A guide to Job searching the smart way

Job searching can be daunting and frustrating. You would think having the right qualification is good enough for you to get the job, well it’s not. There is an art to job searching, looking for employment is actually a job in itself, it requires strategy, research, and commitment. In this article, we take a look at how to job search the right way and help you gain an advantage in the job market industry.

Research is king

Conducting hours and hours of research is boring, I know, however it is very important. Research helps you figure out which job you should apply for. Research helps you identify which jobs you are good at and what are the major requirements for that job. Conducting thorough research will you come up with the information you need to put in your CV. When you have identified the job, you want or what job you are good at, you can then conduct thorough research on that job. This research involves the type of skills required, educational requirements, and the language or lingo used in that discipline.

What exactly are you looking for?

Well, we have been talking about research but what exactly are we looking for here? Well, what you are looking for is mainly the candidate’s requirements and skills.  Candidate requirements are the things that recruiters expect the applicant to have when applying for the job. Candidate requirements can be skills, knowledge, and experience. When it comes to skills look at the hard skills required for that job like public speaking and avoid generic soft skills like team player and dedication. So, whenever you are writing your skills focus more on the hard skills and try to avoid the soft generic skills that won’t distinguish you from other applicants.

Where to do the research?

We have been talking about getting job knowledge through research, but we have not spoken about where to conduct the research. Check out the list below for where you can do the research.

YouTube

Yes, YouTube has it all, from videos of cats falling from a bed to useful first aid information. Go to YouTube and search for the type of job you want, and you will see thousands of videos filled with information for the job you are looking for. From salary estimates, work-life details, and what you need to get that job. You get an in-depth look into that profession from real people in that profession.

Company pages

You can find information about certain jobs on company pages. Look for big companies in the industry you desire, check out their career pages and About Us pages, there you will find valuable information about what’s required for the job from culture to main skills. For example, maybe you want to be a chartered accountant, you can go to Deloitte’s website and check out their career pages and about us pages to get valuable information about the accounting industry.

Job boards/websites

Job boards are websites that advertise open vacancies. There are numerous job boards in South Africa, from Pnet, Careerdigest, LinkedIn, and the careerjunction. Go to any of these sites, search for your preferred job and look at the requirements that are needed for that job. There you will see the common skills and requirements needed, highlighting their importance and need to be included in your CV.

In conclusion, rather than being depressed by the job search struggle, take time to research and perfect your craft. Every job application is a learning opportunity. Take time to ask recruiters what made your application fail. Remember, like any artist your work improves through practice and learning from mistakes. Good luck with your next job application.