Today in Kenya jobs are hard to find more
than anything else. Anywhere you go you will get people complaining that
there are no jobs or rather jobs are gold. They are hard to find. But
the question is what techniques you are using to get those jobs.
How many jobs do you apply for per day? Do you make follow ups on the jobs that you have sent to your resumes? If the employers don’t get back to you, then there is something wrong with either your CV or your cover letter wasn’t catchy.
Here are some of the questions that you should ask yourself as a job seeker:
1. How long should my job search take?
There a number of things that determines the length of search. For example how much time are you willing to take on the search? Have you set certain goals, in terms of contacts your suppose to make, how many positions you need to identify, etc.
Geography also plays a role, like if the job you are looking for matches up with where you live. Like its said, you don’t expect to survive in a desert without water to sustain your life. If you want to find water that you can rely on, for life, don’t live in a desert. Same principle applies to job search.
A rough thumb for how long a job search can take is to calculate one month for every Sh 10,000 in salary. So if your salary requirement (assuming it’s in line with your industry) is 50,000shs, you can generally figure about five months of dedicated job search. Of course that will vary depending on the variables listed above.
2. Doesn’t it make more sense to apply to as many jobs as possible, even those that are a bit outside your skills set?
There are those who clearly believe that, the more jobs you apply for the better chances of getting an interview. That’s the school of more equals more. I’m from the school of less equals more. By carefully targeting the companies and people who can offer the kinds of career opportunities of which you are best qualified, you stand a better chance than blindly apply for anything that looks good. The less is more process is counter-intuitive, which explains why most people think that applying for more positions equals more opportunities. Not so fast there job seeker.
How many jobs do you apply for per day? Do you make follow ups on the jobs that you have sent to your resumes? If the employers don’t get back to you, then there is something wrong with either your CV or your cover letter wasn’t catchy.
Here are some of the questions that you should ask yourself as a job seeker:
1. How long should my job search take?
There a number of things that determines the length of search. For example how much time are you willing to take on the search? Have you set certain goals, in terms of contacts your suppose to make, how many positions you need to identify, etc.
Geography also plays a role, like if the job you are looking for matches up with where you live. Like its said, you don’t expect to survive in a desert without water to sustain your life. If you want to find water that you can rely on, for life, don’t live in a desert. Same principle applies to job search.
A rough thumb for how long a job search can take is to calculate one month for every Sh 10,000 in salary. So if your salary requirement (assuming it’s in line with your industry) is 50,000shs, you can generally figure about five months of dedicated job search. Of course that will vary depending on the variables listed above.
2. Doesn’t it make more sense to apply to as many jobs as possible, even those that are a bit outside your skills set?
There are those who clearly believe that, the more jobs you apply for the better chances of getting an interview. That’s the school of more equals more. I’m from the school of less equals more. By carefully targeting the companies and people who can offer the kinds of career opportunities of which you are best qualified, you stand a better chance than blindly apply for anything that looks good. The less is more process is counter-intuitive, which explains why most people think that applying for more positions equals more opportunities. Not so fast there job seeker.
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