A career objective is a great way to sell yourself to a potential employer and help you stand apart from the competition.
“Ideally, your objective is the last bit of your profile summary and should not be more than 30 words. Keep it specific, short, simple and clear,” says Melody Mwendwa, a Professional CV Writer at Corporate Staffing Services.
She further adds that it should state your professional career goals, what you are looking for in terms of organisation and position and what you can offer the organisation.
“Make sure that you can back up those goals in an interview,” warns Ms. Mwendwa adding, “Let the objective target the role that you are applying for and the level of the position.”
If you are still not sure of how to go about it, these samples will help you out:
For the recent graduate and those seeking entry level jobs (0-2 years)
Ask yourself: why you want to work in that industry, what skills make you eligible and the direction you wish to take with your career. Lay emphasis on your academics and any skills gained through that education
“Seeking an internship in the Logistics industry where I can utilize my education (and work experience) to improve the company’s operation and become an experienced Logistics professional”
2. For the Professional (more than 2 years experience)
At this level, you are looking to move into a better work environment, earn more money or attain a managerial position. Your objective should give solid reasons as to why you are the perfect candidate.
“Aiming to fill a managerial role in your company where my proven customer service, sales, and communication skills can be translated into improved growth and profitability.”
3. For the unemployed
If you have work experience, let it be the main focus. No matter your reason for being out of work, emphasize on the positives.
“Currently out of work due to a layoff, looking for a sales position where I can make a significant contribution by stimulating and motivating a productive sales force.”
4. For those changing careers
Think of the transferable skills that are applicable to the industry you are moving into and use them in your objective
“After 3 years in Finance, currently seeking a new challenge which will utilize my excellent networking skills and experience to improve operations, increase profitability, and enhance growth.”
Take your time to create a powerful objective and land your dream job
By Jane Okoth
Know how the important interview tips as a fresh graduate in Kenya
The main purpose of a job interview is for employers to find out whether you posses all the right skills and qualifications needed for the job. Still, how you present yourself will determine whether you still have a chance to secure a job offer.
So how do you ensure that your interview goes well as a fresh graduate considering this could be your first interview ever?
If you are a fresh graduate and wondering where to start, follow these tips for your next big day.
Interview Tips For Fresh Graduates In Kenya
1. Research About the company well
The best way to ace an interview is to be prepared by conducting a thorough research on your prospective employer. Being heads up with information will make it easier for you to ask a few interview questions as well as find out if the company’s culture and policy fits your expectations.
First, you need to know that the selection process for graduates differ in most companies. For this reason, you need to know the manner in which your prospective employer will be conducting their interviews so as not to be caught off guard.
Will you be subjected to an aptitude test first before the oral interview or are you likely to meet the panel? Having this information at your fingertips will help you to prepare on that day accordingly.
Use the internet to know more about the company. Who are the key players in the organization and how is the culture?
Also get to know more about the position you are interviewing for because it can help your interview a great deal. Dig out information on how much the company pays in any position. This will help you to respond to the salary question during the interview.
2. Arrive Early On The Day Of The Interview
Coming late to an interview is one way of showing the interviewer you can barely handle your time management skills and are disorganized. Always arrive at least 30-45 minutes earlier so as to have time to prepare and compose yourself. If you are not sure about the location of the interview, call earlier so as to know more about the place. You don’t want the interviewer to scold you on the first day of the interview or appear disinterested in the job.
3. Don’t Forget To Bring Your CV And Other Testimonials
No matter how many times you sent your CV and testimonials, don’t assume the interviewer has them and come to the interview without essential documents. This is the only chance when you are asked to provide it and risking is not an option. It gives the interviewer enough room to decide on your suitability.
“A fully updated CV should be in the list because it signifies that you are up to date with your career,” says Ruth Mesude, an Account Manager at Perion. She also recommends bringing a pen, a spare pen and a notepad to write on.
Also, you should carry your testimonials because different interviewers ask for different information. For instance, one interviewer may want to know how you performed in college while the other one will want to know your behavior in primary school and then judge you based on that. Since you don’t have much work experience, any award certificates or references will go a long way.
4. Ask Questions During The Interview
Ms Mesude advises that one should ask questions during the interview to learn more about the organization and role you are interviewing for. “As much as you are being interviewed to gauge your fit, you also want to learn more about the organization and your career prospects and growth” she says.
5. Dress Professionally During The Interview
Even the most qualified of candidates can fail to get the job simply because of the way he or she is dressed. You only get to give one impression as far as image and presentation is concerned. Your grooming creates an image of your personality.
Regardless of the type of position you are interviewing for, dress professionally so as to be on the safe side. You never know what the company’s culture on dressing is.
6. Your Phone Should Be Off During The Interview
Off means off and not on vibration mode,” says Wanjiru Chabeda, a senior Account Manager at Corporate Staffing Services. “I actually had a candidate who had the audacity to answer a call during an interview. He asked me to excuse him because he needed to take that call,” she reveals.
An interview is not going to take the whole day so whoever it is that is calling can wait for at least 20 minutes. Besides, answering a phone call during the interview is a sign of rudeness.
Having a successful interview will get you closer to the job. The job market is very competitive so make your first interview a success.
Competition in the workplace is normal, if not necessary, in some cases for survival.
When discussing how her lack of competitiveness held her back in her career, Muse writer Kat Boogaard says, “I’m a firm believer that the world would be a much better place if we all focused on supporting and encouraging one another…However, I’ve also learned another important lesson: As nice as that all sounds, things don’t necessarily work this way when it comes to your own career. The working world can be frustratingly cutthroat at times.”
And she’s right—you’re not going to get that promotion unless you work harder and faster than other people, you’re not going to score that big project unless you prove it to your boss that you deserve it, and you’re not even going to snag the last piece of birthday cake unless you get to the office kitchen first.
