My tips for getting a new job

Since I spent some time (a year ago) trying to get a job, and I was successful in the end, I want to share what I learnt from my time applying for roles. I also wanted somewhere I could refer back to if ever I need to apply for a different role in the future. So here are my tips for getting a new job.

I don’t pretend to be a guru on securing a new job role, there’s plenty of other resources online you can refer to. And it is also good to network with friends as well. This is just a list of additional tips which everyone should think about. I’ve split my list into 8 topics:

1. Targeting
2. Source
3. Examples
4. Delivery
5. Skills
6. News and trends
7. Company
8. Technical

Finally at the bottom there is a short list of quick tips. If you want to read about how I’m getting on in my new job click this link: I started a new job under lockdown

Targeting

This is about choosing the correct job for you. There are two things you might want to consider, the role itself and the industry/sector the role is in. There’s plenty resources online to help you with this so I’m not going to go in depth with this.

Once you’ve chosen a particular sector or the type of role, you might jump the gun and start applying. The first mistake I made was to apply for roles I did not have the required experience for. If roles were asking for 3-4 years of experience and you only have 1 year then you shouldn’t be applying to these roles.

Also if the roles require years of experience in a certain industry like the media industry but you’ve only done work in the financial industry then this is also a role that you should not waste time applying for. It seems obvious but make sure you read the job description properly and if there is a requirement you do not meet, its time to dismiss the role and move onto another one. This is precisely what the recruiter/hiring manager is going to do to your application!

Tip: Don’t waste time applying for roles you do not have the experience for.

Source

This is just about where you might go in order to find and apply for jobs. I was keen on using LinkedIn to search for jobs since I liked the filters I could apply. There are many more similar job boards you can find online as well. Another way is if you have a list of particular companies you would really like to work for then you can apply directly using the company’s job website.

Something else you might want to consider is to go through recruiters. I know some recruiters charge but most do not charge. You might find more success with recruiters since they would filter jobs specifically for your experience and interests and then match you to roles they think would be good for you. By doing this your chance of success can be higher since the recruiter is basically matchmaking between applicants and companies.

Tip: Consider using job boards and recruiters when looking for a role.

Examples

I’m not a CV expert so I’m going to gloss over that part. But lets assume you have a great CV with lots of demonstrable experiences. This is the first thing your interviewers would read and then at some stage of the application process they will ask questions about your CV. This is where you need a bunch of past experiences to illustrate the skills you have mentioned on your CV and the skills required for the job you are applying for.

It is best to compile a list of 10 to 12 examples from previous work experiences or university projects demonstrating a range of skills. The more recent the better. These would be skills regarding time management, decision making, dealing with confrontation and so on. This will then help for any competency questions they ask and also for the specific skills required for the role.

For each example you can use the STAR approach which stands for Situation, Task, Achievement and Result. So you would describe the situation you were in. The task you had to carry out and how you went about it. What you achieved from your actions. And finally what were the results of your achievements for the wider team and the company. I think its best to write these down in bullet points, so you can remember the key points but not sound like you’re reciting a rehearsed answer.

Tip: Compile a list of 10 to 12 examples you can talk about to demonstrate your skills using the STAR method.

Delivery

Delivery is something to work on whenever you are communicating with anyone. This applies to both in person interviews and telephone/video interviews. You want to speak clearly and concisely but also in a confident and reassuring manner. A way to achieve this is by practicing interviews with your friends or family. Once you’ve practiced, when the real interview comes along you will feel more prepared and thus more confident.

A method which I particularly used was to record myself answering some typical interview questions. When you hear yourself back you might cringe a little but it really helps to cut out the stutters, the ers and the ums. Also by reading aloud and hearing back you can check if your answer makes sense or if there is something which you might need to tweak so that you can be understood better. Delivery is something which is very important even if you are not working with clients. You still need to communicate effectively with your manager or your peers.

Tip: Practice interview questions with your friends or family. You can also record yourself and listen back to improve delivery.

Skills

Working on your delivery is an example of upskilling. By this I mean learning new skills and improving the skills you already have. Different roles will need different skills. For example, data science roles will require an extensive knowledge of coding. You can build upon your coding skills by learn new languages, like SQL, or developing your skills through online competitions (Kaggle). Alternatively, maybe you need to improve upon your planning and time management skills. So perhaps instead you take time to work on your own project, setting deadlines and prioritizing tasks.

By identifying the skills required for the role in question you can begin to build upon them even before you enter the role. By upskilling you are potentially ranking above other applicants and this will also give you examples to talk about in your interviews. This isn’t just job specific, it is about being a better version of yourself than you were yesterday, and this will stand you in good stead throughout your career.

Tip: Use online courses or real life projects to improve on skills required for the role.

News and Trends

Always stay up to date with the latest news and trends in the industry you are applying for. It is very possible they will ask about this in an interview, on the other hand, if they don’t ask, you can bring it up yourself in a question that you ask. This will show that you are really interested in the role and that you are conscious of external factors affecting the company.

I like to read the financial times, and search using google news. I then note down some key points in a word document so that I can read the document prior to the interview, refreshing my knowledge on the latest trends.

Tip: Make a list of latest news and trends for the industry you are applying for and think about how it may affect the company.

Company

As well as the industry news it is good to be updated on news that is specific to your company. This might be a change of CEO, restructuring or simply the company winning an award.

Some pivotal knowledge includes the products and services your company offers, who the company’s competitors are and the financial results of the company. All this you can find online or through the company website. Make sure you think about how this may affect the role you are applying for.

Tip: Compile bullet points of the latest company news, including financial results, competitors and products/service they offer.

Technical

Finally you will probably be asked technical questions related to your role. These questions can be preempted by reading the job description where it will list the the tasks you will be working on day to day.

This inherently boils down to how well you know the sector and if you have any past experience in a similar role. My main tip is to do your research! In my opinion I don’t think you can ever over prepare. Research can include searching online, watching videos, asking friends/family in similar roles.

Tip: Research thoroughly regarding the day to day job role you are applying for.

Short Tips

• Don’t waste time applying for roles you do not have the experience for.
• Consider using job boards and recruiters when looking for a role.
• Compile a list of 10 to 12 examples you can talk about to demonstrate your skills using the STAR method.
• Practice interview questions with your friends or family. You can also record yourself and listen back to improve delivery.
• Use online courses or real life projects to improve on skills required for the role.
• Make a list of latest news and trends for the industry you are applying for and think about how it may affect the company.
• Compile bullet points of the latest company news, including financial results, competitors and products/service they offer.
• Research thoroughly regarding the day to day job role you are applying for.