Getting a job after graduation can sometimes be a very difficult task. Especially
since the credit crunch crisis where many companies and people had to make major
cutbacks. Many people were made redundant and this had a negative impact on the
morale of many. At this point competition for jobs reached an all time high. Many
factors were now taken into consideration and looked at a lot more seriously than
before. Companies were trying to cut down on costs as much as possible without having
an adverse impact on their quality of service. Therefore experience was being looked
at more than ever and if the person has the skills required already. Training is
both time consuming and costly.
Getting a good job has to begin with you. You have to:
- be willing to put the work in.
- get rid of the mentality that there are no jobs available or that people are not
hiring. There are always vacancies, it just depends on whether you are willing
to take the pros with the cons.
- see the bigger picture. A job that does not pay well but is directly related
in your career goals will give you the experience required for the future.
Depending on the industry, six months to 2 years experience will give you a more
competitve edge over other applicants.
- see yourself as an employed member of the company you would like to work for.
Self esteem and confidence is the key into achieving lifes goals. Its ok to
feel intimidated or nervous however the second you start believing that you can
not achieve what you want, the battle is over before it even started.
There is no such thing as a perfect cv. Every CV is different and your cv
will reflect your personality from the way everything is organised to the content
on the page.
Fundamentals of a CV:
- Always have your contact details. This may seem obvious however is sometimes
over looked by some. Employers need to be able to contact you. So you
need to make it as easy as possible. If you are a citizen in the country
you are applying for, it is a good idea to state it on your cv or covering letteer.
This is not necessary however it is beneficial considering that employers will not
need to go through the whole visa acquisition process.
- Make sure the contact number provided has a professional voicemail. You need
to give the best impression you can. First impressions can stick for life
if not a long time.
- Always put down your Grades. The higher up you go in your education
the less detailed information (regarding your past qualifications) you have to provide
on your cv. However If your past qualifiations will give you a competitive
edge then state them.
- Don not whaffle on and on. CVs should be concise and accurate. Bukket
point where appropriate to improve readability. It should be between one and
a half to two pages. Remember recruiters have many other applications to review,
so make sure your content is interesting yet believable.
An Example CV will have sections such as:
- Contact Details
- Education
- Employment History
- Awards and Other Certificates
- About Me
- References
It is not unusual for anyone to apply for more than one job at the same time. It
is advised by some to focus on a small number of applications on make sure they
are if the highest quality. However, this is debatable. You should really be trying
to apply to as many as possible after perfecting your CV and competency questions
(if required). Best strategy is to apply for the same role (your desired role) in
many companies. This will keep your mind focussed on one job role and you can therefore
practice and prepare for interview questions relating to that position.
Be realistic, Apply for jobs you know you can achieve...what can you achieve
Know your CV like the back of your hand. If you got help with writing your
CV make sure you can answer any questions related to the content. Do not over-exaggerate
things and do not fabricate any information. However if you can not restrain
from doing so, don't get caught out. Nothing is more embarrassing then
telling a lie and getting caught out.
Never Lie about your grades. These will be checked at a later stage and will
be confirmed by the universities.
Write down a list of all your flaws and think of questions that may be asked relating
to these flaws. If you can see these flaws it is likely that an employer may
also notice them too. Knowing your flaws mean you can prepare a professional
answer to explain yourself. Once again do not lie but make sure you sell yourself.
You are the salesman, the recruiter the customer and your services/skills/history
are the product you are selling.
Learn everything you can about the company such as:
- What the company does and the industry it operates in.
- Any recent activities such as charityevents the company has participated in or any
acquisitions or mergers.
- Who their competitors are.
- Why you want to work for them and not their competitors.
- Why you are choosing the job role you are applying for.
- Daily activities the job role will require you to carry out.
A large majority of companies may ask you at the beginning what you know about the
company where as others will look for this within your answers. Learning all
about the company shows that you are willing to learn, keen to start and passionate
about both the job and company. Recruiters want workers that arent afraid
to work hard so memorising key facts about the company shows them you are not lazy
and you have researched them. Take at least 3 - 5 days to prepare for interviews.
