Searching for jobs is not always an easy task, especially when it comes to knowing what jobs you should be applying to, what you may need to apply to specific positions, and how best to write your CV based on the role. Below are a few tips on what to look for and how to successfully search and apply for jobs.
Set some goals, make a plan and consider the following:
- Where are you today, and where would you like to be five years from now?
- Do you have any hopes, values, or dreams in terms of your career?
- Make a list of your current strengths and weaknesses?
- Can you name what you would like to improve upon in both areas?
- Do you have a plan on how you will reach any of these goals or improvements?
Get connected
Subscribe to websites and publications that carry job postings. Just as important, sign up for those that aren’t outwardly about employment, but cover issues and topics that interest you, follow their social media. This way, you learn a lot about potential events and gain insight into the Company and its employees. Connect by Nova provides workshops and a webinar series to help you manoeuvre through business and employment-oriented sites such as LinkedIn.
Get involved
Attend events hosted by your dream employers and start becoming active in your community by volunteering for organisations that fit your career path. Involvement is also a form of networking – and networking allows you to get your foot in the door.
Research before you apply
If you’re interested in a job, do as much research on the Company and the position as you can. Look around the organisation’s website, including the “About” section. Do a quick internet search on the organization, sector, or role. Doing this research will help you prepare for an interview, understand the Company’s culture better and ensure that this would be somewhere that your career would flourish.
Be professional
Remember that email address you set up as a teenager? Is it appropriate now when applying for jobs? Be professional in all your communications with the employer. Pay particular attention to the application requirements. Focus on your soft skills; luckily, Connect by Nova offers a Soft Skills webinar to help you succeed in this area. Here is a quick list to remind you:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Teamwork
- Time Management
- Work Ethic
- Accuracy
Improve, improve, improve your resume
Remember that your resume is the first interaction with the employer. Ensure that it is easy to read and understandable. Employers may sometimes look at over 50 resumes for a single post; having a resume that reads well and highlights your skills and experience in the most accurate and marketable way possible is vital. Review the job description and sprinkle keywords from it into your resume. Connect by Nova provides workshops that show you how to write an effective and organized resume that highlights your best attributes.
Don’t be discouraged – be confident
Don’t let yourself be discouraged. Remember that every job search can be a series of No’s followed by a Yes. Each “No” takes you one step closer to the moment when both you and the employer say Yes. Remain confident and remember not to take a No personally. Know your value to a job and remain confident in your abilities.
Searching for jobs may send you down the rabbit hole. However, staying connected, getting involved, ensuring you do your research and remaining confident will, in the end, turn any negative you stumble upon into a positive outcome. By joining Connect by Nova’s career-building webinars, workshops, and training sessions, you will be a shoo-in for success.
To find out more about Connect by Nova’s Career Services, visit our website at www.connect.nova.ky or email info@connect.ky. Keep up to date with our events, career tips, and trainings by following us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.
