Graduates Article
Source: The Muse
No matter how many articles you read about successfully putting in your two weeks’ notice, I’ll admit it’s pretty tough to look confident and composed when you’re quitting your job.
“So, I guess you could consider this my two weeks’ notice,” I said to my boss while doing my best to avoid any direct eye contact, practically throwing him an unsealed envelope and simultaneously trying to edge my way out of the room.
“Well, this is a surprise,” he said, with a forced smile on his face. “Where are you going? Did you receive a better offer elsewhere?”
“No, not exactly,” I replied, trying to stifle the nauseous feeling that was slowly rising from my stomach to my throat.
“So, why are you leaving?” he pressed.
“I want to become a full-time freelancer,” I quickly responded.
His face said it all. Like so many others, he was confused as to why I would leave the comfort and security of a traditional, full-time job (and, hello, health benefits!) for a life of uncertainty as a freelancer. I didn’t have any other potential opportunities lined up and had absolutely zero clue how I was going to pay those pesky things called bills, but I quit my job anyway.
Looking back, jumping ship from my full-time position with no firm back-up plan in place probably wasn’t the smartest thing. However, I do think taking that terrifying leap of faith was one of the most enlightening career experiences I’ve had so far. Call it stupid, impulsive, or brave—at the very least, it was educational.
1. You Don’t Need the Approval of Others
When I would tell people about my plan to sprint away from my cubicle in favor of the freelance life, I so desperately wanted them to reassure me with statements like, “Oh wow, you’re so brave!” “Good for you!” or even a friendly and dad-like, “Go get them, tiger!”. Unfortunately, that’s not really what I got.
Instead, I was faced with a lot of, “Wait, you’re doing what?” types of comments. In the end, it really didn’t matter. I was the only one who needed to feel good about my decision. And I did—at least in between crying sessions. Yes, we all naturally crave approval and reassurance from others every now and then. But, trust me, you don’t need it—at least not as much as you think you do.
2. Scary Is Exciting
There’s a big part of being terrified that makes you want to run and cry—but the other piece is actually somewhat thrilling. In the first few days (ahem, alright, months) after leaving my full-time gig, I’d sit down at my computer and feel totally overwhelmed. Every day was a battle to try to scrounge up work and at least take one step in the right direction.
But, at the same time, I felt absolutely exhilarated. I had no idea what was coming next, and that actually made me feel surprisingly motivated and optimistic. It was one of the most distressing, nauseating, and anxiety-inducing times in my life—but it was also the most exciting.
3. You Never Know Until You Try
You have no idea what you’re capable of until you push yourself to try it. I’ll be honest—it’s not that I strongly disliked my full-time job. However, it didn’t set my heart on fire either. A big chunk of my duties were administrative. And, while I did perfect the art of mail merging like a total boss, I didn’t really feel all that challenged or fulfilled by my work. However, as a self-described creature of habit, I think that I likely could’ve dealt with that safety net for the rest of my life.
Fast forward to now, and I’ve accomplished things that I never even thought were a possibility for me. I’ve been published places that I assumed were mere pipe dreams. I’ve worked with people who are essentially celebrities in my eyes. Just think—none of it would’ve happened if I had stayed with the “safe” route.
4. Your Career Really Doesn’t Define You
We all have the tendency to use our careers to define ourselves. But, it’s important to remember that your job isn’t who you are—it’s what you do. Your position definitely adds to your life, but it doesn’t make up the entirety of it.
When I left my job, I felt the need to justify my decision and clarify every last detail until people were literally snoring in front of me. There was this immense need to explain my employment situation in order to give myself a purpose and identity.
Turns out, that’s really not the case—all of that pressure to define myself using my career was totally self-imposed. In fact, most people honestly didn’t care if I was a dog walker or Dalai Lama.
So, if you’re contemplating taking your own leap of faith anytime soon, I hope these lessons encourage you and help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
It can be frustrating to attend a job interview and not get the job. And when you don’t know what you did wrong, the mistakes you made or what you should have done differently, the frustration can get worse.
It can be frustrating to attend a job interview and not get the job. And when you don’t know what you did wrong, the mistakes you made or what you should have done differently, the frustration can get worse.
In some cases, recruiters will mention the mistakes they made. But with others, you have to keep guessing, consult an interview coaching service or rely on information available on job interview mistakes.
Learn the top mistakes that people make during a job interview in this new post.
1. Lack of proper preparation before the interview
Let’s explain using a common scenario.
Jack receives a phone call inviting him to an interview. Unfortunately, he isn’t sure what position he is going to interview for. He also doesn’t want to ask the recruiter because he’s afraid he might ruin his chances.
Hoping all will be well, he walks into the interview room with crossed fingers. As the interviewer asks common interview questions, like “Tell me about yourself” and “Walk me through your typical day at Company X”, everything seems to be going on well.
But that’s until the interviewer asks, “What motivated you to apply for this position?” At that moment, Jack becomes anxious, starts to sweat and the rest of the interview becomes a nightmare. Like you would guess, the interviewer decides Jack is not the best candidate for the role.
