Could you be your own worst enemy when it comes to searching for that dream job?
The scenario looks like this.
Ever since you graduated, you’ve become a job search professional. You know where to look for jobs, you know how often they get updated and you know them so well that you can probably recite a couple of job postings by heart. Yet, here you are, a couple of months in and still nothing. Your degree is starting to gather dust and you want to look at the smiling image of yourself in that graduation photo and tell the old you to stop being so smug because the real world is tough.
Even though job searching can be tough, you may be making a few mistakes that are knocking you off the consideration list with potential employers.
You copy-paste CVs and cover letters for every job
Every job is different and what an accountant looks like at in one company could be different to what it does at another. The mistake that people make is using the same CV and cover letter to apply for every single job that they come across. The person that receives your application needs to see that you were thoughtful about this particular job and most importantly, their organisation’s needs. If you just use the same old application, then you reduce your chances of success. On our platform, we have a great CV builder that can showcase your strengths.
You limit your job options
I know at least three lawyers who went to law school but never ended up practicing law in the ordinary sense. If you’re not thinking about the different types of industries your skills can get you into, then your job search is a little too narrow. A lot of skills tend to be transferable and this means that when you’re crafting your application, you can highlight the skills the job is asking for and underplay the ones they aren’t. For example, you may want to apply for a communications officer job but are not a trained professional. If you think back to your previous role, what aspects of that involved communication? Did you plan events? Were you responsible for sending company wide emails? Use those as examples of how you can be perfect for the role because you have experience.
You don’t use your down time to upskill
The internet is a great place for anyone with the willingness to learn, time and a great attitude. There are thousand of databases online where you can do courses and even one on Fuzu itself. When you’re between jobs and searching, you can use this time to build up on skills that you don’t have or improve those you do have. An online course is definitely something you can add to your CV so make sure you gain the most relevant skills for your industry.
Can you think of any mistakes we missed? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
