By Lilian Wamaitha,
Often you will hear people saying that looking for a job is the job itself. The main goal of searching for a job is to launch a successful, lucrative career. It is thereby necessary for any job seeker to put in more effort so as not to step on the toes of future employers. Often, in the process of looking for a job, we may find ourselves just focusing on ourselves without minding what effect our actions have on others. We end up forgetting that our reputation surpasses all other things.
In order to succeed in the process of job hunting it is necessary to try and present ourselves in an appropriate manner by adhering to professional social norms.
Below are some key etiquette to observe when searching for a job;
1. Learn to be polite
In your job search, you will come across events such as networking, career fairs and other related activities that require you to showcase your strengths to potential employers. In this regard, it is advisable to patiently wait for your turn to speak with the hiring manager or recruiters. When your turn comes, politely shake their hands and address them by the proper titles for example Dr, Ms, Mr. and last name unless it’s an informal event. There are times in job-hunting in which assertiveness is important but there is no excuse for not being polite.
2. Don’t be a networking vampire
In the job search process, most of the times you will be required to create networks that can help you climb that career ladder. However, most of us tend to take the networking thing to the extreme. Believe it or not, people haven’t created LinkedIn accounts just so you can find them and expect them to help you in your job search. Networking is about building relationships and out of these relationships that comes the willingness to help someone secure a job. It is common knowledge that, people are more willing to help when they have established a relationship with someone. On the other hand no one likes to be taken for granted by being asked for more than they can deliver.
3. Don’t be a time waster
Hiring managers and recruiters are all busy people. Don’t be that person who keeps applying to the same job multiple times in the same week in order to keep popping up on the radar. It’s rude! No matter how desperate you are, one application is necessary unless they advertise for the same position again, in which case most will state that people who had applied need not to re-apply. Sometimes job searches take longer than anyone anticipated. You can be sure that if you are the best candidate, you’ll be getting called one time. Don’t allow yourself to be perceived as a pest by frequently demanding communications.
4. Extend your appreciation, and promptly follow up all interviews
As long as job search has existed, most of us are clueless about the importance of following up on an interview. Any hiring manager will tell you that a thank you note is expected by email the same day as the interview, and certainly not longer than the next day. If you promise other information during the interview like samples of your work done, make a point of supplying them. It is simply rude not to follow up and recognize the courtesies that have been extended to you.
5. Carefully choose what to wear
Most professionals are expected to dress officially when going for an interview. Yet there are many settings where business casual is accepted and even expected. If you have any doubt at all, don’t hesitate to inquire of the person who invites you in for the interview. If you are expected to show up dressed one way, and you fail to conform, it will likely be seen as a sign of disrespect. It is also important to research on the company’s culture when it comes to interview dress up. You may get this information from people who already work there.
Everyone you meet during a job search has the potential to make an impact on your professional growth. Any contact could become your next employer or a key networking resource. By following the rules of job search etiquette, you’ll show professionalism and a drive to succeed which are essential qualities for all job seekers.
By Dorcas Karuana,
Ever started a new job then you figure out that the employer painted a different picture than the reality during the interviews?
Put yourself for a minute in the shoes of this job seeker who made a career move that he regrets.
“I recently interviewed with a renowned company in finance technology for a position in a new department. During the interviews, I was promised career growth, proper compensation and benefits and work life balance in this company which was growing to be a billion dollar company. After salary negotiations, I was given an offer letter and accepted the job, though I had other two offers with small medium sized companies.
Upon joining, the first one week revealed many things. First, the company did not offer a constructive environment as it had no structures and the working resources took 2 weeks to be provided. The manager I was reporting to was destructive in 75% of his comments/actions, and would tell us, to either swim and survive or sink. Worse, the company has a turnover of 30% of employees leaving the organization every month. Majority of the workforce suffer from high blood pressure due to the existing pressure on meeting targets. Additionally, salaries are delayed as late as 15th of the month. I strongly feel I have made a wrong choice to join the company and I REGERT this.
Please advise me what to do and help other job seekers not to be in same trap.”
This is a mistake that could have been avoided by researching the company and its employees before accepting a job offer. However, many people only research on what is asked during the interview process, like products and services, mission, strategic direction, competitors, core values, and CSR etc.
Conducting your own research on the company can help you avoid making a wrong career move.
Just like 70% of companies conduct a background check on any new employees, why can’t you the candidate do the same? I am not saying during the interview you pull out a background release form and ask your employer to fill it out and sign it but do it informally using websites we have available to us to do a little digging into the company’s reputation, stability, etc.