This kind of scenario happens a lot. But you can salvage it by revisiting your sent emails and scanning all recent applications. This way, you will find all the positions you have applied to, and pick out the winner.
If for one reason or another you still don’t comprehend the position, you can always ask politely.
2. Being rude and having a bad attitude
The way you treat the security guard, talk to the receptionist or employee who attends to you, and your interaction with interviewers acts as a huge determining factor. If you are rude to these people or have a bad attitude, it is unlikely the job will be yours.
Employers and hiring managers use your personality to decide. This means that in addition to technical expertise, you will also need a likable personality to get the job.
So, make sure you are not rude to anyone in the moments leading to your interview. And avoid portraying a bad attitude. These two are a guarantee for a failed job interview.
Rudeness and a bad attitude have never worked well for anyone. In fact, purpose to be a polite person at all times. And always remain positive.
3. Trying too hard to be someone you are not
You may have tried too hard to impress and completely failed in efforts to prove that you are the best candidate for the job.
Let’s say you are highly energetic and like to joke around a lot. Because you don’t want to hurt your chances of getting hired, you try your best to keep your energy levels down and avoid any jokes. Unfortunately, the interviewer sees you as superficial and does not hire you.
If you are an energetic person, don’t hide it. If you are a happy person, let it show. And if you don’t like wearing make-up, don’t wear it at all. You know why?
There are only two ways your plan can go, both of which are negative. You will either not get the job at all, or you’ll get hired and lose the job a few months later. Remember that employers believe in hiring someone who will easily fit into the company culture.
So, always be yourself. Let the interviewer connect with you as an individual, and not just another applicant.
4. Too much complaining during the interview
So you hate your current boss or former boss. You dislike your coworkers and believe they are incompetent. Or you think your boss is unfair to you, treats employees badly and does not take up your wonderful ideas. The interviewer does not need to know this.
The more you complain about your boss or former boss, talk negatively about that job you quit or badmouth your coworkers, the more the interviewer shakes their head (internally). You may not see it at the time as the interviewer(s) is trying his or her best to be professional. But it happens.
If you find yourself in such a scenario where everything about your current job, coworkers or boss angers you, try and conceal your feelings. You don’t need to sing praises if there are none, you only need to strategically leave them out of your interview. Focus on yourself, the job you are interviewing for and the company.
In the End
An obvious blunder, like in point 1 above, is easy to identify and correct. But in general, mistakes during a job interview are easier to notice when someone points them out to you.
If you have been attending interviews without getting the job, consider consulting with an interview coach before your next one. A coach will take you through a mock interview where you can identify common problem areas, know what employers are looking for and prepare extensively for your next job interview.
By Lilian Wamaitha
An employer has only 20 seconds to go through your CV so you need to convince them within that time frame that you are the right candidate. This therefore means only one thing.
If your CV doesn’t meet their standards, it’s just going to be thrown out. This translates to a lot of unnecessary sections that people often include when writing a CV.
Here are 4 sections that you need to remove from your CV if you are to get any interviews.
Sections You Need To Get Rid Of In A CV
1. Photos
Unless you are applying for a job that requires you to showcase your attractiveness, photos are not necessary in a CV.
They are not going to make you earn that job more than that candidate who doesn’t have a photo.
And again, people are different and you never know – someone might just use your looks as a way to discriminate you.
And again, the employer is only interested in your achievements and experience and not how you look.
2. Unnecessary personal information
You would be surprised how much unnecessary information people put on their CVs. Information about your religious affiliation can serve as grounds to discriminate you, same as tribe and marital status.
You also don’t also have to include unnecessary hobbies that are in no way related to the job you are applying for, like watching movies or dancing.
The secret to writing a great CV that gets you interviews is to really think about every detail you want to add. Is adding that you were a bell ringer back in primary school going to help you case? Are you going to be given the job based on some mere achievement more than a decade ago?
You can make your work easy by having a professional go through CV and advice on what you need to change. Click here to speak to a professional CV writer.
3. Reasons for leaving your former job
If you are not a recent graduate there are high chances that you have held one or more jobs before. The job you are applying for is not therefore your first.
There is no law that says that you are required to reveal your reasons for leaving your previous jobs to your potential employer. That is not necessary in the application stage. If the employer is interested in such information it will come up in the interview stage.
4. Irrelevant Work Experience
So many CVs I have come across have a lot of unnecessary work history. You will not impress the recruiter by including every job position you have ever held on your CV. For some especially fresh graduates, they do it to make their CV appear longer since they do have much in terms of work experience.
HR advices that you should only include jobs that are related to the position you are applying for. For fresh graduates, include those internships and volunteer positions you have held. Remove unnecessary work experience, like “Working as an IEBC Polling Clerk.”
When it comes to writing a compelling CV, you have to be very careful about the kind of information you put in.
Remember, the recruiter has thousands of CVs to go through and if they don’t find what they are looking for in the first few seconds, chances are that you won’t be getting an interview call.
