So, let me start by saying that I am not the perfect person, daughter or friend that I can be and I know that, I have my own shortcomings and selfish moments. With that, I may not be the best in dealing with myself as well. See, I have been in between jobs for some time now and quite frankly, if you look at the length of my job experience, it’s not that competitive but I know that those time I spent with the companies I worked with, I worked my butt off to deliver the best of what is expected of me in that certain position; when I was a journalist, I made sure I covered at least two events per day. When I was a corporate communications associate, I always do my best to beat the deadline for all my projects.
So I haven’t been that much of a help at home, financially, and I can’t give my friends any gifts or whatnot, because I don’t have the moolah. It’s such a shame to admit but I am still living with my parents and very much dependent. My situation is really not that different from a fresh grad, well except that I am older and should be accomplished by now, it’s kind of the same situation and we all want one thing: A STABLE CAREER. I mean, the graduation season has already passed in the Philippines and in other parts of the world and the so called ‘real world’ is now ready to take in these aspiring professionals.
DISCLAIMER: I may not be the best person to give you any employment advice, but I've been in my fair share of job interviews thru my CV and I am just sharing some tips that might help.
BUILDING YOUR CV
The Curriculum Vitae or CV is the selling point; it’s the first thing that a potential employer will see and it will determine whether or not you will score a job interview. I know it’s hard to express the quality of work in the CV, because of the limited space and it tends to focus more on the quantity of your work, but I may be able to share some tips regarding this.
1. ACCURATE AND UPDATED PROFILE
Your profile is essential and I know this is very simple and kind of dumb to even mention. But, little things like this are the ones we often overlook. Make sure that the focal point of your CV is your name and contact details, so the employer will not have a hard time searching it for your mobile number or email address, because if they don’t find it in a snap, there’s a big possibility that they will disregard it despite your impressive work experience.
2. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND DETAILS OF YOUR WORK
It’s essential to include the university you graduated from, the year you graduated and your course. It determines your specialization, what you’re most likely to excel in and what you can bring in the company. It also gives the employer your education level, obviously. If you already have an employment background or you already finished your On the Job Training or OJT program, never forget to make a simple bullet phrases below your job titles describing what kind of work you did for the position and your significant accomplishments as well.
3. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short & Simple)
Short and Simple CV is the key. You don’t want you employer to be nauseated by your CV’s ocean of words. They might disregard it just because it has too much going on and they really don’t have the time to go through that 3-full page CV of yours. Include only the important things, keep it at par with your major work and accomplishments. The other things you got going on, maybe you can just discuss it during the interview if the need arises. Also, personally, I try to keep my CV up to just two pages. Keep it short but informative.
4. REFERENCE PEOPLE
It’s good to have credible reference people. Pick the people that you know will stick by you in this employment journey, it’s also important that you inform them that you’ll be using them as reference so they won’t be baffled when their phone rings and a person is asking so many things about you through them. It is best for the employer to catch them prepared to talk in your behalf instead of the employer asking them about you and does not remember you at all.
5. COVER LETTER
The cover letter is the first one the employer will see, especially if you’re applying online or thru email. The cover letter will be your message and the brief of your CV so that the recipient will be interested enough to download your CV and review it afterwards. It should include your intention to apply for a position in their company, what makes you eligible for it and how do you plan to uplift the company’s present state in 3-4 sentences. It’s kind of a challenge but it should be captivating enough for them to click on that download button in their computers.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW
I’ve been in my fair share of job interviews. Heck! Two of them even made me land a job that I really wanted. It’s normal to have jitters and be seriously mental with the thought of going to a job interview; where a person will ask questions about yourself and dig your profile and then judge you. It’s totally normal to be nervous before the interview, but when that interviewer enters the room, you should be able to impress them and here are the things I do to prepare for an interview.
1. PLAN YOUR OUTFIT AHEAD
It is better to plan what you’re going to wear a day before the interview so you won’t have to sweat or stress it on the big day and you can focus more on other things like eating a proper meal and doing your makeup or hair. Also, less stress before the interview means calmer nerves and a fresher look. It’s important that you give an impression that you take things seriously and always ready but never forgets to take care of yourself as well.
2. RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH!
Gather whatever you can find about the company and the position you are applying for. It’s good to be equipped when the interviewer asks what do you know about the company and what interests you to join them. It’s nice that the interviewer gets the impression that you are really interested in the job and you have a compassion for the company’s cause and industry. Remember the two things that keep a person in doing their jobs are passion and income. Also, it will really impress the interviewer if you have some question of your own regarding the company and their projects, which will show your perseverance and seriousness about joining them.
3. BE ON TIME!
Never, ever, ever keep an interviewer waiting. Be there at least 15 minutes before your schedule, so you’ll have enough time to catch your breath and do a quick touch up so when you enter that office you’ll look your best as if you’ve never travelled through a half hour traffic.
4. KEEP CALM AND SMILE
Once you do all the catching of breath and touch ups, seat there calmly, clear your mind and smile. This is your moment to impress, being calm helps you be at your best state and think more quickly. Remember to stand up, greet and give your interviewer a firm handshake with a smile when they enter the room and impress them with your personality. ;)
To all my fellow job hunters and fresh grads: Good luck in choosing your career path and finding that dream job!
Spread the positivity and love!
;)
-J
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