There are many resources (free and pay) available to help avoid the above situation. These include:
1. Employer reviews sites e.g glassdoor.com
glassdoor.com is a very popular employment website, that has internal (and previous) employees reviews of a company. Now obviously we all know there are two sides to every story and not everything we read is 100% accurate but it is a good way to conduct further investigation into one of the most important decisions you will make and usually where there is smoke there is fire.
2. Social Media
Social Media is another research tool. Look up the company name to check out their company Linked In, Facebook or Twitter pages? How about the manager that you will be working for? The photos can offer some serious intel into the day-to-day happenings of its office. It can also show a snapshot your managers personal life but it can show you if you have similar tastes or hobbies or nothing in common at all.
3. Linked In – former and current employees
Most candidates do a little digging on the company or manager they are interviewing with but doing a quick advanced Linked In search on current and former employees under a company name will tell you a lot about the employee’s stability and advancement. This could also indicate if this is a manager you want to hitch your wagon to… has he/she repeatedly risen through the ranks of the companies they have worked for, are they new to the company, what kind of job history do they have… all good information to know. If he/she has just joined the company and it doesn’t work out what happens to the employees that they hired or conversely have they been with the company a long time and have been promoted will this lead to advancement opportunities with the employees that work for them?
4. Professional background services
There are companies like Peleza Services that offer background screening on employers and employees at a fee. You can ask them to run a search on a company name that you are interviewing with and see how many current employees’ CVs are listed; this may indicate ongoing issues with the company or management and may not be a place you will be happy with.
5. Company financials
If the company is publicly held, check out the latest annual report for year-over-year financial trends, issues the company is facing, the competitive strategy, and the strategic, operational and financial goals.
While in life we can never be 100% sure of a choice we make and how it will work out we can do our own research to help eliminate some of those mistakes. Conducting your own research can help you decide if that company is the place where you want to spend the next several years of your career – and this shouldn’t be a decision you take lightly.
By Selipha Kihagi
In a tough job market like Kenya’s, you cannot afford to sit around waiting for a job to come your way. You have to wake up every morning and look for open positions like it is your daily job. And once you come across positions you are qualified for, you go ahead and submit your application.But sometimes you may not be so lucky. You will search through job websites, recruitment sites and scroll the alerts in your email day after day but you won’t find a job you can apply for.
So, what do you do when this happens? You consider sending out your CV to potential employers and recruiters, even when there is no job advert. Most job seekers today will pick up different email addresses from the internet and start sending out their CVs in the hope of finding a job. But is this right? Is it appropriate to send a CV to recruiters and employers when there’s no job advert? The answer you are looking for is yes. It is very okay to send a CV when there’s no job advert, but this too should be done in the right way.
Many candidates make the mistake of blasting out CVs with the words ‘looking for a job’ in the subject line and nothing more. If you send out your CV in this manner, nothing good will come of it. Recruiters and employers will not be very pleased when you just send them your CV and say nothing. They will also not appreciate you copying the email to 10 other people. If you want a positive outcome from your unsolicited job application, here is what to remember before sending out your CVs.
What to do Before Sending a CV When There is no Job Advert
1. Find out the name of the person you are sending the CV to
If you really want a potential employer or recruiter to open your email and actually read it, you have to address them by name. Just like you did your research and found their email address, do the same and use their names instead of the common and unflattering Dear Sir or Madam.
There is no way a recruiter will take you seriously when you cannot take the time to identify the gender of the person you are emailing. It would even be best to just say Good morning or Good Afternoon if you are not sure of the name.
2. Send in a Cover Letter alongside your CV
As I mentioned earlier, a common mistake that job seekers make when sending out unsolicited applications is not saying anything in the email body. Some just write “Looking for a Job” or “Please help me find a job” in the subject line with no other information whatsoever. Remember that they are already busy with their daily jobs and your email is just another distraction from their tasks. So make sure your email is worth the distraction.
Write a Cover Letter explaining the position you are hoping to find at the company and why you would make a great employee. Copy paste the cover letter in the email body so it becomes the first thing the recruiter sees when they open your email. They may not have the position you are looking for, but if you are impressive enough, they may recommend you for a similar position in the future.
3. Do not send in your certificates or any other documents
If you fall under the category of job seekers who send in all certificates from their primary, high school to College and University education, please stop. Unless you come across a job advert that requires your certificates as part of the application, only attach your CV and Cover Letter. Recruiters and employers only need your CV to determine if your qualified or not, and your Cover Letter is just a way to explain why you sent the CV in the first place.
