very short and sweet email as a mere thank you. You want to make sure that you don’t drone on and on because it will just seem desperate and rather needy and annoying. This defies the whole point and purpose of the email. It should just be thanking the company for meeting with you, telling them how you enjoyed your meet, and even briefly mention a topic that you discussed with them just to personalise it a little bit more. Then sign it off letting them know you hope to hear from them soon, and leave it at that. They will most likely open the email the next morning, and it will be a pleasant surprise that may just put you in the front of the race between the other candidates.
Now you have a whole bunch of various pieces of advice, make sure you have a long hard think about them. If it helps to write them down briefly on a piece of paper and go over them every now and then – do it. Everyone works differently so figure out a process that works out best for you.
