Daily Troubles Of The Average Job Seeker

]

By Iskra Gjorgieva, MBA

Managing Director Macedonia at The HeadHunter Group

You keep sending CV’s and motivational letters to all possible job posts and you are still unemployed? You are not satisfied of your current job position but you feel stuck and you don’t see a way out? You are convinced that your CV is great or it’s not significant to get the job, because at the end the ones who are better connected get the chance! You are invited to interviews but you never get the job you want!

The solution to the problem is exactly in the questions you ask yourself!

1. You keep sending CV’s and motivational letters to all possible job posts and you are still unemployed?

One of the biggest mistake that unemployed people make is that they apply to almost ALL possible job postings. Before you apply for a job, at least you can do is READ the job post carefully. Make sure that the criteria, requirements and qualifications given in the post actually fit your education, skills, experience and spirit. If a given job posting states that the company is looking for a Sales Manager with a minimum of 3 years experience, and you have just finished Faculty and you have enrolled in a work & travel program during your studies, certainly they will not consider your CV, let alone take you into account for an interview or employment.

Do not make pointless steps and waste valuable time for you and the potential employer if you initially don’t fit the job post requirements!

2. You are not satisfied of your current job position but you feel stuck and you don’t see a way out? Hmmm…what seems to be the problem with this question?

First, if you are not satisfied with your current job, there are 3 very simple options:

To remain at a place where you feel bad, unfulfilled, unproductive and under-paid and to keep complaining that the boss/owner is an ass, the salary is a peanut and the new employments are all based on personal connections.
To keep the job and try to see the whole situation from a different perspective! Try to change something in yourself, in the way you do your tasks, in the working atmosphere. Try to have an honest talk with your employer and share your insights. Maybe there is a room for improvement, growth or salary increase but you can never know if you don’t ask and you keep complain.
Just LEAVE! Get out of your comfort zone finally (which is not quite comfortable) and don’t be afraid of changes. Fear is bringing you down and as long as you are healthy and ambitious, there is no reason why to stay in a toxic environment!

Second, chances and opportunities don’t fall from the sky! You should work, investigate and constantly learn to increase the odds. Every successful story is a result of ups and downs, difficult beginnings and lots of work…I mean LOTS!

3. You are convinced that your CV is great or it’s not significant to get the job, because at the end the ones who are better connected get the chance!

I hear comments like this all the time. Many applicants don’t pay attention on the CV’s at all. They believe that the positions are already taken, they copy paste their friends CV’s, they don’t adapt it to the specific job posting and repeat many beginner mistakes that potential employers don’t forgive.

Remember that employers want to see valuable applications and among them to choose the one that will help their company to grow. If you are not original, honest and you make stupid grammatical and formatting mistakes while applying who guarantees that you will not repeat if by any chance they hire you? Before you send your CV ask from someone competent to review it – if nothing else it will be proofread.

4. You are invited to interviews but you never get the job you want!

Congratulations, you have done the first part of your homework! Someone has invited you to an interview, but remember - this doesn’t mean that you are hired or you are definitely getting the job, regardless of how experienced, professional or suitable you are! This just means that you have successfully finished the first part of the assignment. The interview itself is the hardest part of get hired which means that it needs special preparations.

After each unsuccessful interview do a self-feedback and in time you will understand why. Have you prepared enough, did you arrived on time, have you investigated the company and the position thoroughly, have you asked yourself why do you want to work for them? What do you have to offer or would you fit on a long-run? Do you answer honestly and do you ask suitable questions? Have you asked for a feedback or sent a thank you letter before knowing the results of the process?

Too many questions and no one said it was easy!

And last but not least you should remember that job seek is a job itself!

Job Seekers