4. Only send in a well-updated CV
Just because you are applying to a job that does not exist yet does not mean you are allowed to compromise on the quality of your CV. If you need a recruiter to call you back about a job, you need to customize the CV to the positions you are hoping to find. Forget generic CVs and take time to edit yours so it meets what employers are looking for in a CV.
When done right, sending your CV when there’s no job advert is considered an appropriate gesture. It could also be the saviour you need in your failed job search, as it could lead to your next better job.
Selipha is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading Recruitment firm that offers CV Writing, Job Placement & Career Advice. If you have any queries, contact [email protected]
By Selipha Kihagi,
While having a professional CV that is well formatted is the first step towards getting the interview, how you write your achievements in the CV is even more important. Recruiters and employers are always looking to hire someone who can deliver beyond expectation and including your achievements will help confirm that.
So how do you ensure that recruiters and hiring managers are able to spot your achievements in only the few seconds they spend with your CV? The trick is to place them in sections they will have to look at.
But before you even start to write your achievements, you need to understand what they are. Most people confuse awards for achievements and even put in their duties in place of achievements. Your achievements are anything you did in your previous or current job that made a positive impact on the company or client.
It is anything you helped create, initiate, improve or design for the benefit of the company and that is not part of your responsibilities. If you are still confused, here is an example of achievements to highlight. Now that we have the concept of achievements out of the way, below is how to write your achievements.
Writing Achievements in Your CV:
1.List achievements below the duties & responsibilities for each position
When employers and recruiters are selecting candidates for a job interview, they will always give your work experience priority. This then means that the work experience section in your CV becomes the most important. So, to make sure you impress the person scrutinizing your CV, list the achievements below your main duties for each position held. The achievements you list should be minimal (at most 3) and recent; not what you did 5 years ago.
2. Use numbers and figures to write your achievements
Employers always have a way of measuring the productivity of their employees regardless of the profession. It could be increasing sales in percentages, reducing costs in figures, bringing in more clients in numbers and increasing efficiency. Whatever your profession is, there is usually a way to quantify results and that is what recruiters want to see under your achievements.
For example; “I helped develop and implement a customer service program that significantly reduced the number of unhappy customers in one month” or “I created an online marketing campaign that helped increase sales by 35%”
3. Write your achievements in bullet form
Most people make the mistake of listing their responsibilities in paragraph form and thereby their achievements also in a paragraph. The reality is no employer or recruiter is going to read through the paragraph to try and make out what your work experience is. So always list your duties and achievements in bullet points.
Also, like earlier mentioned, your achievements should be just below the duties for each position. You also don’t want to seem like you are bragging so focus on the most important achievements, the rest you can talk about during the interview.
Bottom-line
Anyone who has worked for at least 1 year has achievements to show for. Just because you do not work in the sales department where you can say you increased sales doesn’t mean you do not have achievements. Improving customer satisfaction, growing numbers of social media followers, having no defects in your duties as a technician or even improving office efficiency as an administrative assistant are also counted as achievements.
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By Susan Gitonga,
Imagine walking into restaurant and you ask for a fatty piece of meat, only to be brought a bowl full of soup. Imagine the flat taste and the disappointment that would stay with you. Well, that’s how a C.V. without a Cover Letter often feels to an employer.
The reality of the matter is that you are not the only person applying for that job you so desire. So many other candidates are interested in the same position.
The secret is to wow the employer in whichever way we can so that we can proudly walk away with our dream job. C.V’s are shareable and many people copy and paste good ones from Google but no one can write a Cover letter that resembles yours, because your story is unique. Your experiences are personal to you and this is where we can score highly and land a job!
While some employers don’t necessarily require you to send your cover letter, for the life of you spare 10 minutes and write one. Here’s why:
1. It’s the only chance you have to impress your employer.
A C.V. follows a format; it’s brief and very direct. But a Cover letter allows you to talk about yourself in a charming and attractive way that compels your employer to want to meet you in person. Use good English, write boldly and with confidence. Be creative. Don’t write what every other candidate copies and pastes from Google. Be authentic and original. Let the employer interact with your C.V. on a personal level.
Therefore be real, personal and professional.
2. You are able to tell your employer how you intend to contribute to his/her Company.
Employers are always looking for new ideas and contributions that foster good, beneficial change to their company. This is where you tell them about your unique skills; provide links to work you have done if it’s available.
Provide the employer with a situation you handled at work, the actions you came up with and the results you achieved e.g. a time when there was accumulated work load that needed to be cleared like old files/ documents and how you came up with an easy system, that saw everyone cooperate and successfully clear that mountain task!
Tell them what you are going to bring to the table also; they’ll want to have you!
