When I left university I was told by my lecturer it could take up to a year to find a job in the industry. A year hunting for jobs is quite a disconcerting idea, I think you’ll agree. It can be even more troublesome if you don’t even feel like you’re being considered for interviews. So let’s start there.
The CV
If you’re not even being considered for interviews, I guarantee there is something wrong with your CV or resume and you need to fix it. One of the biggest mistakes people make with their CV is that they stuff as much information as they can about themselves into it. Firstly, your CV should never be over two pages long, and there is no need for it to be any longer than that. That doesn’t mean you should overcrowd the pages either. It needs to still look neat and tidy no matter how much information is on it.
If you’re trying to save space, a good idea is not to bother with the references. Simply remove them entirely. Employers realize that you have references and will provide them if asked.
If you’re wondering what to put on your CV, you should have a statement or goal at the top. It needs to be as clear and to the point as possible. Include educational experience that is relevant to the job you are after and the same goes for job experience. When writing your job experience, make sure you point out how the job relates to the position you are applying for. If you do this, your CV should earn you an interview. But remember, an employer only spends sixty seconds looking at the average CV. At that point, it can just be the luck of the draw.
The Interviews
How many interviews have you had in the past six months? You might have only had two and that’s a hard fact to admit. You might also have been going to one interview each week for the past six months. Guess which one’s worse? Attending a lot of interviews and not getting any job offers is of course worse because it means something is going horribly wrong when they meet you. Don’t forget that in an interview first impressions are everything. It’s not uncommon to hear that an employer decided who they were going to hire five minutes after meeting them. That doesn’t give you a lot of time and it’s clear then, it’s all about confidence. You need to say and do the right things. That’s a little too vague, but it is the small details. Believe it or not, they look at how you are dressed, how firm your handshake is and whether you make eye contact.
Only then will they start to listen to what you have to say. At which point you may have already earned the position without realising it.
The Alternate Choice
It’s possible that you’re doing everything right, and you are still not getting the job you want. You’ve got the skill, the knowledge and the experience in your chosen industry. But in a world where the market is this competitive it can still be a lottery whether or not you get the job.
That’s why some people are just cutting out the middle part completely. Instead, they are becoming entrepreneurs overnight by setting up their own business. You might have started to wonder what it takes to do this and whether you can do it yourself. Certainly, there is profit potential along this route of business and no reason you cannot be a success.
The first thing you will need to consider is whether or not you have a strong business mind. You need to be clear that you can set up a business and that you know exactly how to keep it competitive by cutting costs. But cutting costs is actually a lot easier and it mainly happens through outsourcing. For instance, if you’re setting up a tech orientated business then you will need IT support. But rather than hire the staff to operate this for you, you outsource the problem to another company. An IT support company will ensure your business stays up and running, even in the event of a tech disaster. They’ll have you back online in minutes at a low cost. For more information, research these companies online. They are just one in the ocean of e-commerce services that are available for a competitive small business.
I do recommend that you keep your business small at first. This is one of the mistakes young entrepreneurs make. They think too big, too soon. By keeping your business small, you reduce the risk of the setup. You will need to borrow money to get your business started but the cost will be less.
Don’t forget that your company should be in an industry where you have the knowledge or experience. Remember, you’re not setting up your business to try something new. You will still be working in the industry you are trained for. Sometimes this evolution can be incredibly organic. For instance, you might have been trying to get a job in fashion. In your spare time, you could have been running a blog about the latest fashion news. Aside from looking excellent on your CV, that might have gained you enough interest to consider a crowdsourcing campaign. At that point you could get the funding to set up your own small fashion shop. Suddenly you have your own business and make no mistake, it can be that easy.
We hope you have found this information useful. Start by looking at your CV and making the changes we talked about. Then, improve your interview technique, perhaps practising with someone or in a mirror. But while you’re doing this consider whether you have the drive to go out on your own. If you do, you might be surprised by what you can accomplish.