“67pc of Kenya’s Jobless give up on Work Search”. That was the screaming headline in the Business Daily on April 5.
Not having a revenue stream is the scariest, most stressful, disappointing and most disempowering thing in life. Not having a job is horrendous. However, not having a job or a revenue stream isn’t a death sentence.
There are diverse strategies that we can deploy so that we become the very best, bravest and brightest in spearing the best animal.
As a human resource professional, I know what counts in inching closer to that position. Getting a job is a product of very good repositioning. Do you want that dream job? Let us dive in and sharpen our saws.
One of the best tools that a job seeker needs to sail through the murky waters of job searching is to have a well-grounded psychological apparatus.
As a person who spends time motivating and inspiring people, I can’t overemphasise the need for having a very solid positive mindset. Humankind has progressed because of the plasticity of optimism.
Looking at the bright side of things in spite of the challenges, diversity, failures and disappointments is a superpower.
A positive mental framework prepares one for success. Once you task the mental resources to generate creative and innovative solutions it sure does regardless of the odds.
The odds are we are so many but competing for very few slots.
Looking for a job is a tough job. There is a reason why people start organisations, mainly to succeed.
Therefore, applicants who show grit are more advantaged. In looking for a job one has to pack more grit fuel. No instant gratifications.
How many times should you read the job description? When I am training someone for a job interview I tell them to read the job advert more than 10 times.
On average prospective employees read once to three times. Reading a job advert once isn’t sufficient to tackle interview questions. Then read related job descriptions and job specifications.
A thorough mastery of the job advert gives one several advantages. The bulk of the interview questions will emanate from the job descriptions. A job description should be internalised like a chorus.
Once the job description has been owned thoroughly it is strategically important in this job hunt to look for someone to do a mock interview with.
If one does not have money to pay a coach or mentor one can do a mock with a polished friend. The friend can ask pertinent questions.
The super information highway has everything in the sun. Through search engines, one can research generic questions about that job.
By generic questions, I mean those that never miss during interviews. Generic questions are questions that will never miss regardless of the phraseology.
For example questions like tell us about you? Why should we hire you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your greatest accomplishments? Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
One of the questions that interviewees never prepare as much is about remuneration. This is the question that startles many applicants, partly because there is paltry research on compensation.
Remember you can miss an opportunity on this technicality. Either because you over asked or underasked. The other question that chokes most candidates is do you have any questions for us? Don’t pass this moment. This is the show-stopper.
You know during the initial stages of the process one can be thrown off the rail. This is the moment to recover and redeem oneself from the heat.
Have a set of good questions that are well-researched that can be used to impress the interviewer. You know interviews are moments to look for a winning edge in the pressure cooker of competition.
One of the fastest growing professions is that of Curriculum Vitae (CV) and LinkedIn revamping. There are professionals who can make CVs look magnificent. But you know a good CV is only part of the process.
There is the other segment of mastering the contents of the CV. This is where most job applicants forget. Reading and understanding the CV is an indicator of strategic thinking. There must be CV ownership.
This means the CV must be internalised very well. Remember some interview questions will be crafted from the CV content.
One has to prepare on the technical and soft skills. Technical skills mean understanding the fundamentals of your craft. You must dream and think about your trade.
Knowing one’s profession is part of the building blocks of nailing a job. Then there are soft skills like effective leadership, communication, synergy, and emotional intelligence.