3. It’s your time to sell yourself!
Talk about your accomplishments; blow your own horn a little. Let your employer know why they should stop what they are doing and ask for a face to face meeting. Mention that role you faithfully served in, talk about that excellence reward you received, or that employer of the year title you carried in your previous job. Talk about being a head girl/ head boy if you’re freshly out of school! Simply talk about yourself.
4. It places you above other applicants
Many people don’t take Cover letters seriously. They rush through them or simply fail to write. Attaching your beautifully written Cover letter will definitely be an added advantage when it comes to short listing. Remember you told the employer about personal experiences and accomplishments. He/she will fell like they already know you and will have you shortlisted.
A Cover letter is a representation of you. It is your mini-biography. Have one with you as you apply. It makes all the difference alongside your good C.V. While a good C.V. is a must, a good Cover letter is no exception. We have seen why. You must stand out from the rest. The position you are applying for might only be requiring one person. Therefore, impress the employer with your Cover letter. It’s the most unique aspect of you he/she will interact with.
I’ve read a lot of cover letters throughout my career. When I was a fellowship program manager, I reviewed them in consideration for more than 60 open positions each year. So I saw it all—the good, the bad, and the standout examples that I can still remember.
As a result, I’ve become the go-to friend when people need feedback on their job applications. Based on my own experience putting people in the “yes” (and “no”) pile, I’m able to give these cover letters a quick scan and immediately identify what’ll turn a hiring manager off.
While I can’t give you insight into every person’s head who’ll be reading your materials, I can share with you the feedback that I give my own loved ones.
1. The Basics
First things first, I skim the document for anything that could be disqualifying. That includes typos, a “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” salutation, or a vibe so non-specific that it reeks of find-replace. I know it seems harsh, but when a hiring manager sees any one of these things, she reads it as, “I didn’t take my time with this, and I don’t really care about working here.” So, she’s likely to pass.
Another thing I look for in this initial read through is tone. Even if you’re applying to your dream company, you don’t want to come off like you think someone entertaining your candidacy is the same as him offering you water at the end of a lengthy hike. You don’t need to thank the hiring manager so incredibly much for reading your application—that’s his job. If you align considering your application with the biggest favor ever, you’ll make the other person think it’s because you’re desperate.
So, skip effusive thanks and demonstrate genuine interest by writing a cover letter that connects the dots between your experience and the requirements of the position. Telling the reader what you’ve accomplished and how it directly translates to meeting the company’s needs is always a better use of space than gushing.
2. The Opening Sentence
If your first line reads: “I am writing to apply for [job] at [company],” I will delete it and suggest a swap every time. (Yes, every single time.) When a hiring manager sees that, she won’t think, “How thoughtful of the applicant to remind me what I’m reading!” Her reaction will be much closer to, “boring,” “meh,” or even “next!”
Compare it to one of these statements:
- “I’ve wanted to work in education ever since my third grade teacher, Mrs. Dorchester, helped me discover a love of reading.”
- “My approach to management is simple: I strive to be the kind of leader I’d want to work for.”
- “In my three years at [prior company], I increased our average quarterly sales by [percentage].”
See how these examples make you want to keep reading? That’s half the battle right there. Additionally, it makes you memorable, which’ll help when you’re competing against a sea of applicants.
To try it out for yourself, pick a jumping off point. It could be something about you or an aspect of the job description that you’re really drawn to. Then, open a blank document and just free write (translation: write whatever comes to mind) for 10 minutes. Some of the sentences you come up with will sound embarrassing or lame: That’s fine—no one has to see those! Look for the sentence that’s most engaging and see how it reads as the opening line for your cover letter.
Credit : themuse.com
There are few things worse than being in a place where you feel stuck, complacent, stagnant; like you could be getting somewhere much better, much farther in your career, so much faster.
And while some employers do invest in professional development and growth for employees, these opportunities can often feel like slow growth—a small improvement on your existing skill set by going to a conference, a new ability refined over the course of a year with the help of a mentor as you’re primed for a promotion.
There’s nothing wrong with growing as you go. But if you’re ready to grow big, then we think it’s time to be proactive, to no longer rely on our employers to push us forward but to invest in growing our knowledge ourselves. The good news? There are plenty of online classes and in-person programs you can take that won’t interfere with your 9-to-5, but that can have a big impact on it.
Here are four common reasons we tend to feel stuck, and in each case, how leveling up your skills can help you get out of a rut and closer to the future you imagine.
You’re Not Doing the Work You’re Meant to Do
This is an all-too-common feeling among professionals today: You know you’re unhappy with your current job, but you aren’t really sure what you want to be doing instead. While there are many ways to find your passions, diving deeper into little curiosities by taking classes related to them can open up your mind to possibilities and hopefully give you more clarity about what you do and don’t enjoy.
