Yes, it is
true that competition is fierce no matter where in the world you are based, especially
when considering the current economic conditions, but on the bright side we
should always stay optimistic and be very prepared in order to get that job!
Here are the essential
steps you should take in order to get the job!
1. Write
your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Be sure to follow
a layout that will allow you to sell your experience, skills and education in a
manner that is attractive to prospective employers. Remember that the CV is the
first point of contact that employers have with potential candidates, and
therefore your CV needs to stand out!
Recruiters
and human resource departments get inundated with CVs, and they will literally
skim through them in order to shortlist the few strong candidates that get
invited to an interview. That being said, you must make sure that your grammar
is impeccable, that your layout is tidy and that your experience is relevant to
the job you are applying for.
It is always
a good idea to tweak your CV for each job that you are applying for as you
always want to show that your experience matches the job’s requirements. Researching
the company and position you are applying for is crucial as this will allow you
to tailor your CV appropriately. This may mean you will end up with multiple versions
of your CV but it will increase your chances of being invited for an interview.
Here are some
helpful links that will help you create your CV:
2. Write
a cover letter
Now that you
have a great CV in your hands, the next step is mastering the art of writing a
cover letter.
The cover
letter should be both an introduction to your CV and should also give employers
some insight into who you are, so simply regurgitating the contents of your CV
is not the way to go. You should seize the opportunity to give employees a
snippet of your personality and impress them with your writing style. Remember
that you must come across as very professional and therefore you must write in
a style that is business appropriate. This means using the sort of language you
would for a business letter or report, not a letter, text or facebook message
to your friend.
Be sure to
write about why you want to work for the particular organisation that you are
applying to, and also why you would be suited for the job (this means fitting
the requirements of the job description). This is where your initial research
about the company and job becomes useful. Another good idea is to personalise
the cover letter with the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter. This may
require a bit of research but it makes a huge difference as it will show
employers that you took the extra steps to find this information out.
The cover
letter can also allow you to explain anything that is unclear from your CV like,
for example, gaps in employment. Your grammar, style and tone are very
important, as recruiters will disregard CVs that are accompanied by a cover
letter full of grammatical mistakes. Poor grammar and writing style will make
you look very unprofessional, and will also tell employers that you don’t pay attention
to detail and ultimately give off a bad first impression.
3. Prepare
for the interview
Once you have
reached this stage, you should feel very proud as you now have solid proof that
your CV and cover letter was impressive enough to get you a step closer to getting
the job!
The first
thing you should do before an interview is further research the company and prepare
a few questions you may have about the company and position for the interview.
Here is a
list of things you should know about a company before you attend an interview:
·
Industry/nature
of the business
·
Competition
·
History
·
Recent
news
Here is a
list of general things you should know before the interview:
·
The
job description for the job you are applying
·
Your
CV (you should know this inside and out, and be prepared to answer questions
about it during the interview)
·
You
should prepare answers to the typical interview questions – click here for examples.
Once you have
reviewed all this information and prepared for the interview, you should make
sure that you dress to impress. It is advisable to have a suit ready, since looking
as professional as possible will not only impress the employer but will also
help build your confidence during the interview. Please click here for tips on
what to wear for an interview, for both men and women.
On the day of
your interview be sure to eat before the interview, review the location of your
interview and give yourself enough time for any delays in travel in order to
arrive at least 20 minutes before the scheduled time.
Please click here for further interview advice, and good luck!
