When seeking your first job, many fears can surround the process. You might lack experience in searching, navigating, and executing the various stages, which can lead to mistakes and insecurity. And that’s totally understandable.
Nevertheless, your first work experience is crucial in many aspects, influencing how you perceive other workplaces in the future. You learn about corporate culture, communication with colleagues and supervisors, develop responsibility, and much more. So, choosing the right first job is key.
In this article, we’ll delve into the most crucial stages of the job-seeking process, reveal insider secrets, and provide comprehensive guidance from A to Z on your job search journey.
What is Job Search?
Many people mistakenly believe that applying for job openings is the only part of the job-seeking process. In reality, there is a long list of actions you need to take, each of which should be carefully considered and prepared, especially if it’s your first time. After organizing these actions into categories, the list includes:
- Resume building
- Applying for jobs
- Interview preparation
- Taking interviews
- Keeping the job you got
Let’s start with one of the most important elements: your resume.
Building a resume for the first time
It may seem that creating a resume is straightforward: choose a template, fill in the sections, and you’re done. However, this approach can not only make you appear amateurish but also impact the effectiveness of your job search. To avoid undermining your chances of making a good first impression with your resume, follow these tips:
Choose the right template
Although there is a wide variety of colors and patterns, these are not the most crucial aspects of resume templates. The main differences lie in the diverse resume examples by occupation, format of work, level of experience, and more. Additionally, you can choose from American-style resumes or British and Australian CVs.
So, when deciding on the template as a source, make sure you take into account these variations.
No one-size-fits-all
This is one of the most common and crucial mistakes job seekers make when it comes to resume building. According to a 2023 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 83% of recruiters identified this issue. Instead of creating a generic resume with no relevant experience, it’s better to focus on the key skills required for a specific position and customize your resume accordingly.
Ignoring the “work history” section
The fact that you have never officially worked for a company before does not mean you have zero work experience. Don’t leave this section empty. Include any internships, volunteer work, or freelance projects you have been involved in to showcase your enthusiasm for work and growth. Increase your chances of being noticed!
Acting unprofessional
By that, we mean various factors that highlight a lack of attention to detail, carelessness, a childish attitude, and so on. In particular, these include:
- Grammar and spelling errors, the use of buzzwords, jargon, inappropriate language, and word misuse.
- Diving into too many personal details. Whether in the summary, details about your education, or any other resume sections, avoid mentioning family status, political and religious views, sexual preferences, and other sensitive topics.
- An unclear email address. A good email address should include your full or last name and use a reliable domain.
Creating the best resume is not as impossible as it may seem when you know the typical mistakes to avoid and the rules to follow. The start of your career will heavily depend on the first impression you make, so keep these tips in mind.
How do you apply for jobs?
Do you knock on every door, trying to increase your chances of fitting in somewhere? If so, think of reconsidering this approach. As with resume templates, job descriptions also have their specifics that you should keep in mind when applying.
For example, the format of work (office or remote), location, and the ability to relocate, as well as the desired schedule – these are things you need to decide on first before sending out applications. Once you’ve settled the basics, you can start looking through the job descriptions and, based on your preferences and abilities, click to apply.
How to choose a perfect fit?
That depends on what you want to achieve: finding a job that best suits your abilities and knowledge, becoming a part of a certain company, or building a lifelong successful career by challenging yourself with new tasks and unknown responsibilities. These three options may be completely separate paths or can interact with each other.
- With the first option, it’s better to look for openings that contain the same keywords as your resume. By keywords, we mostly mean your hard and soft skills, details from your education or summary sections, and sometimes the name of the desired position as well.
- If you want to work for a specific company, you should start by choosing the most suitable job openings from what that company offers. Once you have the list, you need to customize your resume for each of these openings to match them as closely as possible. But don’t include skills you really lack, as this won’t play in your favor in the future.
- If you want some challenges, you may choose any job opening available, focusing your resume on the most important skills for that position. Even if you can’t meet all of their requirements, a resume tailored in this way will showcase you as a knowledgeable professional in the field they need.
While we don’t recommend knocking on every door, we also do not advise being scared to take any steps or being insecure about yourself. With a low level of confidence, you won’t be able to convince recruiters and HR managers that you are worth the position. How can they believe it if you don’t?
