Searching for a job is undeniably not an easy thing to do especially with the amount of competition you would likely face. According to research, a single job posting attracts 250 applications on average. This shows that many job seekers are working hard every day to ensure that they beat you to the competition.
Searching for a job comes with many things. It is more like running a long-distance race without knowing the finish line: you need to update your CV, spend hours surfing the internet to search for opportunities, quickly construct a cover letter even if you do not understand why you should write one, prepare for the interview…
How does this whole process feel? Stressful right?
Doing all these many things may show that you are working hard, but you know working hard repeatedly without getting your desired result is stressful.
So how do you search for a job without passing through stress? You can engage in a job search process without feeling stressed at all. You don’t believe me?
I will show you everything you need to know to make your job search stress free in this article.
Yeah! You heard it, stop sending out job applications. I know you would think; if I do not send out my job applications, then how would I land a job?
The truth is that the amount of job applications you send doesn’t move you a step closer to landing the job of your dream. It is not about the number of applications that you send, it is about the quality of job applications that you send.
If you have been sending out series of job applications and you have still not been able to land a job, then it means you have to stop sending applications immediately!
Why you should stop sending applications?
If you want a situation to change, then you need to do something differently. Since you have been applying for jobs countless times without result, then you need to stop and change your strategy.
A popular quote says; “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude” -Oprah Winfrey
Stop sending applications to every front desk and customer service job when you have no idea or skills that will help you function in the position.
Once you have stopped sending out job applications, the next to do is not to relax. Now that you have given yourself a break from all the rounds of job search, it is time for you to start planning.
In this planning phase, the first thing you need to do is to create a list of all your skills. When you have created a comprehensive list, you can now objectively look at them one after the other to determine the ones that are top-pick for you.
You can use this simple table to make it more organized (list your skills, rate yourself on a scale of 1 – 100, then check the skills that are top-pick for you).
| Skill that I have | Skill rating (1 – 100%) | Check box |
| Public speaking | 20% | |
| Marketing | 30% | |
| Social media savvy | 80% | |
The skills that you have listed do not have to be skills that you are proficient in, you can add skills you think you have great potentials. You can also ask for the opinion of others to get an objective view.
Once you have finally checked the skills that are on top of the list for you can then go ahead to improve on these skills by getting the right training or certifications.
Why should you improve on your skills?
The truth is that the competition for jobs is seriously stiff, the pandemic stiffened it even more. So to win the competition, you have to be a least a step above the next competitor. Improving your skills is another way you can give yourself an edge over other competitors.
What if you don’t have “top-pick” skills?
If you used the table and you are still not able to find the skills that you are good at, you don’t have to worry. It simply means that you need to acquire a skill to be ahead in the competition.
Having a skill gives your job search direction. This is simply what would make you search and apply for jobs that suit you the most.
If you are confused about the skills to learn, then you can look at these in-demand skills.
Once you have discovered your best skills, the next thing is for you to use them to your advantage. How do I mean?
For example, if you discovered you have problem-solving abilities, strong mathematical skills, attention to details, etc. Then you improved on these abilities/skills and got training in computer coding or programming.
Since programming is your top hard skill, you can go ahead to search and apply for only coding/programming jobs, instead of applying for every and any job. Knowing your skill helps you to have a focused and stress less job search.
If you used to apply for 50 jobs every day (which is stressful), using your skill will enable you to apply for about 2 – 3 jobs per day (which drastically reduces the stress). You can filter your search by your skills on MyJobMag so that you get to see and apply to only jobs that are related to your skills.
I know you have heard this many time – update your CV!
Updating your CV is one thing you should constantly do if you want to land a job soon. Updating your CV is not just about changing the format or general appearance of your CV, it also includes the content (the details of your CV).
As you grow your career, your CV needs to reflect that growth. You may have been using a-neither-here-nor there CV especially if you don’t have work experience. These kinds of CV usually don’t say anything, asides from giving out your basic information.
Once you have discovered your skills, and known the kinds of jobs you need to apply for, then you can tailor your CV to reflect your skills/abilities even if you don’t have work experience.
Do you know that every job is different in every company?
A job role may be the same, but the duties and responsibilities required may be different. To make your CV shout “I can do the job!” you have to make it align with the description of the job that you are applying for.
You see why you can’t use one CV for all your applications?
Well, if you don’t know how to write a compelling CV, you don’t need to be scared. You can simply pick a CV template here and customize it to suit your next job application.
Many job seekers have the wrong mindset when it comes to job interviews. When they get an invite, they only imagine the salary the employer will pay, the work environment, etc. You can beat many job seekers to the competition by preparing well for the interview.
How do you prepare for the interview?
You prepare for the interview by:
Can you imagine the frustration of spending long hours reading for an exam only to discover on the day of the exam that you were reading the wrong subject (lol)? The job search journey can be like that too when you put in all of your efforts without using the right job search tools that can help you get hired quickly.
Searching for a job after the pandemic is a lot, as many companies are struggling. Whether you are out of work due to the pandemic or you are just looking for a better opportunity somewhere else, you are not alone.
We are on the job search boat with you to ensure you land a job soon. We know you have a unique skill that employers you do not even know are searching for. MyJobMag believes in you, and we have prepared different tools to ensure you navigate the job search process without stress:
No doubt, searching for a job does require some amount of work. You make a difference when you channel your effort to doing the right things as opposed to doing the same thing with little or no result. We are always here to ensure you are on the right track.