5 Simple Ways to Landing your Dream Job.
Job Application Techniques.
Hey people, nice to be here again, this time I will not be talking about relationships or feminists (thank God!). On this lovely day, I will like to touch on a topic that is a massive problem in our society i.e. unemployment. Calm down, this is is not a rant about how Africa has one of the highest rates of unemployment (its old news); I will be giving you master tips on how to land that dream job of yours and fight SHUME (unemployment).
For starters, the most important thing everyone should note is that your application is the first introduction of yourself to a potential employer, so it is to your own advantage to send an eye-catching file that stands out from the crowd. Below are a few tips that can help those who are about to apply for a job now or wish to do so in future. Worthy of note is the fact that these tips are not from space; but are a result of my experience in job searching over the years, as well as analyzing profiles of prospective employees at my jobsite.
I will try to make this as short and simple as possible for everyone. That out of the way….below are five key points to note when applying for a job.
1. Read about the application process and company background:
The first step to starting an application is getting all the necessary information about the job description, process and the organization recruiting. This information helps you redesign your CV, cover letter email and other materials needed to suite the post; you can best highlight the skills that complement the company in your application if you have all the necessary information. Most importantly, reading the application process gives you information about the datelines and other important follow-ups in case you are accepted.
It is advisable to take note of the closing dates and submit your application soon enough. Waiting for datelines may not turn out well for you, some companies receive many applications within the first weeks and close the process before the original closing date; so the sooner you deposit your documents, the higher your chances.
2. Prepear your documents:
Every organization has standard documents required from candidates applying for a post depending on their organizational culture and needs. However, the most common requirements include curriculum vitae (CV) and a cover or motivation letter.
— Curriculum Vitae:
This is simply a brief account of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous occupations; here you show your prospective employers who you are in terms of your academic and professional qualifications. All CVs are sent as PDFs, we however registered cases where candidates sent us word documents as CVs. This is disadvantageous because it gives an opportunity for someone to edit your CV and play with pertinent information that could have landed you the job.
Creating a CV today is not a nightmare as it was a few years back, Canva, My CV builder, and other sites offer free and paid templates that help you create a mesmerizing document in the shortest time. Ideally, a CV should be one page, but in case it steps out of the norm, it should be maximum two pages.
— Cover Letter:
Let us say the CV highlights your skills and the cover letter breaks down these capabilities and explain how they can benefit the company in question. This is where you convince your recruiter you can add value to their company in one way or another, stating your achievements in other companies if any. In case you are a starter with little or no work experience, tell the recruiter about your strengths; and how you envision them benefiting the company.
3. Writing your mail
Just in case you did not take anything I said seriously before now, remember this, YOUR MAIL IS THE GATEWAY TO A RECRUITERS HEART! Well, this is not joke, before they take time to look at your CV and cover letter; the first thing a recruiter receives is your application mail. Below are a few things to note when writing a mail.
— Have a subject: Your mail should have a title; the recruiter should be able to tell what your mail is about before reading through.
— Be professional: This is where most people kill it, even if the recruiter is your best friend or husband, be professional. You never know in whose hands your document may fall and they may not take your casual nature lightly.
— Basic information: include salutations, your name, the post you are applying for any other important information needed. Most importantly, make your mail SMART no one wants to read a complicated mail for 10 minutes nonstop.
— Confirm attachments and links: Ensure your attachments are available before sending the mail; it is a bad idea to resend attachments after the mail. In case you used links, confirm that the links are valid and accessible.
4. Answering questionnaires/Essays
This is where most companies get the serious candidates. It is easy to draft a killer CV and cover letter and send a mail applying for a job. However, when it comes to filling questionnaires, most candidates lack the patience and skill to properly read through and reply to all questions efficiently. Below are a few points to note when answering the questions;
— Focus on professional achievements: It is tempting to give unprofessional answers to open questions when going through the questionnaires, but this is where you have to apply prudence. Unless demanded, focus on your professional skills and achievements throughout your questionnaire, this can help you secure the position you are vouching for.
— Match details with CV: At times people lie on their CVs and forget the lies they told when filling in the questionnaires. Always confirm that the information you set on your CV matches that on the form, I have recorded a couple cases where the information did not blend and the candidates were instantly rejected.
— Correct grammatical errors: I cannot stress how pertinent it is to read the questionnaire keenly before answering, and re-read it again letter on correct spelling and grammatical errors.
5. Be available for follow-ups and interviews
Unbelievably, some people lost jobs not because they were not qualified enough or “their village people played with their destiny”; they were simply never available for follow-ups and interviews. When applying for a job, make sure to give your active email account and phone numbers; so that the employer can call for further questioning and hopefully an interview. Most people apply for jobs and only get interview mails months after when the opportunity is closed. In case you lose you email or number, there is no harm in reaching out to the company ASAP; all companies have public numbers and emails you can call.
Like I said before, sending a killer application is the best strategy to set yourself apart, usually the best candidates do not follow the process and lose the jobs. Beyond being knowledgeable and skillful, employers want to hire people who have an eye for details and can follow instructions.
I Hope the above tips help you when next that dream job comes your way. I wish you the best in your application, and if you have more tips on how apply for a job, please add them in the comment section.
THANKS FOR READING! — Ama. J
