Anyone who has searched for a job fresh out of college knows how
difficult it is to get that first job. Sending out hundreds of resumes,
only to get a few interviews in the end --if you’re lucky! -- and
eventually a job, if you’re very lucky. Worse, the job may not require
the skills accumulated in the varsities. The reasons but not limited to
are-
1. Little or no work experience.
Many fresh graduates make the grave mistake of assuming that their degree alone will qualify them for a job. They spend their university years just getting by, partying, and essentially, wasting their time. The result is they get stuck ; they have no job experience, yet all the jobs out there require it if you want to apply. So they can’t get a job because they have no experience and in order to get a job, they need a job for work experience, but they can’t get a job without work experience and the cycle viciously continues.
2. No skills
You have to be good at something (aka skills) in order to contribute something of value to a company. People with computer skills (or at the very least computer proficient) will always be in high demand. Learning these types of technological skills will always be in your best interest because companies leverage technology in their offices in order to be more efficient, and if you can integrate well with that, you’ve got something good going for you.
3. Lack of networking
Many people get jobs through referrals. Statistics show the majority of people get their jobs this way. The reason why word of mouth is so effective is because it cuts through all the worry of whether or not this person can do the job. If somebody has been working for a company for some time, then that employee knows what it takes to succeed, and if that employee knows somebody who can do it, it’s an easy fit. The employer will trust the employee referring the new candidate and the new candidate will most likely get the job. There’s just one catch though. You have to be “worthy” of being referred. Remember that the reputation of the person referring you is one the line. If you do a bad job, you make them look worse. So have a fine reputation of being a hard worker, someone who learns easily, etc. so people will be happy to refer you.
4. No preparation on the resume and cover letter.
Your resume and cover letter act as your first impression. You can’t charm them with your presence or your smile. Your writing does it all for you. So spend some time to make it look and sound good. When describing yourself or your work history, use action words. It makes a big difference. Go to google and type in “resume action words” and you should get a ton of sites which you can use as a reference when crafting your resume. Get a proofreader to look over your resume and cover letter. Make your cover letter and resume stand out. Be detailed and descriptive.
5. No interview skills
So you’ve got past the resume stage and now you’re at the interview. Think it’s a breeze? Think again. They WILL ask the hard hitting questions. Why should we hire you? What do you bring to the table? Tell me about yourself (that throws off a lot of people) What’s your greatest weakness (obviously reframe this question when you answer), etc. There are a ton of resources online you can tap into in order to prepare. Use our trusty friend Google. You must prepare. Have all your answers ready to go when the question is asked. Be prepared to give examples of things you’ve listed on your resume.
6. No follow up
So you sent the resume and cover letter, but didn’t hear anything back? Follow up. It can’t hurt. It can only help. Shoot an email or a phone call and ask what’s going on. Chances are, they may have not received it or forgotten about it. It also shows your tenacity and separates you from the rest of the people who don’t follow up. Don’t just assume that they don’t want you and wallow in your self pity. Take action and make it happen.
7. A lack of people skills
One of the greatest myths regarding getting a job is that you just have to have the skills and knowledge. That may be true for some jobs, but the other major thing that employers are looking for is social skills. Will you integrate well with the staff? Will you mesh with co- workers? Are you a positive person? Are you easy to get along with?, etc.
1. Little or no work experience.
Many fresh graduates make the grave mistake of assuming that their degree alone will qualify them for a job. They spend their university years just getting by, partying, and essentially, wasting their time. The result is they get stuck ; they have no job experience, yet all the jobs out there require it if you want to apply. So they can’t get a job because they have no experience and in order to get a job, they need a job for work experience, but they can’t get a job without work experience and the cycle viciously continues.
2. No skills
You have to be good at something (aka skills) in order to contribute something of value to a company. People with computer skills (or at the very least computer proficient) will always be in high demand. Learning these types of technological skills will always be in your best interest because companies leverage technology in their offices in order to be more efficient, and if you can integrate well with that, you’ve got something good going for you.
3. Lack of networking
Many people get jobs through referrals. Statistics show the majority of people get their jobs this way. The reason why word of mouth is so effective is because it cuts through all the worry of whether or not this person can do the job. If somebody has been working for a company for some time, then that employee knows what it takes to succeed, and if that employee knows somebody who can do it, it’s an easy fit. The employer will trust the employee referring the new candidate and the new candidate will most likely get the job. There’s just one catch though. You have to be “worthy” of being referred. Remember that the reputation of the person referring you is one the line. If you do a bad job, you make them look worse. So have a fine reputation of being a hard worker, someone who learns easily, etc. so people will be happy to refer you.
4. No preparation on the resume and cover letter.
Your resume and cover letter act as your first impression. You can’t charm them with your presence or your smile. Your writing does it all for you. So spend some time to make it look and sound good. When describing yourself or your work history, use action words. It makes a big difference. Go to google and type in “resume action words” and you should get a ton of sites which you can use as a reference when crafting your resume. Get a proofreader to look over your resume and cover letter. Make your cover letter and resume stand out. Be detailed and descriptive.
5. No interview skills
So you’ve got past the resume stage and now you’re at the interview. Think it’s a breeze? Think again. They WILL ask the hard hitting questions. Why should we hire you? What do you bring to the table? Tell me about yourself (that throws off a lot of people) What’s your greatest weakness (obviously reframe this question when you answer), etc. There are a ton of resources online you can tap into in order to prepare. Use our trusty friend Google. You must prepare. Have all your answers ready to go when the question is asked. Be prepared to give examples of things you’ve listed on your resume.
6. No follow up
So you sent the resume and cover letter, but didn’t hear anything back? Follow up. It can’t hurt. It can only help. Shoot an email or a phone call and ask what’s going on. Chances are, they may have not received it or forgotten about it. It also shows your tenacity and separates you from the rest of the people who don’t follow up. Don’t just assume that they don’t want you and wallow in your self pity. Take action and make it happen.
7. A lack of people skills
One of the greatest myths regarding getting a job is that you just have to have the skills and knowledge. That may be true for some jobs, but the other major thing that employers are looking for is social skills. Will you integrate well with the staff? Will you mesh with co- workers? Are you a positive person? Are you easy to get along with?, etc.
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