But let’s play devil’s advocate for a second here. What if we put aside our own individual ladders and starting climbing up together? Would that get us anywhere?
That’s exactly what some of the top White House women have decided to do, says a recent article in The Washington Post. Faced with the disadvantage of being women in the heavily-male world of politics, they’ve found it excruciatingly difficult to get their voices heard in a room full of men.
So, what did they do to combat this? They started sticking up for each other: “[F]emale staffers adopted a meeting strategy they called ‘amplification:’ When a woman made a key point, other women would repeat it, giving credit to its author. This forced the men in the room to recognize the contribution—and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own.” And it worked! The men in the room, including President Obama, started listening to their opinions more because two or three or four voices is stronger than one.
This strategy isn’t just for women in politics—it applies to all of us. Instead of competing against each other and trying to one-up our co-worker’s ideas, we could choose to support what colleagues are saying. Not because we feel obligated to, but because we really do agree with what’s being said and valuable points are being made.
Just think: No meeting gets anywhere when everyone’s endlessly cutting each other off—it’s when you take the time to listen and break down one or two thoughts that you start to really get the ball moving.
So, speak up for someone the next time you notice his or her good idea goes unnoticed—because working alongside smart, talented people only makes you look better.
Credit : themuse.com
Ask anyone who’s recently searched for a new job and he or she will tell you that it was a time-consuming endeavor. Scouring the internet for relevant postings, searching for hiring managers to connect with, and filling out lengthy applications can sometimes feel like a full-time job. But what if there was a way to bypass all of those headaches? What if your dream opportunity could just fall right into your lap (or pop up in your inbox)? Believe it or not, it’s totally possible to skip that first step.
While recruiters have great tools (like job boards and employee referral programs) at their disposal, they also spend hours searching for passive candidates to fill their open opportunities. Think about it this way: If you were in the market for a new car, and you were specifically looking for a 2016 model with less than 10,000 miles, an automatic transmission, leather upholstery, a built-in GPS, and heated seats, would you just sit back and wait for a car that meets all of these requirements to show up in your driveway?
Of course not—you’d be actively calling dealerships, searching the internet, and going on test drives. Well, the same idea applies to recruiting. Sure, it’s possible that the perfect candidate will apply, but a good recruiter doesn’t rely on postings alone to find the right person—she goes out looking.
Here’s how to ensure you’ll be found when that happens:
1. Create a Killer LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn has a search tool designed specifically to help recruiters find candidates. They can search for everything from industry and experience level to location and job titles. They can also search for super-specific skills like SQL or UX design. If you don’t have a profile with relevant keywords, an up-to-date work history, and a compelling summary, you probably won’t show up in the search results.
Luckily, this is an easy fix. You’ll want to start by making a list of keywords and phrases that are relevant or commonly used in your industry. For example, if you’re in sales, you’d probably want to use keywords like business development, prospecting, negotiation, and account management throughout your profile. If you’re having a tough time figuring out which ones will attract people, try browsing a few job postings to get an idea of which phrases and terms are most commonly used. (There are also tons of free word counting tools that will generate a list of the most frequently used words in a job description.)
Next, you’ll need to get your work history updated. Similar to a resume, your LinkedIn profile is an opportunity to share your proudest accomplishments and successes—in a less formal and more conversational way. Instead of simply copying and pasting the content of your resume, try summarizing what you did in each of your jobs (past and present) in a couple of sentences and backing these descriptions up with two or three tangible accomplishments.
For example, if you were an executive assistant for a large company, you might say something like:
As an executive assistant for ABC Company, the second largest e-commerce organization in the world, I owned all administrative support functions for the COO and operations team. This included calendaring, meeting coordination, travel arrangements, and records management.
Some of my most notable accomplishments included:
- Implementing a new, more efficient calendaring system, resulting in a 20% decrease in double-booked meetings
- Seamlessly coordinating last minute international travel arrangements for five executives with less than four hours’ notice
- Spearheading the transition from traditional paper files to a paperless filing system, ultimately saving the organization more than $15K annually on storage and filing supply expenses.”
The key here is to provide a clear and concise snapshot of your experience while simultaneously finding ways to incorporate relevant keywords and highlight your meaningful, tangible achievements.
A standout summary is the final crucial element. While trying to capture the essence of your amazingness in a few short sentences may sound daunting, it’s actually pretty simple. A compelling one typically consists of three key elements: a bold, straightforward, or attention-grabbing opening line, a brief, impactful summary of what you’re great at, and a sneak peek into what makes you unique.
For example:
I specialize in the warm fuzzies. As a customer success manager with more than five years of experience in the account management space, I know a thing or two about making customers happy. Currently, I’m the customer success manager for ABC Company, where I own a robust portfolio of more than 40 client accounts.
This role requires a dazzling array of skills, but my specialties include customer retention, client relations, and issue resolution. Since joining the team, my exceptional listening skills and solutions-focused approach have enabled me to increase client retention by almost 75% in less than a year.
When I’m not catching up with a client or resolving a customer complaint, you can probably find me hiking Mount Kilimanjaro or watching Netflix with my cat. Regardless of what I’m doing when you reach out, I’ll be sure to get back to you within 24 hours or less. You can get in touch with me here: [email protected].”
Lastly, don’t forget to update the rest of your profile, create a customized URL, and headline.
2. Optimize Your Online Presence
When you search for your name online, what comes up? Is it an embarrassing photo from college, a link to your LinkedIn profile, or nothing at all? Don’t panic if you aren’t thrilled with the results—optimizing your online presence is easier than you’d think.
To start, consider whether or not you should update your social media account settings. If you don’t want your future boss to be able to read through every status update you’ve posted since 2007, you may want to make your accounts private. If you’re concerned about false or damaging information that a simple change in settings can’t fix, it may be worth reaching out to a service like Reputation Defender.
