Applying to your dream job can be daunting at times. Nerves can get in the way of taking the first step to apply. Of course, without sending your application, your chance of getting hired is zero to none. This predicament is what keeps you away from building your career.
Curating Your Resume
Knowing the basics is of utmost necessity if you wish to be taken seriously. The first is to make sure what to include in your resume. Applicants usually commit mistakes early on for them not to be considered for the job they are applying for. It is important that at this early stage of application, there’s already sureness and confidence.
Job seekers and career builders tend to put an overwhelming amount of information in their resumes. Do not commit this mistake. At first glance, your resume should tell employers that you are a fit for the position you are applying to.
The most important parts to include are your profile summary, education, skills, and of course, your experience. The ideal length of a resume is between one and two pages. It would be better if you can keep everything only to a single page, but do not exceed two pages. Again, your goal should always be to keep your resume short but insightful.
Customising Your Resume
It is also important to customise your resume to the position you are applying for. Check the requirements and the skills that the job is looking for in a candidate. Then make the necessary editing to your resume before hitting the send button. Add seminars or short courses that you’ve attended that can be beneficial for the position you are applying for.
Nailing the Interview
To get to the job that you want, nailing the interview is a must. But this is where some people encounter problems. Nerves, being unprepared, and other unforeseen factors can cause an interview to fail miserably. First, remember to prepare. Anticipate the questions that might be thrown at you. Remember to be confident but not obnoxious. And above all else, be honest. If there are things that you are unsure of, do not hesitate to admit to them. It is better to be honest than to be perceived as trying to sound overly confident.
Experience is a must, and with the kind of competition in the job market, people with experience have more edge over those with none. However, there’s no need to feel defeated if you have zero work experience. One solution is to apply to jobs close to the career you want and provide you enough experience in the long run.
Being Open to Possible Career Paths
Look into the industry before you set your sights on a certain career path. Setting your sight too much on one particular path can lead to you not seeing the other possibilities around.
For example, many criminal law degree holders would want to pursue a career in law enforcement or law practice in general. However, other avenues can open if that one is still a steep road to tread. One such career opportunity is applying as a private investigator. This is a good opportunity, especially for an investigation agency that tracks fraud and even missing persons. It is lucrative and, at the same time, can help you build your connection in the future, especially in a time that you will practice criminal law.
It is also important to look into the career opportunities and trends for the career you want to pursue. Predicting trends and career opportunities may take some time, but it is important to make a wise decision early on. In a pandemic, where layoffs happen here and there, it is best to make smart decisions regarding your career. So far, industries that deal with tech are foolproof career choices. Even in the time of the pandemic, these industries will continue to bloom and flourish. However, some industries like air transport will likely plummet, and it might take a while to stabilise.
Everything else is left on the interviewers and the employers to decide. Jump-starting careers are challenging. Especially now, people are trying their best to survive amid a global health crisis that changed many things. Remember that in every job application, there is a slim possibility that you might not get it. But power through that application with the right strategies.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping a lot of options open. Eventually, one that is right for you will be there, and you can move forward from there.
