Still, reeling from the latest job rejection letter? A bruised ego and a battered self-confidence can take time to heal, but it’s important to discover what went wrong, and how to avoid it next time.
There isn’t a professional today that hasn’t gotten rejected before. Even top CEO’s had to apply for other jobs before they finally got to where they are now. But when it feels like you are stuck in a cycle and just can’t get ahead, then you have to start pinpointing problems and coming up with solutions.
Let’s start here – why exactly is your CV getting ignored or even rejected after every interview, even though it seemed really successful?
‘Crappy’ CV- We can’t stress the importance of a well-written CV enough. Can you travel without an approved VISA? No. Then think of your CV that way – your well-written CV opens doors and gets attention. Sending a potential employer a disorganized, lazy or just plain ‘crappy’ CV is the perfect way to get rejected, even before the interview stage. Writing a decent CV and personal statement can seem stressful, but not getting another rejection will make it all worth it, and every hour you spend on it will be repaid in future.
If you don’t have the time to write the perfect CV or you don’t know how to, we can do it for you! You can read our CV Writing Guide or ask for help
Cat got your tongue?– Your bed could be quite comfortable especially when you have something important to do. You have an interview set for 9, now you’re scrambling at 8:50 trying to get set cause you spent the previous day watching Netflix till 3 am – now you’re wearing a corporate shirt, washing your face and hoping no one would notice. “Oh damn, what role is this interview for again? What company is this even? Am I prepared?”. Now you’re in front of the recruiter asking yourself all the wrong questions and answering all the interview questions wrongly. No wonder you didn’t get called back. If you fail to prepare, you might as well prepare to fail.
There were better candidates – Sometimes it’s not you, it’s them (hard to believe right?). The sad truth is there’s always going to be someone better qualified for the job, or better at giving a first impression. So don’t beat yourself up, keep applying and pushing, there’s something out there for you!
You’re getting everything wrong – When recruiters ask you to give them some insights into your professional background, don’t start rambling about your personal hobbies and bragging about all your accomplishments. When you lack information, it’s very easy to tell, so be ready. Do your research, get your facts right and be armed with enough information. When you say in your CV that you’ve had this or that experience, be prepared for detailed questioning. Are you really a good team player? Have some examples to show that you are ready and rehearsed. You might not be fully prepared for the odd questions that might come up but you can do your best by reading this article > Odd Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
You’re lacking soft skills – So you have all the certifications and technical skills, great! But do you have basic human skills? Are you a team player? Are you a creative thinker? Sounds basic, doesn’t it? Not quite. Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today’s workforce. It’s just not enough to be highly trained in technical skills, without developing the interpersonal and relationship-building skills that help people to communicate and collaborate effectively. Top organizations usually test for two things – Aptitude and Personality. Soft skills cover the personality traits, they are crucial skills needed to be accepted into any workplace and succeeding.
Do you need to acquire these skills? We are training Nigerian youths for FREE. Simply click here to sign up for our FREE soft skills training. You can wrap up the course in less than 2 hours with a certificate to show for it!
*Original article written by Eseosa Osayimwen*
