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4 Things To Remember When Applying For A New Job

by Tanya June 16, 2022

Applying for a new job is scary!

You’re on the brink of going somewhere new, meeting new people and hopefully getting paid more for doing it.

If you don’t get the job, it can be heartbreaking, you have to go through the whole process again.

However, if you focus and prepare, you can boost your chances of getting that job that you want.

Your previous experience matters

Your previous experience matters even if it’s not related to the one you’re applying for. Let’s say, you used to work in marketing and you’re looking for real estate jobs. The understanding of the consumer psychology and persuasion techniques you used in marketing, will help to be more intuitive when working with people in the real estate industry.

Experience matters when you’re applying for a job. Without previous experience, an employer will have to take time out to train you, which is a drain on the company’s time, money and resources. The less time your employer can spend training you, the more in demand you are!

Experience matters, because you’re going to be useful straight away. This is why you should only, really, be applying for jobs that you are experienced in.

There are, of course, some jobs that require no experience but a lot of the better-paid jobs demand it.

Your qualification is an advantage

Qualification goes hand-in-hand with experience. Experience is of little use without a qualification, but qualification is little use without experience, so you need to have both of them.

But what does a qualification actually communicate to an employer?

Well, firstly, it demonstrates that you’ve maintained a hunger for education and are proactive.

Depending on the circumstances and professions, if an employer had to choose between an employee, who had experience and someone who had both experience and qualification, many would choose the latter.

Pursuing qualifications and certifications can, hence, set you apart from other candidates.

Additional training can come in many forms, such as vocational training courses, leadership and mindset courses, etc. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to a career counselor, or a mentor about training opportunities that might be available to you.

Your resume forms the first impression

A resume is what’s going to get you shortlisted (or not), it’s the employer’s first impression of you, so it’s important to get it perfect.

I’ve read through many CV writing tips in my life, and I found that there is one thing that all excellent CVs have in common, no matter the industry – they are concise!

Nobody wants to read long resumes, that have a lot of generic words, repetitive concepts and utter nonsense. Try to streamline your CV to make sure that the latter doesn’t happen to you.

Be short and to the point: put your best experience and qualifications at the front of the page, so that your potential employer gets an idea of who you are straight away!

The importance of nailing the interview

It’s the riskiest part of getting a new job, so prepare, prepare, prepare.

Stylish Carry has put together the ultimate guide to nailing your job interview, which is the most comprehensive resource on the internet (imho). It gives you advice on how to prepare for the most common questions, what to wear and how to get into the right mindset.

Your potential employers have never met you before, so you have to make the right first impression and you only get one shot at it!

Make sure you are appropriately dressed. People will judge you on what you’re wearing. When in doubt, it’s better to look conservative than flashy. Conservative doesn’t have to be boring, you can always add a hint of personality to your outfit, as long as it’s not too revealing, bright or tight.

During the interview, be prepared to recite your whole resume. Interviewers are bound to ask questions about your previous experience, so if you can’t remember or struggle to articulate what exactly did you do at any given job, it will reflect badly.

But it’s not only what you are saying, but HOW you are saying it, that gets you forward. Rushing your words makes you mumble, and mumbling makes you look hesitant. Try to use pauses and emphasise keywords in your speech – speaking in the same tone, can make you sound bored.

Leave any slang words, niche humour and parasite words like “like”, “umm”, “you know…” out of your vocabulary. By being polite, clear and upbeat, you make yourself easily understandable and ultimately likeable.

Last words

Keep all the above in mind when applying for a new job.

Firstly, make sure you have the right experience and (preferably) the qualification to go with it!

Then, tidy up your resume by making it short and snappy with the most important information at the front.

When invited for an interview, go through your CV and be prepared to get into detail about all the what’s, why’s and how’s of your previous work or gained experience.

And finally, pull it all together with a sharp look and polite manner. Good luck!

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Tanya

The first Millennial blogger in the UK. Twitter @_luckyattitude

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