If you want to become a more desirable job applicant, there
are a few things you should take note of. Of course, as with so many things
preparation is important. Performance in an interview can be key to getting you
an offer; however, learning how to move on from your old job when you do get an
offer is essential when it comes to helping you cope with stress.
Preparation
It should come as no surprise that preparation is key when
it comes to job hunting. This means that you are going to need to do a lot of
planning, not to mention a lot of organising (even if it doesn't come naturally
to you), if you want to make the most of every application. This is likely to
include working on your resume, ensuring you know your stuff, looking in the
right places for the jobs you want, and knowing what to search for on those
sites. This might seem a bit daunting, but it can just be a case of following a
few simple steps:
#1 Putting together your resume
Your resume or (depending on where in the world you happen
to be) your CV, is pretty much your biggest tool for catching your potential
future employer's attention. It can take a while to get the right length and
layout for you, and there are various templates you can use to experiment with
what works and what doesn't “ just take your time.
If you don't know what you are doing, because this is your
first ever job or you have been out of the job market for a while, using those
templates and online resume builders can be priceless “ and help you to put
together a strong resume that your potential employers just can't ignore.
#2 Ensure you know your stuff
Of course, you are going to need to be fully clued up about
whatever field it is you want to go into. If you don't have any prior working knowledge or experience in this field, it can be a good idea to let
your employers know what courses you have been doing. A knowledgeable candidate
who can ask intelligent questions at interviews (as well as give intelligent
answers to any they are asked) is likely to leave an impression on the
interviewer for all the right reasons.
#3 Job sites
Before you get to an interview, you'll need to seek out the roles
you want. To get this right, you are going to need to make sure that you are
looking in all the right places. It can be a time and stress saver to make sure
that you are looking at relevant sites that give you the types of results you
need.
If you have big goals, such as working as a cloud engineer, you will need to look at sites that attract professionals and
have listings from growth companies where you can build a career. This is
also the right place to submit your resume or CV, so you are alerted when the
right role becomes available.
#4 Know what you want
Similarly, you are going to need to know what you want to
get the right results when you search. It can be a good decision to look at what companies want and build your resume around that. As mentioned
earlier, it is a key tool, and you could use it as bait to attract the attention
of the kinds of companies you want to work for.
Performance
When it comes to meeting your future employers face to face,
you want to be memorable for all the right reasons. To be the best applicant
that they see, you will need to put in some hard yards and perfect your
˜performance'. However, this isn't going to be easy, as you'll need to use your
knowledge, and any experience to have a strong interview and make sure that you
are at the forefront of your interviewer's mind when they pick their final candidate.
#1 You need to perform well in your interview
This is the first time your prospective employers will be
having a conversation with you. An interview can come in many forms, too, so
you should make sure that you are flexible. Some interviews will initially take
place over the phone, so you are going to need to make sure that you know where
the best mobile signal is and have good phone etiquette.
Some are completed via video calls, so you should plan your outfit and
background very carefully. Of course, there are also face-to-face interviews
that can be a bit difficult to master, but with the right know-how, you can do
well here too.
#2 Past experience
If this is not your first time applying for jobs, you should
make sure that you are learning from any past experience. Not just because it is so important to know what
you are doing correctly or incorrectly in an interview situation, but also to
know what works and what doesn't. Of course, a lot of employers like different
things, so while you might have bombed for one set of interviewers, you might
come over entirely differently to a different employer who is seemingly looking
for the same thing.
#3 Use your knowledge
You should also use your own experience of interviews to see
if the company is right for you. This will involve using the knowledge that you
have of the sector to make sure that you are asking the right questions and
giving them the answers that they want to hear. Analyse carefully what they are
saying and bring a notepad and paper if you need to. If they don't like you writing things down, then this could be a big clue they might not be all that great
a fit for you anyway.
#4 Facing failure
Regardless of what you do, a lot of the time you won't be
quite what the employers were looking for. You need to remember you are up
against a huge number of people for these jobs, and you don't know what
experience they have got under their belts. This is particularly important to
remember if you happen to fall at the last hurdle, especially if it seemed like
you were getting the position. It can be tough to have plans fall through;
however, know that there are likely to be plenty of other opportunities to let yourself
shine. The takeaway from every failure is that it can be a learning experience
to help you work on your techniques and get better. Remember too that
sometimes it's just a personality clash “ a different person would fit the
existing team better.
Moving on and moving in
You then have the massive hurdle of moving on from your last
job or moving into your new job. Emotions are likely to be running high, and
you are probably going to be very stressed. You are going to need to figure out
what is the best way for you to cope with everything going on, as some big life
changes are happening here. Finding the right support, facing failure,
sacrificing things, and leaving can all take their toll, and there are several
ways you might manage them.
#1 Leaving old jobs
Leaving old jobs for new beginnings can be difficult “ it is
going to be emotional for one thing. Whether the change is for better or worse,
you are going to need to make sure that you have got your head about you and
that you are working hard to think about the future, and not dwelling on the
past. This will be especially true if you were comfortable at your old job, and
you aren't very good with change. Moving jobs can be exciting but also really
worrying, so you should focus on keeping on top of that stress. There are lots
of techniques you can use, such as:
- Meditation,
- Crafts,
- Exercise
- And therapy
#2 Finding the right support
Seeking out support from family members and friends is
important here. Moving jobs isn't something that should be done alone, and you
should get help and support through this time from those who know and love you
the most. This can be important for your mental well-being and plays a big part
in ensuring that you are caring for yourself properly at this time. You are
also likely to find it useful to stay in touch with those from your current
workplace, so you don't feel like you have just shut the door completely on a
huge chunk of your life.
#3 Sacrifice
Finally, you could find that you have to sacrifice quite a
bit to get the job you want. You might need to move, change your work schedule
from working at home to working in the office, or just go into a totally alien
environment that you don't quite understand just yet. This is likely to put a
lot of stress on you, so you should seek out advice from your new colleagues
and try to make it work as best you can in the short time you will be given to
adjust.