Here’s one example: Apryl DeLancey, Founder and Data Scientist at ElPortoShark.com, credits General Assembly’s 12-week Data Science Immersive course with helping her find her way back to the work she loves: “I originally signed up for the Python class to refresh my programming skills. After then taking the Data Science class, I quickly remembered everything I had forgotten about (but loved) in grad school!” Her class project—a data research project on shark sightings—led to ElPortoShark.com, a departure from her work in marketing and her now full-time passion and profession.
Even if taking a class doesn’t magically point you to your calling, it can still be a valuable learning experience. Like DeLancey, you may find that your renewed passion will lead to an entirely new career—or you may become very clear that you shouldn’t go down a path you were curious about. Engaging your brain in a new way could even help invigorate or pivot the work you’re currently doing. Explore topics that light you up, and see where it takes you.
You’re Not Moving Up Quickly Enough
If you love your job, you want to rise up through the ranks, and you need to show your boss what you’re capable of. Taking a course in a relevant subject matter is a great way to show off not just your additional skills, but also your dedication to your work.
Of course, you should be strategic about your class choices. Consider what is required of the role you want to move into and focus your learning there. Will you need to learn more about data and analytics? There’s a course for that. Will you be speaking in front of bigger audiences? There’s one for that, too. Whether you need expertise in broad topics like management or communication or niche fields like user design and UX, there are myriad courses that can help you develop the necessary skills for the role you want.
If you’re not sure what, exactly, you should focus on get to the next level, reach out to your network. Poll people who have jobs one to two steps ahead of yours (at your company or elsewhere) about what they’ve done to get ahead, then have a sit-down with your boss about your findings and your plan. At some companies, you may even be able to get your professional development paid for! Either way, share key learnings as you progress through your class and look for ways to demonstrate your new skills at every opportunity. You’re working hard to learn more—make sure to show it off!
You’re Not Landing the Jobs You Want
Much like with garnering a promotion, landing a brand-new job often means adding to the skills currently listed on your resume. Whether you’re trying to transition to an entirely new field or simply want a refresher on a topic you know and love, it’s worth looking at courses to help you build the skills you need to land the role of your dreams.
Take a good look at the requirements of the job you want. Those bullet-pointed on the actual listing are helpful to review, but think outside of the box, too. What would be necessary to be exceptional in this role? What would you need to learn? What would help advance the goals of the company? Maybe you’re a marketer who knows your lack of data analysis chops is holding you back, or a graphic designer who wants to learn web design to start applying for different types of roles. If you’re having trouble figuring out what you need to get from your role to where you want to be, consider talking to a career coach or admissions consultant, who may be able to see the gaps you can’t.
Then, find the courses that will help you grow in the specific skill sets this new job requires, do your best work possible, and find the right ways to use your newfound abilities to make your application shine. Yes, you should make sure to list these courses on your resume the right way and talk about them in your cover letter, but more than that you should look for tangible ways to show potential employers what you can do with your skills. For example, you could create a portfolio to show off the work you did in class or put your snazzy abilities into practice by doing a pre-interview project.
You Just Need a Little Inspiration
Pushing yourself to learn something new doesn’t always have to be tied to a specific professional goal. Given that there are courses on topics ranging from public speaking to podcasting to poetry, learning about something that’s interesting to you can help you grow not just as a professional, but as a person, too.
“I’ve been wanting to take an improv class for 10 years, but had never found a three-hour intro class where I could get my feet wet,” says Yolanda Enoch, a digital photo organizer who signed up for just that at General Assembly. “It really changed how I interact with people and start conversations. It’s one of the most impactful things I have ever done to become more comfortable socially.”
No matter why you’re feeling held back in your career, it’s worth taking steps to invest in your professional development. Start browsing classes online or in person to see if something out there sparks your curiosity. Look for a short-form workshop in your budget range, or start saving today so you can take your dream class in a few months. Or, if you can make a case that your continuing education will help your work, ask your company to pay for it.
Whatever you do, start believing today that you deserve to not only pursue the work you love, but to pursue what you love to learn. You’ll grow and succeed personally and professionally in the process.
Credit : themuse.com
By Selipha Kihagi
Networking is the most effective way of getting a job in Kenya. You can do your job search, apply to random positions you find, but only when you have a recommendation does the process become easier. Networking is also the reason most people in Kenya believe the only way to get a job is by knowing people. But unlike the common belief that this is favouritism, job seekers who get hired because they knew someone on the inside usually have nothing to do with nepotism or being favoured. These job seekers understand that networking is the quickest way into a job, and they go ahead and implement it.