This may seem a bit much for some however prepare for 3 or 4 days will get you prepared
for the unexpected.
Make sure you have the details of the interviewer stored in your phoine. This
will come in handy in case you are late for the interview or can not attend.
Before the interview make sure you search online for details of how to get to your
interview. If possible, make a trip to the location of where your interview
may be held and time it to make sure you know what time to leave out on the big
day. This will also help you familiarise yourself with the area and reduce
your chances of getting lost on the day.
Treat yourself to a new suit if you dont already have one. A professional
look can create a psychological impression of who you are and how hungry you are
for the job. Items of clothing you may consider purchasing are:
- Long sleeve shirt.
- Tie.
- Dark Suit - plain or pinstriped.
- Black polished shoes.
- Leather belt.
- Trench jacket.
This is only a suggestion of what to wear. Your outfit should clearly represent
who you are and your personality. Attending an interview without wearing formal
attire can come across to the interviewer as you are not taking the proccess seriously.
However if the interview specifies otherwise, you may dress informally.
On the day of the interview arrive at your location 15-30mins earlier then expected.
This will give a good impression and also allow you to settle down and gather your
thoughts. If offered a glass of water or a beverage, by all means accept something.
We've all heard the saying , "it's rude to refuse an offer".
This is not always the case but it is recommended to at least have a glass of water
since you will be doing a lot of talking.
During an interview, your body language as well as the interviewer will indicate
whether the interview is going well or horribly wrong. Show them that you
are interested and paying attention by making eye contact.
Body Language indications
Crossed or folded arms
Crossing your arms may be an indication that the you are being defensive.
It can also be interpreted as being bored or disconnected with the person you are
communicating with.
Smiling
To smile, is to show you are happy, keen and enthusiastic. This will also
give off the impression that you are friendly and polite.
Slouching
Slouching shows you are not interested and appears as though you have been forced
to come. Don't slouch.
Be polite and hold the doors open to people.
Dont be afraid to show your personality. Working in an office can sometimes
be boring so recruiters tend to look for outgoing people who have potential to be
trained or already have the required skills. Bubbly exciting people who can
liven things up are beneficial to companies as they can raise morale by creating
a less tedious environment and a more friendly atmosphere. This can increase
productivity.
After the interview you can send a letter or an email to the interviewer thanking
them for taking the time out of their busy schedule to see you. This can be
your chance to reassure them of your skills and eagerness to start.
If after a few days you recieve the call that you got the job, congratulaions.
On the other hand if you get turned down, do not take this to heart but as a chance
to learn how to improve your skills and strategy. The interview process is
a learning curve. Giving up after one rejection will mean that you wasted
your time. So dont give up.
After a while all the knock backs can get depressing and tiredsome. You may
feel as though there is something wrong with you and the you will never break into
your desired industry. This is a normal feeling and you must ignore it.
Persistance is the key. At this point you may need to lower your expectations
and apply for jobs which offer a lower income and require less qualifications.
You should also be calling all companies in the phone book or yellow pages and asking
to work voluntarily. Your mind should be focussed on the long term and experience
is most valuable. Do not lower expectations and work voluntarily if the job
is not exactly what you want to do. Be strict as you do not want to waste
your time pursuing a different path.
Lastly, use recruitment agencies to your benefit. They are there to help you
get a job. A lot of them work on commision (so they are on your side).
If they successfully get clients (you) employed and passed probation, they get paid
an amount established on their contracts. Recruitment agents are sales people.
They will try to push you into jobs they feel you are qualified for. But just
because you qualify for a specific job, it does not always mean it is right for
you. As mentioned before you should aim into getting into your desired industry
and not taking detours. Be firm with recruitment agencies however do not be
rude or aggressive because remember that they have a direct relationships with the
companies you are applying for.