Next, you want to start populating the internet with positive, searchable content. Your LinkedIn profile’s a great start, as is Twitter (if you use it for professional tweets and posts), Medium, and Squarespace. Creating professional profiles and populating them with relevant, career-focused content will help you to grow your presence quickly and efficiently. The more your name is out there, the easier you are to find.
3. Get Active, Stay Active
Establishing an active online presence will not only make you more searchable, but it will also make you more credible. After completing step two, you’ll want to stay active by liking or sharing relevant posts that pop up in your LinkedIn or Twitter feeds. Simply commenting on or retweeting an industry specific article will draw more attention to your profile and make you easier to find. Do your best to like, comment, or share at least one post a day.
Better yet, subscribe to relevant news sources and share the articles that pique your interest with an insightful introductory line like, “Compelling read about the future of social media marketing. I found #3 to be particularly relevant” or “Having trouble getting into a productive morning routine? Check out this post about maximizing your daily schedule.” Yes, it’s that easy.
4. Network
While a majority of poaching activity occurs online, establishing a name for yourself in the real world has some serious perks, too. You never know who you’ll meet at that networking happy hour or industry meet-up. Ask to attend a seminar, volunteer to work the booth at an upcoming tradeshow, or offer to speak at a conference. Increasing your visibility and expanding your network by carving out time to attend relevant events could really pay off. I can recall multiple occasions when a CEO asked me to track down a person that she saw speak at a conference or met a tradeshow so that we could poach him or her.
Expanding your social network never hurts either. Set aside some time to browse the “people you may know” section and be sure to make an effort to connect with the interesting people you meet at networking events.
Becoming an irresistibly poachable candidate does, admittedly, require some work. But that’s nothing compared to the hours you’d spend reading through job postings and filling out online applications, and you can take your time with it. If you’re willing to put in the effort, your hard work might be handsomely rewarded with a fantastic new opportunity served up on a silver platter—no job boards or ATS required.
Credit : themuse.com
When I first moved to New York, I was a cover letter machine. I wrote to every sir or madam with a job opening. I expressed my interest in positions for which I had none. I waxed rhapsodic about companies I’d never heard of. My response rate? A whopping zero percent.
Around the 10th unanswered application, the negative chatter started to kick in—and it sounded suspiciously like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.
Go home, Lisa, said the small, icy voice in my head. You’re just not cut out for this. Also, you have no sense of style. At my lowest point, while surfing job boards at Starbucks, I actually locked myself in the bathroom and cried.
Here’s the good thing about rock bottom: Nothing is off-limits. I gave myself permission to try any and all tactics in the cover letter playbook, from throwing in a Beyoncé GIF to pretending the hiring manager and I were good friends. Finally, 103 cover letters later, I landed on one that worked.
Within an hour, I had an interview request waiting in my inbox—and then another, and another. Soon, my response rate skyrocketed from 0 to 55%, and I was scheduling interviews with Vogue, InStyle, and Rolling Stone into my calendar. In other words, this letter—fueled by an old copywriting framework called problem-agitate-solve—is powerful stuff.
Here’s how this three-part formula (a.k.a., my secret sauce) works:
1. Identify the Problem
55% of hiring managers don’t read cover letters. Why should they, when we write like modern-day Oliver Twists, begging them to please, sir, give us the job?
News flash: The hiring manager isn’t here to make your dreams come true. They’re in it for themselves. OK, that’s harsh, but the truth is that they’re looking for an awesome candidate to come in and do a kick-ass job that’ll help them run their department (or company) more efficiently and successfully. That’s why, when a friend tipped me off to an opening at the fashion magazine I’d read religiously since middle school, I resisted the urge to gush—and opened with this one-liner instead:
“As a veteran of Details.com and Vs. Magazine, I’ve seen how crazy fashion month can get.”
This sentence, though just 16 words long, tells the hiring manager two things: I understand the problem you’re trying to solve, and I’ve been there. The trick? Zeroing in on the right problem—because it’s almost never spelled out for you in the job description.
When you’re writing your own cover letter, start with the list of responsibilities and ask yourself, Why? Why is this task important to this company? Keep digging until you can’t go any further. The true need is usually the one at the end of a chain of whys.
2. Agitate the Problem
Now that you’ve identified the problem, here comes the fun part.
Because no hiring manager has ever said, “I just love paying employees thousands of dollars every year!” your challenge now is to remind him or her how painful the problem is, and by default, how valuable a solution could be. Don’t be afraid to twist the knife a bit, like I did in my second paragraph:
If you’re looking for someone who can not only keep up, but also deliver that SEO-friendly, 75-page street style slideshow five minutes ago…
Notice I didn’t say, “If you’re looking for someone who can turn around projects quickly…” I was specific, and I made sure to use an example I knew would resonate with a stressed-out web editor.
And if you’re new to the industry or the role? Just ask. This is exactly what informational interviews are for. Find someone on the team you’re applying to, let your interviewer do most of the talking, and pay close attention to how he or she discusses the company’s challenges.
In conversation, we instinctively trust people who mirror our body language. On your application, you won’t get the chance—but you can do the next best thing: Pick up on your interviewer’s subtle cues and phrases and then mirror their speaking language in your cover letter.
3. Offer the Solution
By this point, you’ve got the hiring manager squirming at the table. Now, deliver the solution. Hint: It’s you.
Think about what makes you incredibly qualified to solve the problem. In my case, I knew I wanted the hiring manager to think of me and say, “Lisa? Oh, she’s the one who knows our backend systems and seems like a real go-getter.”
Here’s how I made it happen:
“Since TeamSite and I are old friends, I’ll be able to hit the ground running—and whether it’s churning out a dozen blog posts per day or refreshing the homepage with breaking fashion month news, I’ve done it all. Most importantly, you’ll never hear me say, “That’s not my job!”
4. Close With Confidence
After all that work, you aren’t going to dash off a breathless “Hope to hear from you soon!” right? Instead, seal the deal with a sentence that displays confidence, competence, and a genuine interest in the company:
“I’d love to learn more about your production needs and how I can help!”
Boom. That’s it.
Like its contrarian sibling, the pain letter, this cover letter takes some guts to send. I get it—the first time I fired it off, I was so terrified my boyfriend had to hit the enter button for me.
Look at it this way, though: Everyone else will compete on how many buzzwords they can stuff in a sentence. They’ll swear up and down how passionate they are and how hard they work. But you? With this cover letter formula, you’ve already proved it.
You, my friend, play a different game.
Credit : themuse.com
By Jane Okoth
For Catherine Mwikali, struggling to find a job as a fresh graduate has been a real nightmare.
“Nothing for me seems to work anymore. I have applied for countless jobs but still no success. Worse still, some of the jobs i came across require a myriad of work experience yet i have only 6 months internship. Why can’t i find a job as a fresh graduate?” she asks.
Take a look at the number of fresh graduates churned out of universities each year. A World Bank report revealed that Kenya holds the dubious distinction of being the country with the largest number of unemployed youth in east Africa. With such statistics we can agree that the country’s rate of unemployment is very high.
However, there are a lot of reasons why fresh graduates in Kenya cannot find jobs according to Human Resource Experts.
If you are a fresh graduate in Kenya, you need to read this so as to find out why you can’t find a job despite your qualifications.
Why Fresh Graduates In Kenya Can’t Find A Job
1. Fresh Graduates In Kenya Are Choosy
Fridah Abuya, a HR Consultant at Virtual HR says that most graduates are motivated by money when looking for a job hence Kenyan employers will not hire them. Also, money motivates them to the point of wanting to change jobs more often in search of “greener pastures.”
“If you are a graduate and want to be employed you need to change your attitude and not be in it for the money,” she says.
Also, if you have been applying for numerous jobs but no response, ask yourself if your standards are too high. If that is the case, lower your expectations on the type of organisation you expect to be hired into.
It is normal to fantasize working in fancy offices, whirling around chairs and receive huge salaries like your fellow college mate but the reality is that life does not turn out to be the way you want it to be.
“As a learner, don’t dismiss casual or odd jobs because this will give you a chance to gain work experience,” she warns. Besides, a lot of successful people like KCB CEO Joshua Oigara started in very humble organisations.
2. Fresh Graduates In Kenya Lack Internship/Work Experience
As much as it sounds unfair, Kenyan employers are not ready to hire an individual who lacks work experience. Most companies when hiring look for experience even if it is an internship position, which most graduates lack.
At least one year experience is important for every graduate even if you are being hired for a management trainee position because nowadays people get hired based on their experience.
Are you a fresh graduate with limited work experience? It’s high time you reach out to organisations that have projects and require volunteers to achieve their objectives. Start small with organizations near your vicinity and this initiative no matter how small can help to build up your CV as well as allow your skills learnt in school to be implemented.
3. They Fail To Express Their Skills And Education In Their CV
According to Peris Mwangi, a Human Resource Business Partner at Uchumi Supermarket, points out that one area many job seekers struggle with is their exposure to activities while seeking their education and expressing this on their CVs.
“Some go to college and keep away from any extra curriculum activity. This is on the basis that once they are done with college they will seek gainful employment at that time, missing out an opportunity to build some experience. Others on the other hand expose themselves to extra curriculum activities but are unable to translate this into their CVs.” she says.
According to Ms Mwangi, leadership, communication skills and some competencies could actually be demonstrated by citing those activities, setting fresh graduates above the rest and improving their marketability.
Are you a fresh graduate in Kenya with no experience? Consider working on these mistakes so that you don’t fall in the category of graduates who are having a hard time finding a job.
By Selipha Kihagi
Ever been to a job interview where you forgot to carry an important document that was required? You will be surprised how often that happens. A job seeker walks into a job interview only to go blank when the interviewer asks for certain documents. Or you carry what you think will be needed only to realize that they wanted something totally different. Are you a victim of this? If you are, or are scheduled for a job interview soon but not sure what to carry, this article is here to act as a reminder of what will be required.
As part of your interview preparation, know that employers and recruiters always look forward to see certain documents in the interview. If you are a smart job seeker and you did everything to get ready for the interview, you probably carried the right ones. But if you were in a hurry to prepare or did not really pay attention, you may find yourself with all the wrong papers. Below are the documents that employers want to see in an interview.
Documents that Employers Want to See in an Interview
1. Copies of your CV
Just because you sent in your CV in the application does not mean you go to the interview without it, no. While the employer or recruiter may already have your CV in their database or even in hardcopy, it is always advised that you carry a few copies of your CV. And by copies I mean printed out documents, not the one saved on your phone.
Most interviewers will ask for a copy of your CV as soon as you enter the interview room. Sometimes you may meet an interview panel where every individual needs a copy of your CV in hand as the interview progresses. It would be embarrassing if you were to not have enough for everyone. So always remember to make copies as part of your interview preparation.
2. Relevant original certificates
See what I did there? I used the words relevant and original to describe the certificates that are required in the job interview. Employers and recruiters want to see your original certificates that are relevant to the job in question. These will include the one for your degree, diploma or any relevant training you may have gone through as part of your education qualification.
Also if you did any short courses relevant to your profession and the job you are applying for; make sure you carry those certificates to the interview. They act as a confirmation that you are indeed as qualified as your CV says you are and takes away any doubt that the employer may have about your honesty.
3. Recommendation letters
Are you the job seeker who never asks for a recommendation letter as soon as you leave an organization? I ask this because most people just resign and do not think it important to ask for recommendation from previous employers. You pack up and start looking forward to the next job, not paying attention to the fact that potential employers will need to know what kind of employee you are. And what better way to know than hear it from your previous employer?
While you may be convincing in your interview, a letter of recommendation is more convincing to potential employers. So if you don’t have any recommendation letter with you, make it a priority to get one. Recommendation letters play an important role in your job search and carrying it to the job interview may be impactful than you think. Of course not every employer will ask for the recommendation during the interview, but it will not hurt to carry just in case.
4. Your payslips
Yes you will need to carry your payslips to the interview, especially if the job advert mentioned that you indicate your current or previous salary. This is probably the last thing you would think an employer would want to see, right? Well, employers want to make sure that the salary you quoted is indeed what you were earning and not fabricated. It also helps to confirm that you were indeed employed and paid for your hard work.
So if you are getting ready for an upcoming interview, ready your recent payslips any other document that proves you were or currently are a paid employee. And while not all organizations will ask for this, recruitment firms in Kenya are keen on this.
5. Any other requested document
In addition to the four documents mentioned above, employers and recruiters may ask you to carry particular documents. If the job requires you to travel to another country for instance, employers may want to see proof that you are allowed to travel. They could ask for your passport. Other positions may be keen on your citizenship and ask that you carry an identification card. Depending on the job you are applying for, employers may also ask that you carry a certificate of good conduct.
So the key here is to pay attention to what recruiters and employers say when they are inviting you to the interview. Most of them will send you an email with details on what to carry, so always remember to check your emails after that phone call. You never know what you will find.
Job interviews are usually a step closer to getting the job. If you do the interview right, you never have to worry if you are going to get the job or not. But if you do it wrong, you will always wonder why you never get the job thereafter. Do you experience difficulties in job interviews? Consult an interview coach today and learn how to ace every interview you go to.
By Jane Okoth
How many times have you ever spotted a job advert and thought you were the best fit for the role? In a typical recruitment world, the qualified candidate will get the job. However there are many reasons why a qualified job seeker may not get the job even though they have the all the skills and qualifications it takes.
If you didn’t get the job you applied for, it doesn’t mean that you were not qualified. According to Wanjiru Chabeda, a Recruitment Manager At Corporate Staffing Services, there are a lot of factors that come into play when short listing candidates and even the best candidate may miss out on the short listing.
Here are 5 reasons from a recruiter’s point of view why you didn’t get the job even though you were very qualified for the position.
Why You Didn’t Get The Job Even Though You Were Qualified
1. You Didn’t Get The Job Because You Applied Past The Deadline
Seen a job advert whose deadline passed and still want to apply for that job? Don’t even think about it. According to Ms Chabeda , when you apply for a job matters.
“Whenever an advert goes out and people start applying, the short listing begins immediately. Besides, recruiters have a 100 plus job applications to review and chances is that they will not think about considering late applications. If you apply for a job past the deadline, chances are that you will miss out on a good opportunity even though you were highly qualified,” Ms Chabeda says.
2. You Didn’t Follow The Job Application Instructions
Failure to follow instructions is one of the key reasons why your job application will be rejected and never make it to the interview stage.
Many companies have different ways of recruiting candidates for positions. You may have come across through an advert that read “no phone calls please or no certificates will be allowed. Some other companies may also ask you to bring along copies of your original CV and other testimonials as well as instructions on how to dress.
Whatever instructions an employer has, he or she has their reasons and failing to follow them speak volumes about the kind of person you are causing you to be disqualified for the job.
So what happens if you don’t follow instructions? You will either carry along the wrong documents, you will not dress appropriately or you will come to the interview unprepared.
Word of advice is that whatever you do; don’t forget to read the job application instructions because if you don’t, how will the employer be sure you are going to do the same once hired?
3. You Had Unexplained Gaps In Your CV
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in an application that puts the employer off is not accounting for employment gaps. In any job application, you must do whatever it takes to ensure your CV clearly demonstrates your skills and qualifications for the job and that includes explaining your employment gaps.
Whether you were fired or terminated for one reason or the other or are a fresh graduate not able to secure a job, it’s very important to address the employment gaps in your CV. They key thing is to look like you were occupied during the unemployment period because one the employer notices that you were unemployed for almost a year, it casts doubt about your suitability.
Whether it will be in the form of volunteer work, internship or even going back to school, its upon you to address that in your CV.
4. You Copied The Job Description On Your CV
When applying for a position, it is always recommended that you have your CV tailored to fit the job you are applying for. “However, this does not mean that you copy paste the whole job description into your CV,” warns Ms Chabeda.
The worst part here is that you will be caught red handed because the recruiter probably made that job description himself and spotting it is easy. Again it portrays you as a lazy job seeker who cannot get his applications in order thereby not bring you out as a strong candidate.
5. You Had Too Much Changing Jobs Even Though You Were Qualified
Job hopping is always a turnoff to most recruiters because it does not depicts you as a candidate who is not willing to be corrected hence too much of changing jobs. Worse still it can give a picture of a job seeker who goes where the money is more.
For instance if you have changed 2 jobs for a period of 3 months, the recruiter will start to ask questions and wonder whether you will do the same once hired.
If you are keen on growing and developing your career, job hopping should be the last thing on your mind.
6. Your Attitude Said It All
Regardless of how qualified you might be for a position, your attitude tells a lot about you. You might be the smartest and best qualified candidate but if you start being rude in an interview, the interviewer will not be impressed.
While it is important to be confident in a job interview, be careful not to come out as arrogant because no employer would to hire a want a rude person. Instead, be humble and talk about how you fit for the job by showcasing your skills and qualifications.
The job search is tricky and if you can control some mistakes in the application process and get yourself ahead in being shortlisted the better.
“When a job application asks for my salary expectations can I leave it out and would this affect my chances of landing a job? And most important, where should I quote my salary expectations?” asks Ms. Valentine Mukholwe in an email
Many jobs require candidates to mention their salary requirements. As an applicant it is important to note that if the advertisement does not ask for it, do not bother mentioning. Lack of inclusion will not land you an interview as an employer views you as a person who cannot follow instructions.
There are two methods to place it: the first method is to state that your salary requirements are negotiable based on the position and the benefits. The second way is to include a range based on a salary research you have done.
How to indicate salary expectations in a CV
“This is usually placed right before listing your referees. The reasons for not placing it before is that it allows the employer to first view your skills, knowledge and experience instead of judging you by your salary,” confirms Melody Mwendwa, a career advisor and Certified CV Writer at corporate Staffing Services.
Example of how to put it: “My current salary is Kshs. 20, 000 per month and I expect a salary in the range of Kshs. 25,000 to Kshs. 35,000 monthly.”
How to indicate the salary expectations on the cover letter
A cover letter is your pitch sales. When it comes to stating your salary expectations, state it after the third paragraph just before you thank the employer for taking the time to consider your application.
Example of how to state it: “As per your request and basing on my understanding of the job responsibilities listed in the ad plus the value I bring to your organization, my salary expectations fall in the range of Kshs. 25,000 to Kshs. 35, 000 per month.”
Salary expectations must be based on your current or last salary making sure that it is practical. For example, if you earn Kshs. 20, 000 do not state that you expect a Kshs. 60, 000 salary. While this might be your dream salary a 300% increase is over the line. Quote a reasonable range.
By Selipha Kihagi
Based on the current trend, it is no news that getting a job in Kenya is almost a nightmare. You have all the necessary qualifications but for reasons you cannot seem to grasp, other people get hired and you never make the cut. So why is it that you are not getting the job?
In an earlier article here, I tried to explain the 4 things you could be doing wrong in your applications. Some of you wrote to me saying they were not victims of the 4 mistakes but would like to know why they were still not getting jobs. Following up on that, I wrote this other post explaining 3 more things that could be wrong with your application. Again, some of you denied being victims.
So, could there be another reason you are not getting the job? The answer is yes and this new post shares more on why you are not getting the job even with your outstanding qualifications.
Why You Are Not Getting the Job, Despite Being Qualified
Any recruiter will confirm that they always have certain features they are looking for from applicants. And this is why it is always important to know what recruiters and employers are looking for in your CV before you even submit your application. To learn more about that, this post published last week should be of great help.
That said, here is why you are not getting the job even with your qualifications;
1. You are not as qualified for the position as you think
The one common issue among most job seekers is why they can’t seem to get interviews or jobs yet they are well qualified for the position. If you fall into this category of job seekers, I would like you to ask yourself this one question; why do you really think you are qualified for the position?
You could say you have the experience needed, but have you worked in a similar industry like the job posting required? You could say that you have the skills, years of experience and have worked in a similar industry, but do your duties and responsibilities align with what the position seeks? You could also say that you have every qualification needed, but why do the job titles on your CV tell a whole other story?
The reality of the matter; you are only as qualified as the recruiter handling your application thinks. Most of you do not spend enough time analysing the details of a job description and that is where you go wrong. By taking your time to understand what the job needs, you learn how to tailor your CV for the role and tune the recruiter’s mind into picking you for the interview. Applying without editing your CV to match the position in question is a fail you cannot come back from.
2. Recruiters see very little and one single error is too many
The first section a recruiter will look at when they receive your CV is the work experience section. And while here, importance will be given on your job titles, companies you worked in, time spent in the positions and the first five duties and responsibilities. You can read more here on what employers look for in your work experience when hiring.
If you have an error in the work experience section, your application will almost always get bypassed. And by errors, I mean mistakes like leaving out your job title or company name and having confusing dates. For instance, putting “2014 – 2015” as the time period for which you worked in a certain position will always raise eyebrows. How many months did you actually work? Was it December to January? May be a few days or a few weeks into the New Year? Recruiters won’t know for sure.
Always remember that one simple error will be an issue, especially when you are competing against hundreds of other qualified candidates.
3. You have a professional CV but your application is just wrong
Having a well laid out CV is one thing and using it to get job interviews is another thing altogether. Remember that recruiters don’t usually read through your CV when shortlisting candidates, No. Instead, they skim through the document to pick out certain aspects from your CV. So if you did not customize your CV to match the job description given, then you are not getting the job.
What does this mean?
Let’s say you are applying to a Supply Chain job in the FMCG industry. The job description insists that you have prior experience in FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) companies. However, the CV you use to apply shows that you have been working in the procurement department of a bank or top corporation. According to the recruiter, such a CV does not show your experience in the industry. Learn more on how to write a CV that gets you the job in this post here. Your CV may include duties that relate to the ones in the position, but if you do not prioritize those duties for recruiters to see, someone else will get the job.
Why you are not getting a job could be as a result of the above issues, or it could be something else. The trick to making sure you get a job you apply for is to know what recruiters are looking for and give them exactly that. Do not assume that a recruiter will see your qualifications as you see them. Most of the times they don’t and it is up to you to feed it down to them.
No one likes to hear or be told they are the reason something they want is not working out for them. I don’t either. But let’s face it, to apply for a job and get it demands that you follow certain guidelines and avoid some careless mistakes that employers don’t condone.
It requires you to take your time to read through a job description before applying and following set instructions. A step by step guide is just another addition provided by career experts to ensure your application is successful. If you don’t follow these guidelines, you usually don’t get the job.
The same applies to the job search process. Finding jobs demands more than visiting a job website or browsing through the newspaper to see open opportunities. It is more than going to the jobs section on LinkedIn or following HR companies for opportunities. It requires more and more is hard work, which we all want to avoid. The problem with job seekers is you want the easy way out.
3 ways you are to blame for job search failure
1. You are searching for ANY open jobs
As a job seeker, the one thing you want is a job. Most times you will not care for which opportunity as long as it’s a job you can do and get paid. There is nothing wrong with this, except the fact that you are probably not going to be considered for a job demanding 2 years experience when you have none or less than that. You are also not going to get that data clerk job without experience, even when you know very well, that you can do the job.
For you to find jobs, search for the ones you are qualified to do instead of just any open opportunity. Be specific; recruiters don’t know what you can do, they look at your papers.
2. You are too proud to seek help
The job market is ever-changing. What you thought worked 8 months ago is not what will work for you today, especially when companies are moving their business online. So, to be safe and increase your chances it would be wise if you reached out to someone for advice on how best to find jobs.
Today, there are endless career websites for that with updated information on what employers are looking for and where they are posting jobs. So, if you’ve been job searching a long time, employers don’t hate you, you are doing something wrong. Ask for help!
3. You are contacting recruiters in the wrong language
One way of finding jobs is keeping tabs on recruitment firms and even contacting recruiters directly to know if there are available jobs. Most recruitment firms will provide information on their recent jobs through their websites and even social media pages. But how do you get back to them for consideration?
At Corporate Staffing, I interact with recruitment managers and they are never short of complains about the language job seekers are using to contact them for jobs. Using short form is not acceptable; if you are serious about your job search always keep it professional. Even emails demand the use of English language as taught in class. Avoid short forms or being too informal.
Forget the economy for a minute, finding jobs is like an exam, you have to use what you have learnt prior if you are to pass. Sometimes you have to use a little imagination and logic, but you never assume.
Source: The Muse
Many of the job seekers are stuck in their careers right now. Why? They’re playing an old set of rules. They are struggling to find jobs or to get ahead in their current ones because they haven’t noticed that the economy and global workforce have changed, and they haven’t adapted.
Corporations want to do more with fewer resources. They are looking for entrepreneurial-minded workers who can move business forward. They are looking for the best talent at the lowest price, which means job seekers and employees alike are competing with professionals from all over the world.
These days, just doing your job isn’t enough—you have to constantly expand your role, learn new skills, and grow your network if you want to stay relevant. Regardless of your current occupation, the following five rules will help you survive and thrive in this new world of work.
5 Rules To Getting Ahead In Your Career
1. Always Be Open to New Opportunities
A decade ago, you could graduate from college and have a secure job for life. But these days, you could get laid off on a moment’s notice, your team could be outsourced, or your company merged or acquired.
That means, you always need to be looking for new opportunities (as well as building a strong online presence so that you’ll attract them, too). This is not to say that you should be job-hopping all the time—my rule of thumb is to stay in one role for at least a year, unless you’re presented with an opportunity you can’t refuse. But a new Careerbuilder study shows that 74% of workers are either actively searching for a new job or open to a new opportunity. If you want to get ahead in your career, don’t close yourself off.
2. Have a Consulting Mindset
We’re living in what I call “ROI Nation” right now, where companies aren’t willing to take risks hiring people. They want to be 100% confident they are hiring someone who can get the job done flawlessly and add value to the company.
So if you’re a job-seeker, you need to prove your worth, and the best way to do this is to act like a consultant. Instead of just applying for a job, make a presentation on how you can add more value to the company. Come with a case study to show that you’ve improved sales of your last client or company by 50% or that you helped increase efficiencies that led to a decrease of costs by 70%. Don’t just tell a company that you’ll add value—show it.
3. Be Able to Change and Adapt
Be prepared for your job situation to change constantly. I know so many people who were finance or marketing majors in college and who now have a completely different career. Even if you’re certain of your career path, you could find yourself with a new manager and need to adapt to his or her leadership style on short notice. Or, if you own a company, you might find your business model changes over time based on demand and on how your customers are using your products and services.
You can best position yourself for these changes by understanding your core strengths and gaining skills that can be used across various business functions and roles. Being able to roll with the punches will be key to your long-term success.
4. Learn the Skills of Today and Tomorrow
There are many ways to acquire new skills, whether you prefer online training modules, YouTube educational videos, open source courses (such as MIT’s), books, or finding expert mentors online. It’s also important to read up on industry news daily, so you’re aware of relevant events and can sound intelligent in meetings and in job interviews.
5. Surround Yourself with the Right People
You need to build a strong network for several reasons. First, if you’re around the right people, you will become smarter and more confident about your career. Second, if you get laid off, you’ll have a network to help guide you to new opportunities—finding a job by submitting a resume doesn’t usually work because you’re just one resume in a stack of thousands. Your network can help you cut through the clutter and get noticed.
Finally, you appear to be more valuable when you’re around other ambitious and intelligent people. Surround yourself with people who will build you and your career up, not bring you down.
Peering out of the window of a skyscraper in New York City at the people hurriedly rushing to their jobs, I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. Just moments ago, I was one of them, and this had been my routine every day over the course of my career: dash to work to do a job that, even on the best days, felt like I was spinning my wheels. Deep down I knew something needed to change; I just couldn’t put a finger on it. I sat back in my chair, looked around at the white walls of my office, then back toward the window again. I thought: Is this really all there is?
At that point, I had a secure job in advertising backed by advanced degrees, I was making a good amount of money, and I was positioned to keep moving up within my company. To others, I had “made” it—but to me, I felt disconnected and disappointed day after day.
Wow, I thought. I was only five years into my career, and I could already sense that I was headed for crisis. Perhaps you can relate? Or fear that one day you’ll find yourself at that point?
Many of us start out our careers with lofty ambitions, high expectations, and optimistic pursuits, yet somewhere along the line we hit a lull of confusion, frustration, and feelings of failure. Although the stereotype is that this crisis hits folks in their mid-40s, it is also known to happen (as was the case for me) in your 20s and 30s. As a career coach to people of all ages throughout the years, I have seen this happen many times to individuals who were able to successfully navigate their way through it.
If you’re feeling on the brink of a job crisis or in the midst of one right now, you’re definitely not alone, but there are things you can do to help prevent or mitigate the event. No matter where you are on your professional journey or what age you happen to be, here are four steps I’ve found that will help you avoid the dip or get you through to the other side.
1. Take Time to Build Your Foundation
The best careers are built on a critical foundation that will stand the test of time and can weather the inevitable pitfalls you’ll encounter—things like your core values, passions, and strengths. Unfortunately, many of us dive straight into a job that we think looks good on paper and don’t take the time to build this foundation, which can lead to upset down the road.
But it’s never too late to go back to the basics. If you’ve never gone through this process or it’s been some time since you did, start by blocking out some quiet time to hone in on or revisit a few important things about yourself:
- What are your core values? Or, in other words, what matters to you most in life? Identifying your values can feel overwhelming, but there are plenty of resources to guide you along the way. Two of my favorites: the free core values workbook offered by Dawn Barclay of Living Moxie and Danielle LaPorte’s resources for finding your “core desired feelings”—essentially another way of identifying the same thing.
- What are your strengths? Sure, you probably know some of these offhand (hello, interview question prep), but sometimes it can be most helpful to get other people’s impressions of you. Try asking 10 friends, colleagues, or mentors what they think your three greatest strengths are, and you’ll likely start to see some patterns. And, truthfully, the answers might surprise you—often our strengths are the things we do so innately that we don’t even recognize them as something special.
- What are your passions? For some, this might seem like the easiest to answer, but a lot of people struggle with it. If you’re not 100% sure, ask yourself questions like: When do I find myself in the zone, both at work and in my personal life? What skills or talents come most natural to me? What gets me out of bed in the morning? What did I love as a child that still excites me?
Collect your answers to these questions in one central place so you can start to see a clear vision of yourself. Consider your current job satisfaction (or lack thereof), and see how this foundation relates. If you realize that key aspects of your situation aren’t aligning with your values, strengths, and passions, that’s a clear sign that it’s time to start making some changes. On that note:
2. Make Choices Based Off Your Core
Whenever you find yourself at a crossroads in your career—be it about accepting a new job, taking on new responsibilities, handling a conflict at work, or anything in between—remember to return to your foundation to help guide you. This way you’re not making decisions based on whims or out of stress, but on how you intentionally want to build your career for the long haul. Here are a few questions worth asking before you make a choice:
- How does this decision align with my core values, strengths, and passions?
- How do I truly feel about the decision I am about to make?
- How would the person I want to be handle this situation?
- How would I feel tomorrow if I make this choice today?
For example, I worked with a woman who was offered a promotion at a higher salary, but the new position would increase her already intense travel schedule. While she was excited about the idea of moving up, she was conflicted about spending more time away from home. She was able to assess her decision more thoughtfully, with her values and professional aspirations as a guide, and decided to negotiate the terms of her promotion to an arrangement that was mutually beneficial. She is much happier with her decision, and her employer gets to grow the company. Win-win!
Without this level of clarity, you may make a decision that will disappoint later on. When making choices from your core, you can even start small: As you face day-to-day decisions, like whether or not to delegate a task, do a quick gut check about whether it aligns with your core before proceeding.
3. Find Ways to Follow Curiosities
Even if you’ve chosen a career, a job, and a company based on your foundation, it doesn’t mean you’ll always feel like that’s the only gig for you. In fact, you’re bound to have other things pop up that spark your interests, and I always encourage people to find ways to pursue them.
After all, we tend to want what we don’t have, and ignoring these curiosities or letting them fester could leave you with a sense that there is something missing and cause you to make some drastic career decisions. But by giving them a little bit of attention, you can quiet that sense of FOMO and maybe even become more inspired at your day job. For example, early on in my career, I became curious about photography and took some lessons on evenings and weekends. Picking up the camera and tapping into my creative side satisfied a need I didn’t even know I had. After a couple of months of playing with the camera in my spare time, my co-workers even noticed a change in my mood and overall energy at work. I felt more inspired and less stressed because I had other interests in addition to my main gig.
So look for opportunities to explore other interests in your free time. Whether it’s picking up a book, taking an evening class, attending a meetup group, or starting a side project, a few hours each week is usually all the time you need to dip your toe in. Or, you could look for opportunities to bring these activities into your job by taking ownership of special projects and initiatives. If you have an idea for a new sales strategy or a women’s leadership program, for example, follow it! You never know where your curiosity might lead you.
4. Don’t Get Too Comfortable
Even if you’ve built your career based on your foundation, you’re making core-based decisions like a boss, and you’re following your side interests in your spare time, don’t stop there! When things are going well, it’s easy to coast and get a little too comfortable. While you should enjoy the ride, it’s equally important to resist the urge to become complacent and continue to seek out opportunities that will stretch you and keep your mind fueled with inspiration.
Continually checking in on your career journey allows you to stay on track or course correct if necessary, as well as explore the areas you want to push yourself to grow in. I recommend bi-annual career check-ins (put it on your calendar to stay accountable!) to think about:
- Your long-term goals, how you’re progressing toward them, and what next steps will get you even closer
- Your accomplishments from the past six months
- Areas or skills you’d like to learn or develop in the next six months
- What’s working in your career and what’s not (and how you can change that)
Of course, even if you’re doing all of the above, you may still find yourself in a place of uncertainty or unhappiness. If this happens, think of this as a great opportunity to slow down, reflect, and re-evaluate some things in your life and career. One way to move through this time is to revisit your core values. You may discover that somewhere along the way, you’ve drifted away from them—or that they’re actually not your values anymore! Set aside time to do a quick inventory: List out what is going really well and what is missing. For the items in the latter category, see if you can create mini goals that will allow you to actively address them.
Going through a professional crisis happens to the best of us and is just a sign of being human. For better or for worse, the pain brings with it an incredible gift to re-examine our lives and make better decisions. So while we do our best to avoid pitfalls in our career, rest assured that this period in time is a sign of better things to come.
Credit : themuse.com