But even as networking will get you a job faster, it can also be the reason you do not get hired into a position. Why? You are probably making mistakes as you try to network, which could be making you look desperate in the process. Remember that employers and recruiters don’t like desperate job seekers, so if you happen to make this mistake every time you try, you could end up very frustrated.
So, how can you network your way into a job without looking desperate?
1.Always personalize your emails and messages
Like we have mentioned before on this platform and others, recruiters and employers try to avoid reading random emails from job seekers. But if they are personalized and addressed to them, they just might be compelled to open. So, writing an email and addressing it as Dear Sir or Madam is the number one fail. Also, in a networking email, the last thing an employer wants to see are subject lines like “looking for a job” or “please help me find a job”or “I have been jobless for a long time, please help”.
Such subject lines already depict your frustration with job search and to some extent show your desperation. While this may be true about your situation, remember that the aim of a networking email is to introduce yourself and try to form a lasting relationship. Just like any other relationship, networking your way into a job should be taken one step at a time.
2.Send in your CV only after you have established a relationship
A common mistake in the networking front is where job seekers reach out to recruiters and employers with a copy of their CVs and expect to hear back about a job. Unless you are sending out unsolicited job applications with the hope of reaching someone who is hiring, this action will only be a wasted effort. Why? You are reaching out to someone who does not know you and expecting that just because they received your CV they will automatically help you. The job market does not work like this.
You must work on establishing a relationship first. Get to know these recruiters and employers; ask them about the industry they work in, ask them what is required of a job seeker in your field, show them you are more interested in understanding the job market and then after, you can mention that you are looking for a job. At this point, recruiters who get impressed by your approach will ask you to send them your CV. If they don’t ask, you can always ask them if it’s okay to send in your CV for future consideration.
3.Keep your emails and messages short
While most people use emails to network with potential employers, the existence of LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter makes it possible for one to reach out through the inbox. That is why this point is referencing emails and messages. It does not mean that you start looking for a recruiter’s or employer’s mobile number and start sending them SMS, No. This will be regarded as invading their privacy and will not be received very well.
So as you send in those emails and messages, keep them as brief as you can. Do not tell a long story about the problems you encountered when pursuing your diploma and degree or how you have been searching for a job with no luck. This will be interpreted as desperation. The people you are emailing also have issues they are dealing with and are short on time, meaning your long email may go unread. So instead, focus on the issue at hand, be very professional and make it easy to open your email using a catchy subject line.
When you are networking for a job, remember that you are reaching out to a stranger. They don’t know who you are, don’t know your story, and most importantly, they are not under any obligation to help you. So be humble and approach them carefully as you would any other stranger on the street.
Like the dreaded “Tell me about yourself,” the question, “Why are you interested in this position?” is sure to come up in an interview.
And, even if it doesn’t, if you want the job you should get this sentiment across regardless. So, really, there’s no way around figuring out how to string together a coherent thought about why this being in this position makes sense for you (and for the company).
Luckily, there’s actually a pretty simple way to go about answering this question effectively without having to go through every big moment or transition in your life and career that’s brought you to this interview. Here’s a smart framework for how you should structure your answer.
Step 1: Express Enthusiasm for the Company
First things first, this is an excellent opportunity for you to show off what you know about the company. You can talk all day about how excited you are about joining the team, but nothing will trump actually knowing a thing or two about the place you’re interviewing with. So, to prepare, spend some time honing in on what you know about the company and select a few key factors to incorporate into your pitch for why you’re a good fit.
Say you’re interviewing for a small quantitative asset management company. The start of your answer might sound something like this:
The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the position posted was definitely that it was at EFG Advisers. I know that you build a lot of your tools in-house, the team is small, and you run a variety of long- and short-term strategies in the U.S. equities markets using a quantitative approach.
Especially with smaller companies, it’s always impressive when a candidate knows a thing or two about what goes on at the company. And the best thing about this is you rarely have to go beyond reviewing the company website or having a quick conversation with a current or past employee to learn enough to sound like you’ve been following the company for a while.
Step 2: Align Your Skills and Experiences With the Role
Next, you want to sell why, exactly, you’re right for the role. There are two ways you can do this: You can either focus more on your experiences (what you’ve done before that brings you to this point) or your skills (especially helpful if you’re pivoting positions or industries).
Try to pinpoint what the main part of the role entails, plus a couple of the “desired skills” in the job description, and make sure you speak to that. Follow up your introduction to how excited you are about the company with why you’re a good fit:
But the part that really spoke to me about this position was the chance to combine both the programming skills I gained from being a senior software engineer and my knack for quantitative analysis in a position that actively lets me engage with my growing interest in investing and portfolio management.
