The process of getting a job can indeed be quite arduous, however, there
are some secrets that help ease the process and make your job search
more successful.
Jumia Travel shares 4 secrets for succeeding at job hunting.
Quality over Quantity
Try
to avoid carelessly applying to as many positions as you can find. Your
chances of getting a job are better if you spend more time and energy
writing personalized cover letters, targeted resumes (that are free of
errors) and sending them out to companies that are hiring for positions
you are qualified for (not just any position you see). The closer a
match you are to what the company is looking for, the better your
chances of getting hired.
Take Advantage of Your Networking Connections Referrals
and connections are another great way to get a job, aside direct
applications. In fact, many in our society believe that a large
percentage of people who are successful in the job hunting process owe
it to having good and useful referrals and connections. It might sound
cliché, but being able to ‘name drop’ in your cover letter, application
or email inquiry can help send your application straight to the top of
the pile, at least close to it. Additionally, you should also take
advantage of personal and professional networks like Facebook, Twitter
and LinkedIn to make connections that further help you in your job
hunting endeavors. You can easily use LinkedIn’s search feature to
identify network connections or even school alumni in the fields or
companies you are interested in getting a job in.
Practice Makes a Great Interview
Not
practicing before an interview can be extremely disadvantageous for you
and paint a picture of irresponsibility and nonchalance to the company
you are applying to. Take time to practice simple interview questions
and answers to sharpen your skill and delivery at answering interview
questions. Also, be sure to research on the company and rehearse
personal statements you intend to deliver and questions you intend to
ask. You can ask a spouse, friend or relative to help. Try not to
underestimate the extent to which practicing before interviews can help
make you perform excellently at it.
Know Your Value
If
you know your value, it wouldn’t be hard for you to defend why the
company should hire you in an interview. The fact is, one of the hardest
things to get across is your value to a potential employer or
interviewer, but this is many times because you don’t even know your
value to begin with. To be able to articulate or communicate your value
and to also be able to successfully negotiate a befitting salary for
yourself, you must first know and believe in your skills and talents.
Basically, you must first know your own value before others will value
you and want to hire you. Knowing your value basically involves knowing
what you are good at, what you can do, what your skills are, what you
are an expert in, what your strengths are and what you can bring to any
organization.
