It can be daunting looking for work. Putting yourself out there may not come naturally for you. Some people seem to have the gift of the gab and can talk about themselves forever. For others, shouting about their experiences may be a challenge.
But applying for a job is one of life’s necessary evils. Most of us need to do it at some point, and for many, it can become a lifelong task to find the perfect job,
Here are some tips for finding a job.
Building Up Your Confidence
Getting the job that you want can be hard work. First of all, you may need to psyche yourself up so that you feel confident enough even to apply. There may be loads of nagging doubts rushing through your mind. Having something in the back of your mind saying that you are not good enough can be very off-putting, and worrying about how others may view your application could paralyze you with fear.
Everyone gets these doubts, even the person who will end up getting the job. There is only one truth when it comes to dealing with a lack of confidence, if you don’t put yourself out there are attempting to go for the jobs that you are interested in, you will never get it.
The worst that will happen is that you will get rejected for the job. You will be no better, or worse than if you had not applied for the role. You have nothing to lose!
Work Out What You Can Do
Having an idea of the shifts that you can commit to will help you greatly when it comes to selecting jobs to apply for. You will need to be sure that you are able to work on the specified times and days mentioned in the job advert, or your application will be rejected, and you will have wasted the employers time.
Be honest about what you are able to do. If you have other commitments, then maybe that is not the right job for you.
Apply For As Many Jobs As Possible
It is a fact that competition can be very high for most jobs. You may well find yourself up against hundreds of other people when it comes to a sought after role. With this in mind, it is in your best interest to apply for as many suitable vacancies as you possibly can. You need to have a speculative approach to finding a job. If you end up with more than one job offer as a result, then you’ll be able to pick and choose.
Finding Success In Getting Your Application Noticed
Your application needs to stand out. It will be lost amongst a whole stack of other applications, and you will need to be sure yours will get read.
Make sure that you directly address any of the specific requirements of the role when you apply. If the job advert asks for specific skills, give examples of times that you have demonstrated that ability. If the advert wants to know about any experience within specific roles, give clear examples.
Take your time and make sure that you are completing everything that the application wants. Check your spelling and grammar, and ensure that it looks neat.
Getting Through The Interview Stage
Once you have secured an interview, then the work really begins. You may be asked to prepare in some way for the interview. Allow yourself plenty of time to do this. Don’t rush any exercises that you are given, and don’t leave it to the last minute.
You may be asked to complete a job trial as part of the interview process. Try and find out as much about their expectations of you before you start and ask questions if you are unsure.
Do your research about the company you are applying to. Find out about their history and their values if you can learn about how their business model works. Look for opportunities to demonstrate this knowledge during your interview.
If you are asked to give an example of anything, use the STAR method of answering.
S- Situation- Describe what happened.
T- Task – Talk about what you needed to do.
A- Action- Let them know how you did it.
R- Result- Discuss what you achieved.
Having a structure will allow you to give the most comprehensive answers.
You may be offered the opportunity to ask questions. Have a few relevant questions ready to ask as this shows that you are taking an interest in the job and the company. Avoid asking questions about what you will get paid, or when you can take a holiday.