Keep it short—you’ll have plenty of opportunities to talk about how you got your skills or relevant stories throughout the interview—and just focus on highlighting a couple key relevant abilities or experiences for the position.
Step 3: Connect to Your Career Trajectory
Finally, you want to show that the position makes sense for where you’re going in your career. Ideally, you won’t give the impression that you’re just using the position as a stepping stone. Show that you’ll be around for the long haul, and your interviewer will feel more comfortable investing in you:
I’ve been interested in switching to finance for a while now and have been actively managing my own personal portfolio for a few years. Joining a quant shop makes sense to me because I think it’s one of the few places where I’ll still be able to use my technical skills and spend my day thinking about finance. I’m really excited to learn more and see how I’ll be able to contribute the firm.
Of course, you don’t have to state specifically that you see yourself in the position for a long time. Just show that you’ve given some thought to how the job makes sense for you now and that it continues to make sense for the foreseeable future.
String these three components together, and you have a response that will impress on three fronts: your knowledge and enthusiasm for the company, your relevant skills, and your general fit with the position. Plus, this framework has the added benefit of not stopping the flow of the conversation the way going through your entire life story would.
Credit : themuse.com
Out with the old, in with the new is a great approach when you’re cleaning out your fridge, but it doesn’t always work when you’re updating your resume.
Why?
Cutting old jobs and adding recent positions keeps your career timeline fresh, but it doesn’t allow you to shape your career story in light of where you’re headed right now.
So, if you’re ready to revamp your resume based on how much experience you have—and what you’d like to be doing next—try these edits on for size:
1. Entry Level (1-2 Years)
As someone entering the career world, you probably don’t have much to pare down. Unlike a seasoned professional, you’ll want let your academic life do some of the talking for you, so it’s fine to include categories like relevant coursework. But even with all that, paired with internships and volunteer experiences, you might feel like filling an entire page is a challenge.
Still—resist the temptation to fill your resume with fluff!
By fluff, I mean overly elegant language, or information that’s just there for the sake of being “more.” If you can’t quantify your accomplishments, don’t. In place of meaningless add-ons (like any information from high school), paint a clear picture of what you walked away with, because even jobs like babysitting and hostessing have taught you something. Demonstrating the skills you’ve honed can be as simple as including bullets like this one:
“Contributed to three social media marketing campaigns, assisting with SEO and SEM initiatives and gaining experience with Superfast, Sprinkler, and Google Analytics.”
2. Professional (3-6 Years)
You’ve already moved your education section to the end of your resume, and you’ve probably also trimmed your graduation dates and details about your GPA and extracurriculars. Terrific! You’re well on your way to allowing your experiences—rather than your academics—to do the talking for you.
To seal the deal, dedicate some page space to outlining moments when you’ve had any autonomy, like training someone new, taking on a solo side project, or jumping on a critical problem that you spotted before anyone else. Choose a few a highlights that explain that you’re not a just task rabbit, but a pure go-getter with a bias toward action.
You may not be to point to deliverables that turned the company on its head (yet), but you still have cool stuff to talk about. #TrueStory
For bonus points: List any professional development coursework, or on-the-job training you’ve completed. I mention it because of the whole “I love learning and pushing my perspectives” spiel rattled off during interview after interview.
It’s one thing to say it. It’s absolutely another to embody it.
Oh, and if you spent the first couple years of your career in one sector and then hopped to another, check out this advice.
3. Mid-Career (7-15 Years)
It’s time to make an important shift in your branding.
To beat out your competitors, you’ll have to do more than just highlight your leadership ability or the specialized skill set you’ve honed: You have to deliver clear-cut stories about your accomplishments.
If there were a time to brag, it’s now.
Step beyond merely outlining the responsibilities you’ve fulfilled and give details on the change and results you’ve delivered. Identifying your contributions is as easy as falling off a log. Just ask yourself:
- Where did I create new systems or processes?
- How have I generated new business?
- Did I launch a new product or process?
- Did I help the company avoid costs, red tape, or other headaches?
Whenever possible, these stories should incorporate metrics that illustrate the value of what you did. But don’t let a lack of metrics hold you back from talking about awards, current projects that haven’t yet been measured, or relationships and strategic partnerships that benefited your team. If it’s something you’d want to share in depth during an interview, get it on the page.
4. C-level, VP, or Director (15+ Years)
At this point in your career, you might find that you’re forced to consider how to handle roles that, although they occurred early on, include notable achievements that are important to your brand.