Interview preparation tactics
When it comes to the interview, there are certain actions you can take to raise your chances of landing a job. Some people don’t quite realize it, but most interviews follow a similar pattern. When you know what to expect, you can be better prepared. So, what do you need to know beforehand?
Learn about the company
It may seem out of place or unnecessary; however, statistics show that HR specialists value a candidate more if they are aware of the company’s basic information, aims, and values.
In the 21st century, doing so is pretty easy: start with the company website. There, you will definitely find the company’s history, foundation year, and some key statistics. Social media profiles on LinkedIn or X will reveal the company’s target audience, its style of interacting with it, and the general vibe.
Last but not least, check out reviews of the company from both customers and employees. This will help you create a complete picture and understand whether it’s a good place to work or a scam.
Answer interview questions
In advance. Surely you can’t predict the exact questions you will be asked, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for the most typical ones. Check several lists of “typical interview questions” on the internet, find a couple of specific lists related to your field and desired position, and talk to someone in your close circle. Answers to all these questions will result in a comprehensive image of what to expect in an interview.
Rehearse the interviewI
Since you don’t have much experience with the interview process, practice it with someone you trust in a comfortable atmosphere that will help you relax. This will greatly contribute to the actual interview by decreasing your stress level.
At the same time, note that you need an honest opinion and a knowledgeable partner, so choosing your best friend or older sister just because you get on well is not the best idea. A better option would be a friend from university or an acquaintance working in the same field. They will be able to thoughtfully evaluate your answers.
Interview Dos and Don’ts
At the stage of the interview itself, there are a couple of specifics that some may not consider as important as they truly are, which can eventually lead to the loss of an opportunity. To be aware of the mistakes others tend to make, here is a list of what to avoid and what to do instead:
Don’t be late. Plan your trip.
One of the worst things you can do for an interview is to arrive late. Always account for the time needed to commute, and add an extra 15 minutes for emergencies.
Don’t dress like you want. Dress appropriately.
How you look is also very important. You can ask an HR manager what is expected attire, or you can opt for something neutral, like a smart-casual style. Check the weather forecast and bring an umbrella if needed. There will be no point in dressing up if you’re soaked from the rain.
Don’t be nervous. Express confidence.
There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Staying within this line will better demonstrate your expertise, knowledge, and passion. If you have any nervous habits, like shaking your foot under the table, try to control them. Remember, professionals in human resources are very good at reading body language.
Don’t over-familiarize. Keep it professional.
Some people may think that being friendly, open, and trying to schmooze will work best for them. However, it is better to maintain a professional tone, keep the conversation serious, and be honest. A smile won’t do any harm, though.
Post-offer concerns
You got the offer? That’s just wonderful! Congratulations! But now you need to keep your place…
Some people believe that receiving an offer means they’ve done everything required. In reality, an offer is just the beginning of the story, as well as your career. To increase your chances of being satisfied with your new job and ensuring your colleagues and boss are equally satisfied, take a look at some common mistakes:
- It’s over—relax. But it’s not really over; now you need to prove they made the right choice. So, do what you can to contribute to the company’s growth and success.
- Everything depends on you now. As a newcomer, don’t hesitate to ask your colleagues for help. Make sure you understand the tasks you need to perform; if not, ask your manager again. It’s better to ask many questions to deliver a good result than to repeatedly produce mediocre results by starting over and over again.
- I need to work harder than anyone. No, you have your tasks, and others have theirs. Don’t try to do everyone’s work; know your boundaries and limits. The same goes for overworking. Otherwise, you’ll soon find yourself burned out.
- Building too many relationships. Being a new face in the department may be difficult. So, it’s natural people tend to get to know someone better to not feel lonely and isolated. And there is nothing wrong with it. However, avoid being overly friendly with everyone, trying to make friends with the entire department, its managers, and the managers’ managers all at once. This may raise questions about your intentions, creating the impression of an insincere social climber.
It depends on the company, the people around you, and yourself. There is no universal solution for “how to stay with a company unless you want to quit.” But keeping these typical mistakes in mind will help you build healthier relationships with the team and stay motivated longer. These are some essential aspects of being an employee that many people don’t consider.
Looking for your first job is nerve-wracking, scary, and challenging, among other things. However, handling it, like any major assignment, becomes easier once you break it down and prepare a detailed plan. When you know what to do, the path to the result is already set.
