Anyone who has searched for a job fresh after completing the BSC
degree programme knows how difficult it is to get a job. Sending out
hundreds of résumé,only to get a few interviews in the end and
perhaps a job, if you’re very lucky.
Worse, the job may not require the skills accumulated in the
varsities or might not be related to the individuals area of expertise. Some of
the reasons that has led to this setback 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, whereas sometimes the case is a reverse. They spend their university years just getting by, partying, and essentially, wasting their time doing nothing to enhance their knowledge on the labour market.
The result is they get stuck seeking for a job oppourtunity
due to a lack of work experience, yet all the jobs out there require it if
they want to apply.
2. Lack of skills or ineptitude
You have to be good at some skills or skill in order to contribute something invaluable to a company or an organisation. People with skills i.e; computer skills are always in demand due to the importance of ICT to some,if not most companies or organisations. 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 or simply put person to person connection.
Statistics show the
majority of people get their jobs this way. If
somebody has been working for a company for some time,
then that employee knows what it takes to
succeed in that particular company, and if that employee knows somebody who can do it, it’s an easy fit.
succeed in that particular company, 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 in 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 résumé and cover letter.
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 in 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 résumé and cover letter.
Your résumé and cover letter act as your first impression. You can’t enchant 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 with no form of errors or grammatical blunders. When describing yourself or your work history, use action words. It makes a big difference. Go to google and type
in “résumé 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 résumé 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 résumé 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 resourcesonline you can
tap into in order to prepare. Use our trusted
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. Send an email or a phone call and ask what’sgoing 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 social 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.
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. Send an email or a phone call and ask what’sgoing 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 social 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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