You’re faced with the choice of keeping these roles on your document and spilling onto a third page, or cutting the details altogether.
It’s conundrum city, unless you add a Career Highlights section.
A Career Highlights section allows you to retain key points from your early career roles by boiling them down to one and two-sentence statements. You’re able to trim dozens of lines of content from your resume while re-capturing details that make you shine. Most candidates place this section just after their resume summary and include a couple of recent wins alongside their older accomplishments. Here’s an example of what it might look like:
Career Highlights
- Currently shaping supplier relations and business development strategy for the rollout of Tesla’s 2017 Model 3
- Developed 15 patented automotive / mechanical and hydraulic control systems designs—10 patents were used in international markets, and five are still in production
- Delphi Hall of Fame member and recognized with numerous Chevrolet Innovation awards
Be selective as you fill this section. Think of it as a greatest hits album or box of keepsakes. The idea is to include stuff that’s truly remarkable and sets you apart as a candidate, limiting what you share to three or four bullets at the most.
Your career isn’t static, so your resume shouldn’t be either. As you grow and change as a professional, make sure you’re showing off all you’ve achieved and learned.
Credit : themuse.com
This may seem like a softball, get to know you question—but really it’s your chance to make an unbelievable first impression.
So don’t just spout of random anecdotes about your life or—worse—recite your resume (they already know that information!). We know it’s hard to brag about yourself, but you need to use this question to make it crystal clear why you’re awesome and why you’re the perfect person for this job.
Transcript
Interviewer: Have a seat. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Jimmy: Well, you know, I always say I make a very big first impression. You’d probably be surprised to know that my first word was [beep].
Interviewer: You may be tempted to tell your whole life story, but don’t. Interviewers really don’t want to hear it. Let’s try that again.
Jimmy: [Sigh] This question’s always so hard…
Interviewer: We know. Talking about yourself is a little hard, but it’s kind of the point of an interview. So let’s try that again, but this time, with a little more confidence.
Jimmy: My name is Alex Green and you can reach me at [email protected]. From 2009…
Interviewer: Yikes. Don’t just recite your resume, either. Your response to this question should be like a mini elevator pitch. Here, try the present, past, future structure. This is one sentence highlighting what you’re doing today, one sentence highlighting a relevant past experience, and a third sentence highlighting exactly why you’re excited for this job.
Jimmy: Well, I currently work as a content marketer where I help promote brands by creating blog posts, ebooks, and videos. In the past, I’ve worked with all sorts of marketing channels, from social media to emails. I’m really, really excited about this opportunity, where I’ll get to combine all of those experiences to help a startup like yours grow.
Credit : themuse.com
By Sera Kazungu
How long have you been looking for a job? The longer you have been searching, the more you know that there is a need to keep your job search relevant. This is because after a while,the hustle becomes a routine and job seekers tend to be complacent in their approach.
The Kenyan job market is a very competitive place to be. This is because thousands of fresh graduates are released into the market on a daily basis. As such, every job seeker needs to ensure that they have placed themselves in a position which makes them marketable to potential employers.
How To Keep Your Job Search Relevant
1. Always update your references
More than 65% of job seekers are known to recycle their references for all the jobs that they apply for. According to recruiters, this is the number one reason why most job seekers will not make it past the interview phase.
“References act as important endorsements used by hiring managers as reassurance that you are who you say you are and will do for them what you claim you have done for your previous employers,” says Melody Mwendwa, a Career Advisor & Professional CV Writer at Corporate Staffing Services.
In order for you to ensure that you appear like a serious job seeker, you need to make sure that you update your list of references every time you change a job. This is because after some time, they become irrelevant because you may have worked with them very long ago.
2. Keep yourself up to date on market trends
The job market in Kenya is not a constant one. The trends keep changing and evolving on what seems to be a daily basis. We all live in an ever-changing world. The best way to keep up with change is to stay current.
Begin to acquire new skills, keep abreast of trends and learn everything you can about your current industry. Don’t become complacent or fall asleep at the wheel. Your career needs someone alert to drive it forward
3. Set achievable goals for yourself
80% of fresh graduates will usually go into the job market with very high expectations. While some will expect to immediately start earning a huge salary, others will expect to get managerial jobs just because they excelled at the campus level.
In order to be successful in your job search, you need to set attainable and realistic goals for yourself. In so doing, you will push hard to ensure that you achieve them and this will help you keep track of your progress.
It is not always true that the job search has to be a hustle filled with frustration and disappointment. Being a smart job seeker means that you have to keep your job search relevant in order to come that much closer to your dream job.
