In today’s highly competitive market, looking for a job can be a challenge. You need to be well-prepared and face various hurdles before getting hired by a company that you want to work for.
While the process can be overwhelming, you need to approach it with a positive attitude. Be ready for different obstacles and face the fact that you might fail. Few people ever get it right the first time around. Don’t let yourself get discouraged and keep trying.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common job hurdles and how you can overcome them.
Writing a Killer CV
Plenty of people aren’t sure about what companies want to see in a CV. While it differs from business to business, there are some aspects that every CV needs to cover.
For starters, it needs to focus on the information that is most relevant to the company you’re applying for, such as your skills and experiences. You need to present the information clearly and concisely, and make sure that your CV looks professional.
When listing your hard skills, you should support them with transferable skills that you’ve gained during your studies or volunteer work. This is important because plenty of companies look for excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Dealing With Low Confidence
If you’re feeling insecure during your job search because you don’t think you’ve got the right qualifications, you need to realize that no company expects to find an applicant that matches their job ad 100%. The listed requirements represent the ideal candidate, but most companies are looking for someone that meets about 80% of them.
You shouldn’t worry if your previous work experience doesn’t fit exactly what the ad says, and look at the bigger picture instead. If the company’s looking for someone experienced with building customer relationships, it means that you need to have strong communication skills. If you’ve had experience working with internal stakeholders, you’ve got the right kind of skills for the job.
Explaining the Gap in Your Work History
People that have a gap in their work history often worry that it will affect their chances for landing a job. The best way to deal with this issue is to counteract it.
You can dedicate a section of your cover letter to explaining what you were doing during that period. Elaborate on why you left your previous job and mention any activities you took on to hone your skills in the meantime. If you got any certifications during the gap, all the better. The best approach to explaining the gap is to be honest and straightforward.
Not Being Able To Find a Job In Your Field
If you can’t find a job in your field to apply to, you might need to expand your search. If you’re constantly using the same website to look for work, you should try other sources. Check out companies and job openings on LinkedIn or browse through ads in local newspapers. There’s also plenty of sites for specific fields, such as ITJobPro, Archinect, and Mediabistro.
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