FOUR
CRITICAL AREAS OF CAREFULNESS
Securing
a job whether as a fresh graduate or as an experienced employee had never been
an easy task. Due to the maxim that people need job security and satisfaction,
the labour market will always have customers to flood her podium in search of
greener pasture. It is also surprising
to know that while most people look for job; job look for others. While most
people think of job security and satisfaction by being employees, some create
security and satisfaction for others by beings entrepreneurs.
Have
you been expecting a job or interview and it seems it is not forthcoming? Have
you been in the labour market for 2, 3, 4, 5 years or even more yet, there is
no job even after series of interview? Are you getting frustrated already? This
article will guide us through the common mistakes we make before and in
interview that limits our opportunity of getting a job and also helps to develop the right attitude in your waiting period.
1.
Personal
Information On Your CV.
While
preparing your CV,
be careful of the following;
i.
Do not use “CURRICULUM VITAE” as the
title of your CV
ii.
Do not abbreviate your name.
iii.
Make sure your contact address is
complete and stable.
iv.
Avoid unhealthy e-mail addresses,
websites and blog on you CV.
v.
Do not attach a picture to your CV
no matter how beautiful it is.
vi.
Avoid long biography.
2.
Use
Of Phone
If
you are actually expecting a job or interview;
i.
Always keep your phone switched on.
ii.
Avoid use of caller tunes. If possible
keep your caller tune on default.
iii.
Always answer your calls modestly. Do
not be abusive whether you know the caller or not, it’s irrelevant.
iv.
Avoid use of slangs and unstructured
language while answering formal calls.
v.
Do not give another person your calls to
answer.
vi.
Attend to all interview or job messages
with moderacy. Do not respond to messages
without thinking it right.
vii.
Avoid messy ringtones, wallpapers and
screensavers. Always apply default if possible.
viii.
Do not attend interviews with your phone
on ring-out. Always keep your phone on silent or vibration mode.
3.
Prepare
A Quality CV
And Not JUST Quantity.
You
may have had series of trainings and experiences leading to the acquisition of
much skills, competencies and
experiences such that you find it an exhilarating experience in CV
preparation. But not all these are needed in all jobs. So, what do you do?
ii.
Be detailed; avoid long story.
iii.
Build around your strengths (skills) and
starve your weaknesses (may be educational inadequacies).
iv.
Create a CV
with definition and clarity of purpose (objective), target (industry) and value
(what value you can add).
4. Prepare
A Quality Cover
Letter And Not Quantity.
Your
potential employer is not interested in reading all your love stories. He do
not have time and therefore want to see the things that can capture his
attention towards looking into your CV.
It is therefore important that you intelligently scrutinize your cover letter
for its ability to effectively and efficiently represent you before your
potential employer.
i.
Avoid repeating your CV
in your cover
letter.
ii.
Create specific cover
letter and not general to all jobs you are applying for or expecting.
iii.
Address your cover
letter to someone that will have decisive influence over your
application. Always address your cover
letter to specific names in the company. Example; Mr. John Enoh, Human
Resource Manager, BLQ Integrate Coy.
While starting in this regard, start with; Dear John Enoh.
iv.
Avoid salary history.
v.
Avoid word clustering.
vi.
Be specific on your major skills and
competencies relevant to the job you are applying for.
Thanks
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