Five vital facts your Life Orientation Tutor or Student Counsellor did not teach you
Job hunting is a job unto itself, so treat it that way.
The biggest mistake that most job hunters make is that they never devote much time into it. They think that perusing the classified advertisements a few minutes a day, then sending resumes to any organisations that seems interesting, is the bulk of the work. Unfortunately, job hunting is not a hobby. In order to find a job nowadays, you have to do a lot research, a lot of networking, and a lot of writing. Job searching is essentially a fulltime job, and the more you think about it that way, the more time and effort you’ll put into it. After all, how much would you pay someone who just spends fifteen minutes on the job?
A job does not equal a Diploma or Degree.
So many graduates get out of school asking themselves “where’s my job?” thinking that the perfect career will somehow land itself on their lap simply because they now possess that piece of paper. Not so, I am afraid. Unless you have done your networking months before, an offer is unlikely to materialize right after graduation. The perfect job isn’t going to look for you; you will have to find it yourself.
A “No” doesn’t mean you are not good enough, it doesn’t mean your qualification is not good enough.
You have the best resume. You gave a killer interview that you are convinced should land you that dream job. You did all the right things, and still, you receive a rejection. Don’t take it personally. When you get turned down for a job, it means you weren’t a right fit for the company… but that doesn’t mean you won’t find one that is a perfect match. Keep your head high, and move on to the next opportunity. Remember that when one door closes, another one opens, and what’s behind that door might be a better deal.
Believe in yourself. After all, that’s what you are selling.
Would you go to a dentist that’s not entirely sure he knew what he was doing? Even if he did have a shiny office, and a list of diplomas as evidence. Not likely. So Believe in yourself. Have confidence in your skills and abilities and be prepared. If you don’t, then who will?
Treat this period as a time of opportunities and self-discovery.
How many people who are currently working get the time off to learn what they really want in life, and actually go for it? For you, that time is now. Maybe you are a recent graduate, or someone who is currently switching careers, or even someone who has been laid odd, but one thing is for sure: you have the opportunity to change. Whether it’s starting over, or moving up, this segment of your life is about examining what you want and actually going for it.
Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing days researching and writing about job search strategies.
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