By Dorcas Karuana,
Most people have found themselves taking any job that comes their way since jobs are becoming very hard to find these days, especially ones that are well-paying and interesting. With the current tough economic environment, running an effective job search requires that you stand out from the crowd of experienced or entry level job seekers. For any given advertised position, the employers have a wide choice from a pool of qualified candidates who apply.
A job search is a journey into the unknown. There is much that you cannot control. Most job seekers will tell you that; one day things look promising the next you get a rejection on a job you were ideally suited for. This has discouraged many job seekers who get stressed thinking there is an unseen conspiracy working against their job hunting efforts.
However, job seekers must understand that searching for the right employment can take up quite a bit of your time if you have a run of bad luck. You need to get started on your job search at the earliest or else you’ll miss out on the best opportunities. Perhaps by taking a closer look at various aspects of job hunting you’ll be able to develop a different and more positive outlook.
Creating a well thought-out job search plan will help you take full advantage of the time you spend job searching and identify the opportunities that provide you with the best chance of success.
1. Focus your efforts on the right companies- Most of us just apply for any job and in fact 90% of people who write to me for job search assistance, perhaps because of frustration, ask me to get them any job. You need to target your search on the companies that are most likely to hire you. Make a list of these companies and do plenty of research on them so that you know exactly to whom or where you have to apply to for a job. If you apply indiscriminately for a job then you’ll just be wasting your time effort.
2. Use your network of contacts to hear about jobs that are not advertised- There are many big/ small companies in Kenya that never advertise for their jobs, while others do it as a formality. This is where you need to know people. Networking is proven to be the most effective job search method that accounts for 99% of hired jobs. Therefore, while it helps to apply through job search agencies, you should also start doing networking so that you let people know that you are looking for a job. You’ll be surprised at the number of job openings you hear about in this manner.
3. Make sure that your reputation is very clean: This includes your online reputation. You can be sure that potential employers will dig into your background. If your social networking profile has photos of yourself doing foolish or illegal things then you should take them down immediately. If you can’t do that then you should at least be prepared to answer tough questions very honestly.
4. Have a great CV: Prepare your application by customizing it to the company you are applying to. Be sure to highlight your strengths with specific reference to a company’s requirements. In other words, it should reflect exactly why you are the best person for the job.
5. Don’t get discouraged: Job hunting can take a lot of time if you are really unlucky. You’ll need to keep your spirits up during this difficult time so that you can focus on searching for the right employment.
There are plenty of jobs available, even in the most difficult of times, for those people who know how to search for them. If you use these tips then you’ll find that your job search comes to a fruitful conclusion at the very earliest. In fact, you’ll be able to get started on a career and not just any sort of employment.
Most people have found themselves taking any job that comes their way since jobs are becoming very hard to find these days, especially ones that are well-paying and interesting. With the current tough economic environment, running an effective job search requires that you stand out from the crowd of experienced or entry level job seekers. For any given advertised position, the employers have a wide choice from a pool of qualified candidates who apply.
A job search is a journey into the unknown. There is much that you cannot control. Most job seekers will tell you that; one day things look promising the next you get a rejection on a job you were ideally suited for. This has discouraged many job seekers who get stressed thinking there is an unseen conspiracy working against their job hunting efforts.
However, job seekers must understand that searching for the right employment can take up quite a bit of your time if you have a run of bad luck. You need to get started on your job search at the earliest or else you’ll miss out on the best opportunities. Perhaps by taking a closer look at various aspects of job hunting you’ll be able to develop a different and more positive outlook.
Creating a well thought-out job search plan will help you take full advantage of the time you spend job searching and identify the opportunities that provide you with the best chance of success.
1. Focus your efforts on the right companies- Most of us just apply for any job and in fact 90% of people who write to me for job search assistance, perhaps because of frustration, ask me to get them any job. You need to target your search on the companies that are most likely to hire you. Make a list of these companies and do plenty of research on them so that you know exactly to whom or where you have to apply to for a job. If you apply indiscriminately for a job then you’ll just be wasting your time effort.
2. Use your network of contacts to hear about jobs that are not advertised- There are many big/ small companies in Kenya that never advertise for their jobs, while others do it as a formality. This is where you need to know people. Networking is proven to be the most effective job search method that accounts for 99% of hired jobs. Therefore, while it helps to apply through job search agencies, you should also start doing networking so that you let people know that you are looking for a job. You’ll be surprised at the number of job openings you hear about in this manner.
3. Make sure that your reputation is very clean: This includes your online reputation. You can be sure that potential employers will dig into your background. If your social networking profile has photos of yourself doing foolish or illegal things then you should take them down immediately. If you can’t do that then you should at least be prepared to answer tough questions very honestly.
4. Have a great CV: Prepare your application by customizing it to the company you are applying to. Be sure to highlight your strengths with specific reference to a company’s requirements. In other words, it should reflect exactly why you are the best person for the job.
5. Don’t get discouraged: Job hunting can take a lot of time if you are really unlucky. You’ll need to keep your spirits up during this difficult time so that you can focus on searching for the right employment.
There are plenty of jobs available, even in the most difficult of times, for those people who know how to search for them. If you use these tips then you’ll find that your job search comes to a fruitful conclusion at the very earliest. In fact, you’ll be able to get started on a career and not just any sort of employment.
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