Your first job search? Where do you start? Who can you ask for advice? How long will it take?
Finding your first job can be tricky and stressful. But it doesn’t have to be. It doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager, graduate or a mature person looking for your first job, preparing a structured job search will increase your chances of landing a job.
Before you start looking for your first job, you will need to remember these four simple rules.
Your first job search tip #1 – DON’T PANIC!
Seriously. The more you stress the less productive your job search becomes. The best way to avoid job search stress is to get organised.
Make sure you:
- set fixed times for your job search.
- are in a quiet, comfortable area for a productive session.
- have all the tools you require at hand (phone, smartphone, laptop internet access etc.).
Enlisting the services of a professional interview coach may be the solution for personalized, technical or specialist assistance.
Your first job search tip #2 – Create a professional CV / Resume
This may be your first job search, but a great CV will be one of the best investments you can make. Your CV / resume is a promotional document designed to highlight and impress. By creating a professional CV you will significantly increase your chances of getting interviews or applications.
Our sample CVs are designed to help you create your own CV. However a professional CV service can offer you a personalised, quality CV written by an industry expert.
Your first job search tip #3 – Prepare for job interviews
Any job interview is important. But if it’s your first job interview, then the rewards can be amazing. So make sure you do your very best to convince the Hiring Manager, HR department or interviewer to give you the job.
Make sure you:
- conduct your research to find about the company.
- revise the most common interview questions you are likely to be asked.
- prepare questions you might want to ask.
- dress appropriately for your interview.
- give yourself enough travelling time and don’t arrive late.
Your first job search tip #4 – GET FEEDBACK!
There really is only two ways to improve your interview techniques – theory or practice. Theory is fine, but first-hand experience is better.
Here is something that has to be said. Sadly, in life learning how to cope with setbacks is something we all have to face. Your first job search may have setbacks too. The important thing is how we deal with disappointments or failures. Remember not all feedback is bad. Get feedback to find out what you did well. Keep doing the same. Find out where you didn’t do so well. Improve on those points.
We hope that your first job search does not last long. Look around our site for further information to help you conduct a successful job search.
