Getting into your chosen career path isn’t easy for anyone these days – but it’s important that you keep working away until you get what you’re aiming for and find a job that suits you. Here are a few tips that might just help you along the way and get the job you want.
Proofread Your Applications
First of all, this might sound a little basic and simple but it’s absolutely vital that you proofread all of your applications, and if you aren’t completely certain about your grasp of written English then you should ask a trusted friend or family member to read it over too. Each cover letter should be written specifically for the job that you’re applying for and should address every point in the job advertisement to demonstrate why you’d be great in the position.
Make sure that you reread your CV every time you send it off and that you keep it updated.
Learn To Network
Networking doesn’t come easily to everybody but it’s vital if you want to get ahead in your career, whether you’re following and talking to people that you admire on Twitter or getting out to networking events and conferences. Think outside the box – if your favourite author is doing a reading, go along to it and talk to their agent and publicist. Make sure that your body language is open, that you’re smiling and friendly, and that you ask plenty of questions and sincerely listen to the answers.
Watch Your Social Media
These days, a lot of us use social networking sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to get ahead. We can connect with people we respect and admire, and we can see job openings on there which means that we can seize onto more and more opportunities that might not be listed on other sites.
But it’s important to remember that your social media needs to stay as professional as possible. Don’t use foul language or be disrespectful to other people on there – remember that your future boss may be reading it, as a lot of people tend to google their interviewees when they have a job opening. Being careful with your social media is key to surviving in this technology focused world.
Prepare For Your Interviews
Make sure that you’re fully prepared for any job interview that you might have – before you go in, reread the job advertisement and your cover letter to make sure that you know what exactly you’ll be talking about. Every industry will require different things from you – if you’re wondering how to interview for an IT job, you should be aware that they might want to see examples of your skills so you should take your portfolio along with you.
If you want to work in publishing, read about a few book publicity campaigns that worked well, and know what’s been on the bestseller list recently.
Make Sure You Relax
It may be easier said than done, but when you have interviews you need to make sure that you’re as relaxed as possible. The number one thing that the people interviewing you want to see is that you’d be a good fit at their company – if you’ve reached interview stage then they already know you’re qualified for the position. They want to make sure that you’re someone they’d like to sit in an office with for eight hours a day, five days a week.
So make sure that you’re comfortable, open, friendly and relaxed – it’s just as important to present yourself as someone who’s easy to be around as it is to present yourself as someone who’s professionally on it.
Keep Learning About Your Area
It’s absolutely essential to keep developing as a person and to keep gaining new knowledge. Pretty much all industries develop at a remarkably rapid pace and to demonstrate your sincere interest in them, you should develop your own knowledge too, whether that entails keeping up with recent developments in the world of tech or reading history journals to prepare for your ideal job at a museum.
Be An Easy Person To Work With
Finally, it’s important that you’re an easy person to work with – if you aren’t, then you’ll never advance in your career. Be efficient, work hard, don’t burn out, and be friendly but not overly friendly to the people around you. Make sure that you feel comfortable asking questions, but make sure that you consider whether or not you actually need to ask before you do so. Being a good person to work with will get you far.
I hope these tips ensure your name is at the top of the list and help you get the job you want.
