By: Yemisi Ogunse
Whether you are looking for your first job after graduating from school or you’re looking to change companies or progress in your career, it is vital to know how to look for a job.
It’s not all the time you will just be sending your CV everywhere and it’s not every job that is for you.
There’s no denying it searching for jobs really is a full-time job in itself, so you’ve got to put in the effort,
Let’s look at some of the ways you can use to apply or land yourself a Job, they’re however not exhaustive prayerfully engage them.
1. Ask your network/contact for referrals.
If you are looking for a job, you should tell some of your contacts to help you find mutual career contacts. To do this means they must trust you and know what your interest is.
I remember getting a job through Coach Sola Adesakin I mentioned to her my interest and if she has anyone who was looking at hiring for such. Long story short she picked up her phone and called, and that I was it. Employers will trust their employee’s referrals, so please make yourself of worthy character. Nobody will vouch for someone they can’t trust.
Who says your pastor, music director, imam, gym instructor etc. can’t be the next leverage you need.
Tip: Start by making a list of everyone that you know and determine which individuals might know about available positions in your industry.
Aim to build closer relationships with the people in your network so they think of you first when they hear of job openings.
2. Go to job fairs
A job or career fair is a special event that aims to get companies and potential employees together to network and share information. You hear Jobberman is doing career fair attend, Myjobmag is doing attend. Avoid going empty-handed, carry your CV along.
These events are frequently used by big companies that are looking to recruit large numbers of employees as well as fresh graduates for graduate training. So please if you can try and attend.
To ginger, you could ask one or two friends who are job hunting to accompany you.
3. Contact companies directly.
Job searches are much more straightforward now that most companies have websites that you can target directly. You will be able to apply directly for available positions listed on their website. Don’t wait for an advert all the time, you can cold mail them.
4. Temporary Jobs or Internships
Temporary employment and short-term contracts often lead to permanent positions. It’s a great way to get a foot in the door or at the very least provide you with useful business contacts to call upon in the future.
5. Leverage social media.
There are many different social media platforms you can use to search for jobs and interact with companies you’d like to work for.
By keeping up to date with a company’s social media pages, you can gain valuable insights into their tone, interests, and working style.
You may even hear about job openings they have through these channels. If you are using social media for professional purposes, it’s important to make your own profiles suitable.
Use your real name and picture, especially for LinkedIn. Also, make your email address official, and not a sexyshade@gmail.com.
I hope you’ve learned something new, wish you the best on your journey.
Yemisi Ogunse is passionate about relationships and helping individuals become a better version of themselves.
She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, with experience in End-to-End Recruitment, Employee Engagement, Onboarding, and Business Partnering.
A purpose-driven and result-oriented individual who strives to attain excellence in each of her endeavors.
She is the coordinator of our Smart Starters community.
