Preparing for a job application can be a daunting task, especially as a fresh graduate taking your first steps into the workforce. To help you in your job search, we suggest five important items you need to prepare:
1) An Interview Plan
An effective interview plan is key to getting hired, and you should always have one ready. Planning for an interview helps you to gather your thoughts and prepare for what to say to your prospective employer or hiring manager.
- Foresee questions that may be asked and develop intuitive answers to these questions:
- What are your short and long-term career goals?
- What is your personality type?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why did you leave your previous job?
- Construct a paragraph on how you can contribute to the company by working there.
- List out notable achievements and find ways to insert them into the conversation.
2) A LinkedIn Profile That is Ready for Viewing
LinkedIn is a powerful tool you can use to create a good first impression. Your LinkedIn profile should convince prospective employers and hiring managers of your value as an employee.
Review your LinkedIn profile at least once every two weeks. Update your work experience, education history, and skill sets, and respond to invitations to connect. In fact, take the initiative to reach out to professionals in the same industry and participate in networking. Check the skills and endorsements on your profile, and give a few to people you have worked with.
Being active on LinkedIn helps you to expand your professional network and can lead you to more job opportunities.
3) An Updated Resume
This is obvious but nonetheless important. Listed below are details crucial to your resume. You could also use the following as talking points during the interview to strengthen your personal pitch.
- Your education history and skill sets
- Important duties you performed at your current and previous jobs (especially those relevant to your job application)
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) or other notable contributions in your current and previous jobs
4) Training Certificates and Endorsements
Writing your qualifications on paper is not nearly as powerful as showing a certificate. When someone endorses you and your work, it also sends a strong message to prospective employers and hiring managers that you could be a valuable addition to their company. Consider reaching out to your previous employer, teacher, or mentor for their help to write you a letter of recommendation.
Whether you are applying for your first job or looking for a career change, be sure to have your certificates and letters of recommendation on hand.
5) A Business Summary
Take the time to research about the company you are applying a job position at. Here are some points to get you started:
- The company’s mission statement, business market position, and needs. Consider how you could play a part and contribute to the company’s goals and objectives.
- Do some research on the managers and department leaders in the company. View their LinkedIn profiles and check if they had published any material online, which you could reference in the interview.
- Research about the industry. Learn about the current happenings and trends in the industry, and how your knowledge and skills could be relevant and an asset to the company.
With over 500 academic programmes for higher learning and professional certification courses for skills development, we provide opportunities for you to always stay relevant. To speak to one of our consultants, please call 8613 8989 or email us at [email protected]