I get it, because I’ve been there too. Maybe the big, wide adult world wasn’t quite as magical as you built it up to be in your head. Of course it’s not. Unlike films and TV shows, finding the perfect career requires much more than being talented, stepping into your first interview, and getting the job. In the real world, things can get tough. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s worth giving up.
However, despite all the blunders you might have made in previous job applications or interviews, you’re actually in a better position than ever before to find a job and, hopefully, the perfect career. Yes, you might not see that now, but it’s a fact. Every mistake you make becomes part of your learning curve, whether you see that yet or not. For all the exhaustion of filling out ever-so-slightly varied applications, tweaking your CV and preparing for more and more job interviews, there’s the benefit of you gaining more experience and putting yourself ahead growing numbers of candidates. If you think you haven’t learnt anything yet, you’re wrong.
You just need to have the right perspective when it comes to finding the ideal career, I think. It shouldn’t be a slog. It should be like the films. You have to approach this with determination and drive. You know what your ideal industry is, and you know the career you’re going to have for the rest of your life. You just need to show your employer that fire and unwavering confidence. Here are some tips for putting that confidence and existing job-seeking experience to good use.
Getting your interview technique down to a fine art.
The best piece of advice for an interview is to get inside your employer’s head. That sounds like some intense scene out of a science fiction novel, I know, but think about it. You might have had half a dozen interviews already. Where do you think you slipped up? The answer is probably not that you were necessarily wrong for the job. Often, the answer is that you didn’t reply to a question the way the interviewer had pictured you doing so in their head. Think about what your employer wants, and deliver that.
Dress well for the occasion.
Going to work isn’t like any other social event. Sure, you might make some great friends there, and you’ll probably have some laughs during breaks, down-time or at the pub, after work, but you need to have a different mindset when you’re working. Your clothes should reflect that, of course. Comfort is important, but so is smart attire.
The same goes for the interview. You want to project the image that you’ll project should you get the job. If you need work boots in your career, maybe wear them to the interview as well. Tailor-fit them to your feet; go the extra mile to get suited and booted to a state of perfection: http://www.workbootcritic.com/insoles-for-workboots/
Start networking.
Sending off job applications, which you should be personalising to each specific vacancy and role to which you apply, is one part of the equation; as is preparation for job interviews. However, you never know where your career journey will take you next. Perhaps the first job you get won’t be for you. Perhaps you’ll want to take your career elsewhere; perhaps, even, to another industry.
That’s why forming connections with people, wherever you go, is so important. You never know when a contact is going to come in handy. You never know when an acquaintance from 3 years ago might be working in the career of your dreams.
Have you recently found your ideal career? How did you impress the interviewer? Let us know below.
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