Let's talk about getting a job.
If you, like me, are in your mid to late 20s, I'm sure you have been through your fair share of recruitment processes, interviews, odd jobs here and there, started or are looking into a side hustle and have had your few corporate (or just formal, for that matter) positions.
I started looking into side hustles and odd jobs right when I was laid off, back in December 2022 but I think I was mostly avoiding going back to the whole interview ordeal. When I eventually did get back, it almost became more frustrating to me than it ever was because the frustration was somehow heightened. I had worked in big companies before, I had performed well before, and I was proving myself before. Damn it, I got two promotions in 2020 and started the path of overworking myself.
And now I had to prove it all again to people who were not only not part of my daily life but were also judging me harder based on 30-minute interviews or case demos. How can we expect to just move on after dozens of NOs, no feedback or reasoning given, and remain confident enough to jump on to the next one as if nothing happened?
Well, I'll tell you how I've been trying to do it.
I remove myself from the situation and completely dissociate. It's not that I was not good enough or able enough for the job. The version I presented wasn't. Why? Because it's a selling game.
The first interviews or the first stages of any recruitment process are a training ground for a sales pitch. If your sales pitch did not get you approved this time, tweak it, try thinking about how could you better have sold your skills and abilities to bring them closer to the job description, for example.
Did you mention any of the job responsibilities in your interview? Did you casually mention the time you did exactly one of the job tasks? Are you practicing your answers eloquently before you have your interview? I could sit here for hours writing about how I set up my Linkedin account in two languages, how I've written my cover letter, and how I've done many things I was told would make my passing chances greater but instead, I'll tell you what has really worked for me when looking for a job.
Even with all the tips I'm gonna give here, know that I still receive many NOs. Many. During my whole work life, I've probably got more than 250 and I don't know if that is too much or too little, probably both compared to different people, but that is my number. That is also how I developed my interview methods.
The more your skills and abilities match the TERMS they used in their job opening post, the greater your chances of being called. RH departments and companies, in general, are rallying more and more on AI to sort through the many CVs they receive, so up your chances by creating matches. It's the same principle as SEO.
Don't be afraid of applying to "more junior" positions than your current one. It's easier to prove your knowledge and skills and later down the line, you can become a reference in your team. Position is less important than payment, in my humble opinion. Can that change for me in the future? Obviously, but for now, that's how it works in my mind.
The more and more you advance in a process, the more you gotta have the job tasks and responsibilities clear in your mind. Use them, ask about them, show interest. Interviews should not be one-sided. Trust me, they will like you for it.
When they ask if you have questions about the company, ASK QUESTIONS. I like to start with "How does the company deal with mistakes and feedback"? I have my traumas with the topic, so I always ask about it, throughout the whole process. You can choose something that will make a big difference in your work routine.
Use ChatGPT to practice some interview questions. Here is the prompt I like to use: hey, write me a list of 5 interview questions for the __________ industry. You can use variations such as the number of interview questions you use, if you need technical or general questions, and don't forget to ask ChatGPT why would they ask this question.
Know that your worth has absolutely nothing to do with whether they like you or not or if the way you've written about your abilities was not ideal. Worth comes from within and nothing can take that away from you.
Remember that applying to job openings on Linkedin or any job position site is just one of the ways you can use to get a job. I'm starting another approach these next few months, which is going to fairs, congresses, talking to people in person, watching lectures, being there, so I get to know people and people get to know me. I'm trying to work heavily on my networking skills now and see where that takes me, but I'll discuss it further in another post. Until then!
X.O.
IAS
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