Careers Advice Blog

Job hunting 101: organisation is key

No comments

If you are hoping to find a new job, you might be daunted at the thought of sending off applications, waiting for responses, preparing for interviews and appearing confident when all you want to do is run away. Try not to let your emotions get the better of you and think of job hunting in a more organised way. Rejection is par for the course when looking for new employment opportunities so try not to let this rattle you. This simply means you weren’t the right fit for the position or company you applied to. Take a look at why sound organisation could actually see you in your dream role sooner than you think.

Be Nuanced

In your approach to job hunting, you shouldn’t be using a scattergun approach and applying for every job with the word ‘manager’ in its title. If you are looking for the next step up the career ladder and you’re looking to move into middle management within the marketing sphere, a project manager role probably won’t be for you. Scrutinise the job profiles, and person specifications attached to job adverts and only apply for those positions that fit your talents and skills. If you apply for a role only to accept it but then resign quickly as it isn’t for you, this is untold amounts of wasted time and energy on your part.

Instead, make a spreadsheet and list all of the jobs you are going to apply for. Put in the closing dates and prospective interview dates if known and begin applying. It’s vital that you keep records of your applications as many jobs are advertised on more than one platform and you don’t want to apply more than once. Confidentiality is at stake with any digital document that you send so make sure you store your files responsibly on a cloud based platform.

Be Specific

Don’t ever be tempted to send out a generic application for every job that you are going for. Any decent prospective employer can spot these a mile off. Take a little more time to research the company that you are looking to work for, mention in your application why you want to work for them and what you can bring to the role to enhance their business. Address your letter of application to an individual and demonstrate how you can fulfill every essential point on the person specification. A generic application will always miss vital aspects of a job specification, and it is a lazy approach to take.

Interviews

If you are called to interview, you are halfway there. Your application was strong enough to beat an array of candidates, and these potential employers want to meet you. To prepare, take the STAR approach to answering questions to limit waffle. Consider the situation, task, action, and result of any scenario based question. This will keep your answers concise, relevant and organised.

Applying for jobs can seem like willingly stepping into a minefield. However, with an organised approach you can navigate any hazards successfully.

Share your job hunting stories with our readers. Have you got any advice that may help others?

Career CamelJob hunting 101: organisation is key

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *