Work is just as fundamental as sleeping and waking up in life. Your main income and source of money typically come from work, as an average person. This is where you get to do things in exchange for goods that you’d then spend on whatever you want as an adult. Be it after four years of college or riding right away after high school, work is an environment that hits you with the real world. You may have used your college degree, specializing in an arena where you excel and climb up the ranks. You could also be a very street-smart person, where you utilize your soft skills and connect with people. Whatever the reason may be, almost every one of us goes to work in order to earn our living and spend for our leisure.
The question then becomes: how do you prepare for work? Although how it’s explained above makes it sound like work is a pretty straightforward process, you’d be unpleasantly surprised how hard it is to actually find one. You’d be dealing with setting up your documents, learning about the importance of a resume format, and even researching tips on how to ace a job interview. All of these we will tackle and hopefully give you a good headstart for your first job!
Freshen up your resume and cover letter
Although it may sound tedious and redundant, there is a reason why resumes and cover letters still exist after such technological innovations. Your resume is basically the summary profile that job interviewers and headhunters look at whenever they’re trying to find someone to fill a position. It is where your achievements, work experiences, and special skills are listed. This makes it easier for them to sift through the applicants and find better ones suited for the job. It only makes sense to give your best in making these documents as concise and impressive as they can be.
A good way to achieve this is to research keywords specific to the field you’re applying for and use them properly throughout the document. Nowadays, recruiters do their sifting of applicants through online and digital means, so your resume will undergo applicant tracking software. Hitting the right keywords will give you a better chance of reaching that next step.
Review your socials
There may be a separation between work and life, but that doesn’t mean you could just run wild on social media without having its repercussions. Building your reputation on your accounts and toning down socially inept posts will never hurt your chances. This is also the time to build your LinkedIn profile, the social account that’s specifically made for job seekers and recruiters. Getting endorsements from your previous coworkers or relevant key persons will surely boost your chances. Take your time to make your socials look as good as your resume and cover letter.
The search begins
Start searching for jobs specific to your expertise or something that you’re good at. Before applying, first, research the company that you could potentially be working for. Try to know more about their culture, values, work environment, and policies; in order to make sure that these principles also align with yours. Networking is not everyone’s favorite thing to do, but it sure helps your chances of getting hired.
Try to connect with headhunters and recruiters of a specific field that you’d want to work for, or you could also try to join seminars where these people may convene. That way, you’d get to have your name around in a good light, and perhaps give you a better chance at finding a job. Usually, the first part of the job interview is through a telephone screening call. Better prepare for these types of things and research specific interview tips that are done over the phone. This is also a good time to review and research your potential position’s salary range so that you can negotiate for a good place to start whenever such interviews happen. These are just the preliminary steps to take, but it will surely get you far!
